The Mayans

[pic] By Chandler Anschutz Standard to be covered by this project: Describe the diverse characteristics of early American Civilizations and societies in North, Central, and South America by comparing and contrasting the major aspects (government, religion, interactions with the environment, economy, and social life) of American Indian civilizations and societies such as the Maya, Aztec, Inca, Pueblo, and/or Eastern Woodland peoples. [pic] Rise and Fall of the Mayans The Maya people lived from 11,000 B. C. to almost 1500 A. D. At 11,000 B. C. he first hunter-gatherers settle into the Maya Highlands. According to Mayans Long Count Calendar the creation of the world takes place in 3114-3113 B. C. In the year 2000 B. C. the Olmec civilization is on the rise, the root of many traditions in the Mayan Culture. 700 B. C. Maya people form a written language of a form of hieroglyphics. The Mayan script is logosyllabic combining about 550 logograms (which represent whole words) and 150 syllabog rams (which represent syllables). There were also about 100 glyphs representing place names and the names of gods.Only about 300 of these glyphs were commonly used. In 300 B. C. the Mayans adopted the idea of a hierarchical society ruled by nobles and kings. The city of Teotihuacan is founded in 100 B. C. and becomes the center of culture, religion and trading in Mesoamerican for centuries. The Mayan people learned to farm the harsh tropical land. As populations grew, they adopted more intensive methods of cultivation including composting, terracing, and irrigation. They filled in swamps to creating fields and used silt and muck from bottomlands to fertilize enclosed gardens.Artificial ponds gave a place to hold fish, and corrals held deer and other game flushed from the forest. Their settlements grew into large city-states and with the city-states came large palaces and temples. They were very artistic; they made ceramics, murals, and sculptures. They understood the concept of zero and formed a very extensive hieroglyphic form of writing. Their year had 365 days to it and they even had made the leap year correction. They predicted solar eclipses, watched the stars, and even had their temples built so that at a certain time of year they’d face the sunrise or sunset exactly.The Mayans were led by Maya Kings, who got their power from the gods. They were both priests, interpreting religion and as leaders in times of peace and war. These kings would perform public rituals giving metaphysical meaning to the movement of the heavens, changing calendars, and even royal succession. Besides the spiritual rituals the Maya cities functioned just as a normal city would trading, fighting, making alliances, and gaining/losing land. Waka, a Maya city had become a large center of trade. Goods like jade, obsidian, and pyrite even made it to the Mayans.Waka also had a tributary to the San Pedro, it was sheltered and had room to lodge large canoes. The Mayans also invented a type of flak jacket. It was a cotton vest, stuffed with rock salt. A guy by the name of Fire is Born led an army toward Waka in means to gain reinforcements. Fire is Born was sent to conquer Tikal. With his new found reinforcements from Waka it took him a week to reach Tikal and conquer them. Fire is Born became the cities new overlord. Following Fire is Born’s take over of Tikal, Tikal itself started to expand. In the year 800 A. D.Cancun was overrun by invaders. These invaders took 31 royal hostages into the court yard, probably members of the royal family, and systematically decapitated every one of them. The king of Cancun was not spared, nor was his wife or children. The invaders took none of the riches or valuable items of the city, instead they defaced all of the monuments and toppled them face down. Almost every city was met by its end in this way or simply faded out of existence. Nobles abandoned palaces; even the homeless who had come to live in the palaces event ually abandoned them.The downfall of the Maya civilization can not be put of one simple yet terrible event. The collapse is due to many possible problems that could have damaged the empire. Resources grew scarce; kings with religious rituals lost their luster, leading instability and desperation to fuel destruction warfare. These problems may have been the cause of the fall of the Mayan civilization. There is not one exact known reason for the end of the Mayans and is for now still a mystery. |  [pic] |[pic]   |  [pic]   [pic] | |  IMIX |  IK' |AK'BAL |K'AN | |ee mesh |eek' |ok bol   |k' on   | |waterlily, world |wind |night-house |maize | |  [pic] |  [pic] |[pic]   |  [pic] | |  CHIKCHAN |  KIMI |MANIK' |LAMAT | |cheek chon |kee me |ma neek' |la mot   | |snake |death |  hand |Venus | |[pic]   |  [pic] |  [pic] |[pic]   | |  MULUK' |OK |  CHUEN |  EB | |mul ok' |ak   |chew in |eb | |water |dog |monkey |tooth | |  [pic] |  [pic] |[p ic]   |  [pic] | |BEN |IX |MEN |KIB | |ben   |eesh   |men   |keeb   | |reed |jaguar |eagle |soul | |  [pic] |  [pic] |  [pic] |[pic]   | |KABAN |ETZ'NAB |KAWAK |AHAW | |kah bon |ehts' nob   |kah wok   |ah how   | |earth   |flint, knife |storm |Lord |These symbols were the symbols the Mayans used to represent the 20 days of their month. With each symbol are their Yucatec names, pronunciation and approximate translation. These are the Mayan words for units of time: Day = Kin (keen) Month of 20 days = Uinal (wee nal) Year of 360 days = Tun (toon) 20 Tuns = K'atun (k' ah toon) 20 K'atuns = Baktun (bock toon) [pic] This is a picture of Hunab Ku. He is the supreme god of the Mayans religion. He is also the creator god. He is the Mayan equivalent for Greeks Zeus. Hunab Ku has power over the other gods. [pic] This is Cizin, the Mayan god of death. He would be a darker equivalent of the Greeks Hades.He requires a brutal sacrifice such of decapitation. Some of the religious rituals Maya Kings performed were sacrifices to this god to keep his wrath at bay. [pic] Kinich Ahau, the Mayan sun god. He brought the sun across the sky. He was an important god to the Mayans; they needed the sun to grow their crops. Sacrifices were also made to this particular god so he’d continue to bring the sun out. [pic] The Mayan god of rain and lightning, Chac, was also very important to the Maya. He brought rain to water the crops. Sacrifices were made to him to continue bringing the rain and to not use lightning against the Mayans. Chac played an important role in the Mayan religion. [pic]This is an ancient Mayan temple in Cancun. From the Mayan Classic Period, 300-900 A. D. this temple was used as a site for religious rituals. These rituals, performed by the king of the city, would have been sacrifices to the gods. Many gods were sacrificed to for the Mayans believed that the gods would be kind to them and help them if they had been sacrificed in return. [pic] This is a map of where the Maya Civilization lived. This part of the world is the southern end of Mexico and Guatemala. The sites shown on the map are locations of Mayan cities and villages. There were many of cities in Central America. [pic] This is a Mayan Ruins site. It’s the site of Tikal, a great city.Fire is Born conquered this city just a week after gaining reinforcements at Waka. This city later went on the offensive and expanded. [pic] These are the ruins of Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza was a large city of the Mayans. The temple would have been of great religious importance. Many a sacrifice would have taken place within those walls. [pic] This is a temple from Uxmal, an ancient Mayan city. This temple would have been used as a religious place used for rituals and sacrifices. Mayans sacrificed people to the gods in return for peace and aid with whatever happened to be the problem at the moment. Bibliography †¢ â€Å"The Mayan Civilization Timeline. † Mexconnect. 01 Jan 2008. Web. Jan 2010. . †¢ Criscenzo, Jeeni. â€Å"The Maya. † The Maya. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ Ager, Simon. â€Å"Mayan Scipt. † Omniglot. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"The Mayan Calendar. † Web Exhibits. IDEA, Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"The Mayas. † Minnesota State University. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"The Mayas. † Civilizations in America. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"Mayan History Timeline. † One World Journeys. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"The Mayan History. † Mayan Indians. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ â€Å"The Rise and Fall of the Mayan Empire. † Science at NASA. Web. 8 Jan 2010. . †¢ Gugliotta, Guy. â€Å"Maya Rise and Fall. † National Geographic. 01 Aug 2007. Web. 8 Jan 2010. .

Horses: Poetry and Edwin Muir Essay

It is said that one should forget the past and live in the present. However, Edwin Muir’s ‘Horses’ is a poem of past memories only. The interesting part is that it deals with many conflicts and issues which are prevalent even today. It is thus a bridge between the past and present and is expressed in the form of a piece of literature. Muir himself said that in writing about horses in this poem, he was reflecting his childhood view of his father’s plough horses, which must have seemed huge, powerful and mysterious to a boy of four or five. Some of his poems, including ‘Horses’, have a close equivalent in passages from his autobiography, suggesting that seeing these horses reminded him of certain events. The poem begins with the poet transcending reality and reminiscing of one of his childhood memories. In this case it is one of when he as a child, watched a team of horses ploughing the stubble back into the field, during a rainy day which got progressively stormier. In the first two verses, the poet gives the reader a meaningful hint into what the circumstances of his times were. This was most probably, the hardships of a period of war. The few references Muir makes to an army such as in cases where the horses â€Å"marched† and the word â€Å"conquering† further strengthen this issue of war. â€Å"Their hooves like pistons in an ancient mill† This line brings up another issue which is plaguing the third world as we know it. In the same verse he refers to a â€Å"childish hour† in which he also compares the horses’ hooves to pistons in an ancient mill. This refers to how child labour in factories was existent even then and how these dark memories were etched in his mind. We can suggest these memories to be dark not only by his imagination but by the â€Å"fearful† way he sees these images of the past. Under the â€Å"great hulks† of these creatures he sees is however another truth. The way these symbols of â€Å"power† trod, allows the reader to infer another thought.

Poverty in Canada Essay

Poverty in Canada is a serious issue that needs to be effectively and efficiently addressed. Approximately one in six Canadians lives in poverty despite Canada being among the wealthiest developed countries. The poor live in poor housing conditions, earn minimal wages and overcrowded regions with some being forced into the streets, in cars or old vans. (www. kairoscanada. org). Poverty makes them live in fear, become malnourished, bad health conditions that make their lives a misery. Canada has a record of having the strongest economic growth especially from 1997-2003. What are the causes of poverty in Canada? Poverty rates for the minority groups’ for instance aboriginal people, new immigrants, single parents and one disabled are higher. These people lack secure employment from which they can earn a decent source of income. Without the finances they cannot cater for their basic needs like food, shelter and clothing. Lack of adequate and efficient government support also contributes to the higher rates of poverty. The poor get poorer when relevant authorities fail to provide or open channels through which they can access financial assistance. Poverty in Canada is highly correlated to gender, race and a citizen’s status in the society. (www. ccsd. ca). Those from families that are at a higher rank in terms of social power will be of better economic status compared to those from poor families. Poverty tends to be inherited as wealth and riches are. (www. kairoscanada. org). Education is a vital factor affecting or contributing to poverty. Parental education level affects how their children will be whereby those with tertiary education have the skills or knowledge to acquire decent employment that can enable them lead decent lives. The family size and structure also contributes to poverty. Single parents have higher chances of living in poverty as they have to single-handedly cater for their children. Large families also need more finances to cater for all their needs and small families generally tend to be better off. Cultural barriers and prejudice affects or influences government policies as well as social attitudes and economic structures. Distribution of wealth and not lack of it acts as a major cause of poverty in Canada. Poor pay act as a major determinant of poverty. The government allocates a minimal amount of resources for overall social transfers for instance on income assistance, child benefits, old age security, disability assistance, employment insurance and social assistance. New immigrants get poor wages and work under hostile conditions. Since they do not have permanent residency they are very susceptible to exploitation. They work for long hours, earn sub-standard wages, lack over time pay and are physically or verbally abused. (www. kairoscanada. org). Discrimination against women and people of colour hinders them from employment opportunities. Gender inequalities and domestic responsibilities, lack of appropriate childcare and language barriers hinder effective employment and consequently poverty levels rise. Family characteristics for instance the age of becoming a parent affects or rather influences family income levels and increases the chances of poverty. Research has shown that families of single mothers are generally poorer than families headed by men. In terms of wages paid women tend to earn less than males as they participate a lot in domestic chores and childcare (www. kairoscanada. org). They also tend to be more represented in the service and less paying employment opportunities as compared to men. What are the effects of poverty in Canada? Poverty in Canada has detrimental effects in economic, social as well as psychological aspects of those it involves. It deprives off the poor important things like food, shelter, clothing, education, health and employment. Inability to adequately provide for the poor is a cost to the government especially when cost of housing for example increases. Quality of healthcare provided is undermined as the demand for these services increases. Poverty is linked to poor health and since Canada provides universal health care it has increased expenses providing for more patients. Poverty and income inequalities have a major effect on health where health effects of poverty are felt more among the poor. The costs incurred on other services like education, recreation, transportation, security and pension also face a blow as the demand increases. (www. kairoscanada. org). Poverty affects people’s self esteem, dignity and belonging as it exposes them to hostile indecent living conditions. Those discriminated upon are emotionally affected by the way the society treats them. Poverty has a negative impact on social cohesion as well as economic prosperity. Poverty is also responsible for increased incidences of child labour and child abuse. Poor families can use their children to supplement their incomes. Criminal activities are aggravated by poverty since the poor may use illegitimate means to attain the basic necessities. How is poverty addressed or handled in Canada? Canadians fight or react to poverty in different perspectives. Direct donations and charity are offered to the poor and they include money, time, clothing and food. Economic based strategies are also developed for instance the creation of cooperatives and local businesses that are supported and run by the community in terms of funds or loans. This approach is beneficial to the community at large as what an individual could not have afforded is now affordable. Government protests and advocacy is another response to poverty. Churches and other non governmental organisations lobby to government to address vital issues like on income security where minimum wages can be set, employment insurance, childcare, social programs and fairness of taxation. Anti-poverty groups create or rather raise awareness of poverty and by so doing, keep the government in check. What are the strategies of fighting poverty in Canada? Government policies should be changed so as to increase more income supports for the Canadians. There should be increased security and remuneration in the labour markets whereby minimum wages as well as observance or adherence of human rights to part time and contract workers are considered. (www. socialjustice. org). There should also be increased accessibility to public facilities like housing, childcare as well as recreational programs. The children are a vulnerable population that ought to be adequately attended to. The Canadian government ought to be committed in setting targets of progress. Setting a parliamentary committee would also be appropriate especially in ensuring that there is transparency and effectiveness in the process of poverty eradication. It can establish fair tax systems for instance a low-income tax that can promote education to uplift the poor people’s living conditions. The government ought to assist single parents by increasing their benefits. Child benefits should also be increased so as to improve the living standards of children from poor families. Cultural transformation is also crucial if poverty is to be eliminated in Canada as cultural aspects influence poverty. (www. socialjustice. org). People can be encouraged to value and pursue academic goals so as to increase their chances of getting jobs that can enable them lead decent lives. An effective poverty eradication strategy is one that is made for the people and by the people. It is therefore very important to involve the minority groups like people of colour and women in the design and implementation of poverty eradication strategies. Families can be encouraged to raise small families so that their educational levels can be higher as their family incomes would be higher. Cooperative societies and other forms of community efforts to mobilize finances for the overall development should also be encouraged. They will be very important in ensuring that the status of the poor is uplifted. Education is very important in ensuring that people attain the necessary skills to fit in the job market. (www. conferenceboard. ca) Concerns of the poor should therefore be felt or reflected in the government policies as well as in its decision-making processes. Their human as well as economic rights should be fought for or respected. Reducing the gap between the rich and the poor would be an appropriate measure by the Canadian government. (english. napo-onap. ca). It only works to make the rich richer as the poor languish in poverty. Hiring processes should be fair and just so that the human rights are respected. Discrimination has negative effects, as it would result to under-utilisation of skills, capacities, talents and opportunities all of which are beneficial to the country as a whole.

Essay Questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Questions - Essay Example By means of contrast, information technology is most effectively concerned with the infrastructural development of the way in which databases are administered, networks are organized, and information is shared. Through the information that is thus far been promoted, it can clearly be understood that the level of comparison and contrast that exists between information technology and information systems is somewhat less stark and distinct than one might otherwise assume. Ultimately, the interrelationship between these terms has a profound impact with regards the way in which both of these effective job tasks are conducted. The way in which a company operates would be severely impaired if both of these elements were not heavily leveraged by a particular entity. As such, the luxury of choosing which one of these approaches will be used is not a luxury that a successful firm can engage in; rather, they must choose to exercise them both concurrently so that different goals, strategies, and expect can be felt throughout the business entity. And information value chain for a group of movie theaters could engender a great many things. However, one of the most logical explanations for how such information value chain could be represented is with regards to the group of theaters actively seeking out information with respect to the clients that integrate with their service. For instance, age, race, and other demographic factors could be gathered and utilized as a means of seeking to engage further profitability with respect to the service that is offered. Similarly, information with regards to the overall seat availability, pink ticket times, peak sale prices, and particular types of movies that provide the greatest profitability can and should also be gathered as a means of time all of this marketing information back into the information value chain

Applied statistics for economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Applied statistics for economics - Essay Example Consistent with the research predictions, the study found out that standard & poor 500 indexes are more likely to release good news forecasts following larger stock price declines. Moreover, as expected there is no association between the likelihood of releasing good news forecasts and the magnitude of an exogenous stock price increase. Also to be illustrated in this report is the potential of Time-frequency Representation (TFR) techniques, for the analysis of stock markets data and compare their performances. It is for this reason that we seek to analyze the behavior of the stock market price over the period from 2002 to 2007. MAIN OBJECTIVES/BROAD PURPOSES OF THE PROJECT This report aims at investigating the following objectives; i) To investigate whether all the investors are risk averse and measure risk in terms of the standard deviation in a portfolio’s return. ii) To investigate whether all investors have a common time horizon for investment decisions (e.g., a year). iii ) To investigate whether all investors have identical subjective estimates of future returns and risks for all securities. iv) To investigate whether there exists a risk-free asset and all investors may borrow or lend an unlimited amount at the risk free nominal rate of interest. v) To investigate whether all securities are completely divisible, there are no transactions costs or differential taxes, and there are no restrictions on short-selling. vi) To investigate whether information is freely and simultaneously available to all investors. We could summarize the above by stating that all individuals are price-takers and that markets are perfectly competitive. OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT Comparing... Applied Statistics For Economics A time series can be said to collection of data yt (t=1,2,†¦,T), with the interval between yt and yt+1 being fixed and constant. Time series analysis is the estimation of difference equations containing stochastic (error) terms (Enders 2010). Time series forecasting takes the analysis from the time series data and tries to predict what the data may be in the near future, based on what it has been in the past. This is especially important in the field of stock market investment, as traders want to make the right moves at the right times to maximize financial profit. But because there are many factors influencing the fluctuation of the stock market, creating an accurate forecast based on the analysis alone is difficult. Therefore, many approaches and models have been developed to utilize the time series analysis and provide an accurate prediction of what is to come in the stock market. Standard & Poor 500 indices are designed to reflect the U.S. equity markets and, through the mar kets, the U.S. economy. The Standard & Poor 500 index focuses on the large-cap sector of the market; however, since it includes a significant portion of the total value of the market, it also represents the market. Companies in the Standard & Poor 500 index are considered leading companies in leading industries. Comparing the mean of dly and that of dlsap, we observe that the end of week mean price for the logarithm of share price for a particular stock (denoted dly) is lower compared to the end of week mean for the logarithm of Standard & Poor 500 index.

Patterns for Interpersonal conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Patterns for Interpersonal conflict - Essay Example The second aspect is a behavioral component, which occurs when one individuals directly interferes with the objectives of another. The third aspect is the affective component, which refers to the negative emotions between individuals in conflict. Among these components, there are for common characteristics of interpersonal conflict that will be discussed in the paper. In addition, the paper will illustrate the negative factors that may result from lack of conflict resolution. The first common characteristic is that the conflicting parties are interdependent. The above mentioned illustrations of conflict show that the parties involved have contrasting opinions. Hence, regardless of the opposing views each of the parties is necessary for conflict to occur. Kelly and Braiker state that an individual who is not dependent on another and does not possess an interest in him or her cannot have a conflict with this person. Hence, since the choice of each person in the conflict affects the oth er, it is necessary to resolve all conflict in an environment that requires interaction. In such situations, the two individuals must find common ground as they will be unable to work together in a state of conflict. In most situations, individuals will sabotage their colleague to attain their own interests if there is no conflict resolution. The situation will be escalated to a point whereby the two parties are no longer willing or able to find common ground. Another characteristic is that the two parties often have the perception.

Describe all the issues about which Sister Aloysius could have doubts Essay

Describe all the issues about which Sister Aloysius could have doubts , going from the least important to the most important. ( - Essay Example It is very shocking that Sister Aloysius could have the potential of turning into a doubting Thomas given the dogmatic image of one who never had any doubt in her life (Shanley 22). In an effort to make this issue sink even further, it is revealed that Sister Aloysius told a lie. This is against the fact that it is a very strong Catholic dogma that no any lie of any sort ought to be encouraged leave alone being told (Waldmeir 34). This very rigid law is held even in circumstances where the lie could be the solitary tool in defeating the devil. Despite being a very sincere and devoted servant of God, Sister Aloysius finds herself in a very compromising situation. She is unwillingly introduced to the Machiavellian relativism. Sister Aloysius goes further to encapsulate humanity’s doubt in its last century. It is at this very point that Sister Aloysius openly abandons absolutism (Books Llc 43). The very step that Sister Aloysius takes in abandoning absolutism violates greatly the vow that she had personally taken in an effort to affirm her obedience to the church which was aimed at catching the pedophile (Waldmeir 79). As the play progresses, it comes to the realization that Sister Aloysius is very important when the hierarchy fails to work. At this point in time, Sister Aloysius transforms into the prosecutor, the jury and even the judge. This step marks the beginning of Sister Aloysius to fall in the slippery tracks already built by the principle of moral relativism. This rings a question to the mind of the reader as to whether it is really possible for anyone to offer any defense or support to moral absolutes if at all Sister Aloysius cannot do it. It therefore possesses yet another doubt on how truly the aspect of evil could be effectively stopped (Shengold 51). A heavy doubt lingers on whether there can be any staged war against the issue of evil if at all the absolutes being in place. Faith has now escaped and the only thing that is present is doubt w hich is being portrayed as having captured every individual. As the play progresses, it is notable that boundaries are being set for the rapid spread of doubt. This can be seen in the case that involves Aloysius the pedophile. It is very clear that Sister Aloysius is borrowing heavily from intuition in handling these particular cases (Bryer 61). The evidence that is presented by Aloysius proves to be more flimsy as compared to the evidence that comes from WMDs who are located in Iraq. In this particular case, Sister Aloysius is vey much in doubt about the case since the audience is further informed that if at all she could have been successful in accessing the right results then only luck could be the propelling force (Books Llc 82). The doubt that Sister Aloysius has is in regard to the spiritual issue. This is brought out clearly in the book. It is in regard to this that Sister Aloysius argues that if at all by any chance the society is filled with evil doers as he presumes, then she could put in contribution to the evil activities and move away further from God. Despite the fact that history was filled with evil doers who were acting from fierce conviction such as suicide bombers, witch hunters, Mullahs and the Inquisitors these people act form the conviction that they are protecting children (Shanley 19). As a matter of fact, it is in reference to these very

Environmental Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Management - Essay Example More over, the water based sports that are part of tourism activities are affected by the presence of waste. Hotels may lose clients as they move to the unpolluted areas. The waste water could be of use to the hotels if it is treated and used for sanitary purposes, thereby lowering the water expenses. On the other hand, hotels can avoid breaking government regulations regarding discharge of waste in to the environment, which may lead to legal action being taken against them. High electrical energy consumption also leads to the depletion of water resources especially where hydro-electric power is used. Other electric generation plants also have an impact on the environment, which may lead to the migration of organisms such as birds due to the emission of toxic gases. Such phenomena adversely affect the hotel and tourism industry. Hotels would on the other hand be at an advantage if they conserved energy in their operations and hotel rooms. The most important is lowering their energy costs, which translates in to reduced operation costs, hence higher profitability (Gibson et al 2003). This can be accomplished through sensitizing the staff and the visitors regarding leaving the lights off when not in use, ensuring that refrigerators and other electrical appliances are not switched on unnecessarily. The wood fuel that is used for cooking leads to the destruction of forests, which serve as an essential carbon sink. The greenhouse gases emitted from burning fuel have been a major contributor to climate change. This has adversely affected the hotel industry as water bodies dry up and land being transformed in to a desert. Wild life is becoming depleted in many countries where tourism is a major economic activity, which has led to the closure of many hotel businesses. It is therefore necessary for hotels to engage in the control of green house gases emission, no matter how little they may be contributing to

Globalization and Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalization and Environment - Essay Example The treaty signed helps in offloading one commodity and acquired the other. There are different rewards and detriments that are coupled with globalization (studentresearch 1). The concern of this writing will be the outcome of globalization on the environment. Globalization is inescapable in many countries of the sphere. Every country requires offloading its excessive production in a market with the highest return. The country will also want to buy a commodity that is produced scarcely in the country. When buying, the country will choose from the available options and will go to the high quality and low-cost commodities. The final segment of this trade will ensure that the country makes profit. The profit made will be useful for investment, and the invested segment will lead to economic growth and prosperity. During the investment trend, countries have come to invest on what they can produce best. Producing the best commodities leads to specialization. In the course of economic growth and investment, there is a high trend of population growth. The populace growth can be as a result of numerous measures. Investors can immigrate into the country to look for an investment opportunity (Jorgenson and Givens 849). This measure is considered to have a small weight on the escalation of the population. Secondly, there is always a positive population growth in every country resulting from a high birth rate and low mortality rates. The final answer to the equation is always an increase in mortality rates. The growth of persons in the area has some consequence to the environment. An increase in population usually leads to increased pressure to the environmental resources. Reserves like land, water, and forestry are highly affected. The effect makes comes in when must settlement of the increased population. The population will opt to move to the unsettled area that mostly act as a source of the water reserves. When the

Folk Songs of the Han Essay Example for Free

Folk Songs of the Han Essay Introduction Of the one billion people in China, over 93% belong to the Han nationality. Consequently,the Chinese cultureto which most scholarsrefer is usually the Han culture. However, within the Han Chinese culturethere are differences in custom, dialect, etc. , due to historical events and geographic conditions. Chinese ethnomusicologists in recent years have developed the study of Han Chinese folk songs based upon geographic factors and have labelled this study Music Geography. According to Miao Jing and Qiao Jianzhong, two prominent ethnomusicologists advocating this new approach,there are as many as eleven culture areas (which they call similarcolor areas)of Han Chinese folk songs (1987: 58-61): 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) P Northeastern lain P Northwestern lain JiangHuai Plateau(northern iangsuand northern nhui) J A Zhe Plain (southernJiangsu,southernAnhui, Zhejiang) Jiang Min Tai (FujianandTaiwan) Yue (Guangdong) JiangHan Plain (Hubei, southernHenan) Xiang (Hunan) Gan (Jiangxi) Southwestern lateau P Kejia (Hakkapeople of variousplaces). With the exception of the last-namedgroup (which is a widely-distributed a sub-culture) ll the above divisions arebased upon geographicfactors. In the broadergeographicview, the Han Chinese culture may also be divided into northernand southernstyles, each of which is associated with one of the two majorrivers of China,the HuangHe (Yellow River) of This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 108 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 the north and the Chang Jiang (Long River, also known as the Yangzi River) of the south. It is commonly assumedthatthe HuangHe basin is the cradleof Chinesecivilization. However,recentstudies (such as Miao 1988: 1) indicatethatotherriver basins have contributed qually to the shapingof e Chinese civilization. Among them is the ChangJiangbasin, which is early t certainlyof equal importance o the HuangHe. Anothersystem for classifying folk songs is by type, of which haozi (worksongs), shange (mountainsongs), and xiaodiao (lyric songs) dominate. I propose to examine both systems, in sequence, in order to obtain as wide a perspectiveas possible on Han folk songs. Differences between Northern and Southern Folk Songs To the thinking of Miao Jing and Qiao Jianzhong (1987: 59), the division of Han Chinese folk songs into northern and southern styles follows other aspects of Chinese culture closely. In this division, environmentis seen as playing a significantrole. The HuangHe basin is a cold, dry and windy areawhere the main agricultural roductis wheat. The p lower basin is frequently flooded. The rugged, intense and disjunct characteristicsof the folk songs can be explained by the realities of life on the basin. The Chang Jiangbasin, on the other hand, has mild weatherand much rain. Rice is the main agriculturalproduct. Life is easier for these people and, therefore,the folk songs of this region tend to be more lyrical, gentle and conjunct. There are many rain-evokingsongs in the Huang He area, but there are none in the Chang Jiang area because there is adequate rain for the crops. As a second geographicaspect, local customs are also importantin the formation of folk songs. For instance, in ancient times, people of the Chang Jiang were spirit worshippers. There are still many funeral songs preserved, such as beatingthe corpsesongs, piety songs, and gongs and drumsof Hell. However, in the HuangHe area,it is not the custom to sing when a man dies and funeral songs are absent (Miao 1988: 5-10). Thus, o both environmentand customs determinethe functionandcharacteristics f folk songs. The following is a summary of Han Chinese folk song d characteristicsbased upon their northern-southern ivisions. It should be This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 109 noted that most of these features apply primarily to the xiaodiao (lyric songs),one of the threetypes mentionedabove. Scales and Modes. In general, the Huang He area uses either 7-tone or 6-tone scales. The most popularmodes are the zhi (sol-re), followed in order by shang (re-la), gong (do-sol) and yu (la-mi). (See Appendix for explanation of modes. ) However, in the middle and upper basins of the Huang He area, the shang mode is particularlyfavored. The ChangJiang area,on the otherhand, most commonly uses 5-tone or 4-tone scales. The most popularmode is also the zhi, followed in orderby gong, yu, shang, and jiao. The yu mode is especially popular in Yunnan province. Melodic Progression. The melody of the Huang He area tends to be more angularthan others in shape and moves in disjunct movement. One characteristic f the intervallicemphasis,especially in the o upper Huang He basin, is the 4th-2nd-4th progression, such as gl-c2-gl. This is relatedto the accentof the dialect (Du 1983: 68). The tessituraof all folk songs of this northernarea tends to be high. Melody in the Chang Jiang areatends to be smooth and curvedin shape, and moves in relatively conjunctmotion. The consecutive use of 3rds and 5ths is frequent. When there is a skip larger than a 5th, the melody returnsimmediately in the opposite direction. For example when el jumps to c2, it turns back downwardto al, or passes throughbl to al (Jiang 1983: 77). The tessitura of the folk songs of this areatends to be in the mediumrange. Musical Form, Strophic form is common to most Han Chinese folk songs belonging to the shange and xiaodiao categories, but the use of refrain is not as prominent as in the Western world. In the Huang He area, xiaodiao usually have four phrases while shange are of two phrases. Phrases are normally of equal length. In the e four-phrasestructure, ach phraseor each half phraseis usually set to seven words. In the Chang Jiang area, both lyric songs and mountainsongs use a four-phrasestructure, gain with phrasesof equal length. In the lyric a song type, each phrase,or half phrase,is usually set to five words. In the case of the four-phrasestructure, elodies follow the typical m old sequence qi (opening), cheng (inheriting), zhuan (turning), and he (closing), which is an organizational concept borrowed from Chinese This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 110 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 literature. The qi phrase presents the first statementand the chen phrase complements it. The zhuan phrase marks a departurefrom the general movement of the previous phrases, and the he phraseconcludes the piece. This kind of structure s especially clear in the xiaodiao of the lower Chang i Jiang basin. Of course, this form is very generaland thereare exceptions. a Example 1, Xiu Hebao (Embroidering Pouch), is a love song from northern Shanxi province (Zhongguo Minge Xuan 1980: 217). It represents the northernstyle of folk song. The words are about a young girl thinking of her lover while embroidering a pouch for him. (Embroidered pouches were a popular handicraft for women in rural China. ) The scale of this piece is pentatonicand the mode is shang, dI (re) being the final. The appearanceof d2-g2 (m. 1), d2-g2 (m. 2-3), g2-d2 (m. 3), al-d2_g2-d2 (m. 5-6), and gl-c2 (m. 6-7) are clear examples of the emphases on the interval of a 4th, a typical feature of northernfolk song. Consequently, the melodic contour tends to be angular. The form is strophic in two-phrases, each phrase having four measures. There are generally five words to each half phrase, except for occasional short additions,such as at the beginningof the second phrase(m.5-6). Vocables are enclosed in parentheses. The ending notes on half phrases, d2 (m. 2) and gl (m. 6) , the half cadence of gl (m. 4), and cadence of d1 (m. 8) give the piece a solid feeling in the shangmode. Example 2, Meng Jiang Nil (The Eldest Daughter of the Jiang Family), on the other hand, shows typical features of the southern style (ZhongguoMingeXuan 1980: 155). The melody of this extremelypopular folk song is found in many parts of China, though often with different texts. The text given here is from the best-known version of Jiangsu province (lower Chang Jiang basin). The subject is a lament of the eldest daughterof the Jiang family for her husbandwho was draftedby the Qin Emperor(reigned 221-210 B. C. ) to build the GreatWall. The scale of the piece is pentatonicand the mode is zhi, the final being b (sol). The melody moves generally in a smooth contour utilizing essentially step-wise movement. Consequently,with the exception of m. 5 and m. 6, the general tendency of the melody is gently curved ratherthan angular. The form is a typical four-phrasestrophic structure,each phrase having two measures. These four phrasesfollow the qi, cheng, zhuan, and he sequence mentioned above. This is especially clear at the phrase This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs Example1 Xiu Hebao 111 (Shanxiprovince) r36 rIs ML i -s. t If ,. . .E eu3 i ~M a? ~L~. i * _k A5 I ~ R~ r # w oA M. I Zf, T t. it ME a t ge- ?18 g: ; a~i i jjM. 9 7k ,4 4t ~I )a i -) †¢ . Al. A aAl Y. Y L . + ID I*. . . 1. When the moon is high and bright,fifteenthis the day; And when the springwind blows willows will swing and sway. 2. Blossoms bloom in March,a lettercomes to me. It was from my only love, asking for a pouch made by me. 3. FirstI embroidered little boat with a sail to see. a And if he sees the sail, hell come sailing to me. 4. Then I embroidered ome love birds;they swam all over the sea. s They stayedtogetherandwere as close as could be. 5. He is young and strong;Im like a blossoming flower. And when he finds the pouch, hell come back for me. a (Text translated nd adapted y RebeccaSchwan) b This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 112 1 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 Example2 Meng Jiang Nii (Jiangsuprovince) SIr tr =I I i ~ Li7T i4 *. †¢ .. iE ,- A =. F 6. t MY Ii , * -lI* f†¢ A, 0 1- A r. -t:x A ). L : 5? .- , p r, 1 bC? il ~ †¢* wAaa o . 0 I i. ti. ?T 1 1 fF tt ff t. †¢ t†¢ i ii Bi i t†¢ †¢ n n ! # ? N g 7t i E P m * 0 at t , 5 ~ †¢4 *. 1 w †¢. a h t,o~. †¢r. /4 i t; R . OE ( †¢ 1 . momI I mEI †¢ †¢. I; :W IKE u a3R a S T,~i~r9-k ARcF. t ~ Ar T ~) f UT 5 3L; ok p * ? B ~1 iC f t , _ I ~7(†¢ * ( * r; i J+ †¢. †¢ ; 1 E , I A 4 ff~IBR * rK tAf†¢ tI†¢. a . n ai . P -A rL f e p- C _. †¢. †¢ * a. ;, PQ kfr t. . Ik †¢ †¢ a Es a a , . a it n I †¢_ i ol i 11 4 21t,†¢. . I. †¢ 1. Plum flowers at New Year bringNew Spring, Red lamps are lit at every door. Everyfamily is complete. But my own husbandhas gone to build the wall. 12. it Plum flowers again appearat eve of New Year. g Every home has abundant ood cheer. All preparefor the feast fatedpork andmutton. Meng ChiangNii all alone weeps in bitterness. (Text translated y Bliss WiantandtakenfromWiant 1947: 37). b This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 113 cadences of f# (m. 2), b (m. 4), c#1 (m. 6) and b (m. 8). B (sol) and f# (re) are the most importanttones of the mode. There are twelve stanzas. Each half phraseis set to seven words. The text of each stanzabegins with the name of a month. This is a typical featureof xiaodiao, as we shall see laterin the descriptionof this genre. Classification of Folk Song by Type Most Chinese ethnomusicologists (such as Jiang 1982: passim) follow a three-fold classification system for Han Chinese folk songs; namely haozi (work songs), shange (mountainsongs), and xiaodiao (lyric songs). Each type may furtherbe divided into sub-types. Haozi (Work Songs) The Chinese name for this category, haozi, means crying or a shouting, n indicationof its origins in labor. The functionof this type of is to accompanywork or to relieve hardshipduringwork. Most work song songs feature strong rhythms, and for each a basic rhythmic pattern underlies the entire piece. This is true of the work songs of any people in the world. Melodic materialis ratherlimited and ostinato used frequently. Work songs are exclusively vocal and the rangeis normallywide. Texts are not organized in any established poetic form and there are numerous vocables used. Solo, unison, duet and call-and-response are typical mannersof performanceaccording to specific working conditions. There are five sub-typesof work songs: 1. Transporting Songs. This sub-type refers to songs sung by laborers who carry, drag, or push a heavy load. Due to the extreme a physical requirements ssociatedwith these activities, most of the songs are short and sung in loud voices. Example3 is the beginningof a transporting song from Hangzhouin Zhejiangprovince. It is sung by portersin the style of call (m. 1, 3, 5, ) and response (m. 2, 4, 6, ). The scale is pentatonicand the rangewithin one octave. The mode appearsto be yu (lami). 1 This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions. 114 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 Example3 UntitledTransporting ong S call (Zhejiangprovince) etc. re! LpqAQ 4 ~4? _c etc. 0 2. ConstructionSongs. This sub-type is sung when workers are building a house or road, digging a canal, gatheringstones, cutting wood, hammering a pole, etc. It requires unified rhythms because of the group action involved in working, and is also often sung in call-and-response style. The vocal range is usually wide. Example 4 is a dike-buildingsong from Hubei province sung in call (m. 1-2, 5-6) and response (m. 3-4, 7-) (Jiang 1982: 73). 2 The melody is pentatonic in the zhi mode (sol-re). Note the wide range in the first measure. The vocables are shown in parentheses. Example4 Dae Ge, Dike-buildingSong (Hubeiprovince) res ;b ~ ,-_ -, s . , t l Ii. twit o #I C),v0 IL i4.? t ( Pomegranates ai) blossom (lie) (ya wei yi a ye a ye), Leaves are green (lie ya a ye), (a ye a ye ye a ye), Leaves are green (ye a a ye). (Translated y the author) b This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 1? Vj iC) Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 115 3. FarmingSongs. Not all farmingactivitiesrequiresinging. The sub-typereferredto here includes group-activitysongs sung while pumping water, threshing grain, etc. Since the physical burdenis lighter than that associated with previous sub-types, the songs take on a character of entertainment. In fact, some farming songs are close to the shange category. Example 5 is a water-pumping song from Jiangsu province (Jiang 1982: 76). It is in pentatonic scale, shang mode (re-la). The vocables (shown in parentheses) are more prominent than the text. The mood is light, and the entertainingnatureof the song includes the use of a percussioninterlude(m.11-12). Example5 ShuicheHaozi, Water-pumping ong s -WWI k, I.. .. . _. -P- br. . (Jiangsuprovince) (Ai ya ha ai ya ai he he ai ai ya) Xue Rengui (ya) sails the seas conquering(yo de) the East (a ai ya li he). (Translated y the author) b 4. Sailing and Fishing Songs. Sailing and fishing songs are more complicated in form and content than the above sub-types. In the sailing sub-type, working conditions change according to water currents and weather conditions; the music changes accordingly. Many songs are constructed in suite style (i. e. , multi-sectional) which are long and elaborate. Call-and-responses a frequently-used echnique. i t 5. Miscellaneous Songs. Work songs which do not belong to the above sub-typesare includedhere. They can be sung by workersin the salt This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 116 1 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 field, by woodcutters, and by weavers, etc. The characteristicsof their songs vary accordingto each type of work. Shange (Mountain Songs) The term shange (mountainsongs) does not mean thatthe songs are necessarily sung in the mountains. The term should be understoodto mean songs sung in an open area, which may be near a mountainor in an open field. Some shange are sung while working, but the associated physical requirementis usually minimal. Thus, they are not included in the haozi category. Examples of these work songs are herding songs and field songs. These will be mentionedlater. In general,shange are freerin rhythmand higherin pitch thanhaozi or xiaodiao. Texts are improvisedto a great extent. Vocables and falsetto a are used frequentlywhich, along with the precedingtwo characteristics, re due mostly to the outdoor environment in which they are sung. Shange may begin and end with a high and long fermata,developed from shouting to get attentionin the outdoorenvironment. The alternating tyle of singing s is a favoritemethodsince many shangeinvolve love themes sung between a man and a woman. The musical form of shange can be in two, four, or even five phrases with insertions of extra sections in the set structurebeing frequent due to its improvisednature. There are three sub-typesof shange: general, herdingand field songs. 1. General Songs. Most songs which belong to this sub-type are lyrical songs with a love subject, and are expressive of the singers thoughts. They are not related to working conditions. There are more shange in this category than the other two sub-types. General moutain songs can be found in many parts of China and are identified by different names. Those found in the Northwest and North ( i. e. , Upper and Central Huang He basin) have special names such as xintianyou (sing as you like),pashan diao (climbmountaintune),huaer (flower song);those found in the south (i. e. , Chang Jiang basin and Taiwan) are simply called shange. This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions. Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 117 Example 6, Lan Huahua, is a xintianyou shange from the northern of Shaanxiprovinceand is one of the most famous of northern hinese C part songs. The text mentions the unhappy marriage arrangements of the peasant girl, Lan Huahua,in ruralChina. The melody is pentatonic,in the yu mode and the structureis in two phrases, both ending on gl (la). The high cry in the beginning, notated as a high-pitched fermatain m. 2, is a typical feature of the shange. The tessitura is generally high and the direction of the melody at the end moves from high to low. This song is lyrical in nature,with a rhythmthat is freer, when sung, than the notation indicates (ZhongguoMinge Xuan 1980: 168). Example 7, Ge Youmai (Wheat Cutting), is a shange from Shaanxi province in northernChina. This is a good example of the use of insertions in shange. In its original form, it is a simple two-phrasepiece, with each phrasehaving four measures(7-a). Due to the insertions(7-b, m. 3-4, 8-11)and slight alterations(7-b, m. 2, 13), it is expandedinto a longer piece, but is still in two phrases (Jiang 1982: 128-129). The piece is pentatonic in zhi mode. Its generally high tessitura, conjunct melodic movement, and emphasison the intervalof a 4th (7-b, m. 1, 7) are typical of the northernstyle. The fermatain m. 1 is also a featureof the shange, and the entire piece has several others as well. There are suggestions of a love theme in the text. This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 118 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 Example6 Lan Huahua (Shaanxiprovince) _ F- 1 F. a l * . Ti !; i !. _ E~ 7E* 1 1 rF s f, IA in,* J o 1f1 A 7ft . 1, I .. N;. .. 5. f *E T op/ . iv . T t x m. †¢ 1 1-1 i 4v IT I X. AI a A I E T1 4. IT La t +Ix *. * *m , m †¢ ji 8 114 †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ , ! †¢ 1In 1f f , LI . r.. q I. 00 _i __ MR -MI , PSI $ 1. Threadsof black and threadsof blue, bluerthanthe sky. Sewed for baby Lan Huahua,apple of her motherseye. 2. Shooting up like the sorghumtall, beautybringsher fame. In every village in the land, everybodyknows her name. 3. New Year broughtthe matchmaker, ixed the bridegrooms f price. After the paymentsmade in March,in April shellbecome his wife. 4. Wedding music fills the air, drumsand whistles sound. She is tornfrom her own truelove andcarriedto the Zhou compound. (English text from Mai 1984: 19-20, first four verses) This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs Example7 Ge Youmai 119 (Shanxiprovince) 7-a IF I r AZK r I3 W I / ((I*I 41 IU~p r a I 1117RR I .16 v ~U~114 7. i r I a (-Ia. I ) *2I. II~ 7-a Brotheris cuttingwheatin the mountain. Sister is digging herbmedicine in the swamp. 7-b Brotheris up in the mountain(si lo) (si lo) cuttingwheat. Little sisteris in the swamp,in the ditch, at the divergingroad (ge beng) (ge beng) digging the herbmedicine (a mo) beloved. (Translated y the author) b 2. Herding Songs. Herding songs are sung mainly by boys in the field. Some include passages which call the herds, while working others are sung in question-answerstyle between two boys. Most herding songs are simple and free in structure. In fact, some are very simple childrens songs. 3. Field Songs. Songs which belong to this sub-type are sung in the rice fields while plantingseeds, tilling soil, etc. , to promote enthusiasm andrelease tension. It is said thatat one time specializedtroupeswere hired to sing in the fields (Jiang 1982: 162). However, since these songs are not. This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 120 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 restrictedby working conditions and are somewhat entertainingin nature, they are not considered to be haozi; and some fit more closely into the xiaodiao category. Field songs are sung in a high voice, often with falsetto. The melodies tend to be long and the rhythmsfree, which are typical featuresof shange. However, the natureof the field songs is more complex because they are sung in call-and-responsewith ostinato, which are features of the haozi. As Jiang Mingdun states, field songs are basedon the shange but mixed with elements of haozi and xiaodiao( 1982: 164). Xiaodiao (Lyric Songs) Xiaodiao (or xiaoqu ) means little tune. There is no acccurate translationfor this term, though it can be translatedas popular song, folk tune, folk song, lyric song, folk melody, etc. (Witzleben 1988: 11. ). Comparedto the above-mentionedgenres, the melody of xiaodiao is more r lyrical, the rhythmmore static,and the formalstructure elativelyclear. The text is not improvised as it is in the haozi or shange, and vocables, if used, i areintegrated nto the text. One source (Sung 1979: 201-245) divides xiaodiao into the following sub-types: lyric songs, humorous songs, childrens songs and customs songs, (i. e. , songs sung at weddings, funerals, etc. ). However, since this paper follows the outline of Jiang Mingduns book, his subdivision system is used. 1. Narrative Songs. The Chinese name for this sub-type, means narrative inging tune. This group includes songs yinchang diao, s that are somewhatfunctionalin nature. The generalorientationis narrative as opposed to lyrical ( i. e. , closer to the spoken language), and their structures are also comparatively less complex. Examples include childrens songs, lullabies, funeral songs, recitation of poems, vendors songs and customs songs, etc. 3 The Chinese term of this sub-type, yaoqu is 2. Little Songs. difficult to translate. Yaoalone means song;however, the translation here simply denotes its short length and simple structure. These are songs sung in daily life, but they are not as directly associated with specific This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 121 functions as are the narrative ongs. Phrasesare more balancedin structure s but are nevertheless short. The vocal range is narrow and the rhythm simple. Examples include laborers songs, womens laments, gameplaying songs, and even some love songs. Love songs, however, are usually assigned to the popularsong sub-typediscussed below. 3. PopularSongs. The Chinese term shidiao can be translatedas seasontune. Althoughthe translationpopular ongmay mislead people s to associate these songs with currentpop songs, it nevertheless denotes a sense of popularityamongpeople, and is useful. Songs of this sub-typeare a sung mainly for entertainment t home, in teahouses, in cities, and in rural areas. The singers may be either amateursor professionals. All of the songs discussed until this point are sung by their creators. The popular song sub-type, on the other hand, is generally sung by entertainers. Instrumentalaccompanimentis added to these songs in most cases. Folk songs of this type are clearly the most numerous. Most of the folk songs known to the people of China (and throughoutthe world) belong to this sub-type. They are, in fact, considered to be at the heart of Han Chinese folk songs. The musical form of most popular songs follows the two or four equal phrase structure. In the case of the four-phrase structure,the qi, cheng, zhuan, and he sequenceis followed. Generally,each phraseis set to seven words, excluding vocables. Many popularsong texts are organized in sets of four, five or twelve stanzasin orderto representthe four seasons, five evening hour markings and the twelve months, respectively. Each stanza of text begins with a season, an hour marking,or a month. Due to the wide popularity of these songs, the same melody sometimes has different texts, and the same title may have differentmelodies. Two good examples of this sub-type have been presented above as examples of the northernand southernstyles Xiu Hebao (Example 1), and Meng Jiang Nii (Example 2). This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 1 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 122 LiuyueMoli Example8 (Taiwan) k, A s i wIo 5 65 i 2†¢3 5. 6, . O T ii E TET ttft ktf k li A 1 i 5 61 I I I 2 I 3 / 2161 6I I , 6 †¢i I 5 .23253-. 76i5-. iPM I 4 -4 T A AA AC 4 r t/JP) ~ -A aK, Ifr. O A t f P-ai 04 9) v QA A 04 0 oqw 04) HF If) f b a) ? 1F A A -9x ~ 4-: A A Ai -. g~qjg*~ P e~ f 1. Whitejasmine flowers of the sixth moon arefair, And theresa young lad whos noble and fine. Lovely flowers rarelyever grow all alone; Fair lonely lass can be sad, so sad. 2. Whitejasmine flowers of the sixth Moon are fair, Lovely lass has never been found. Flowers andlasses shouldnever be alone; Sad is the lovely lass whos never, never found. 3. Whitejasmine flowers of the sixth Moon are fair, Lasses alone are sorryand sad. Lovely flowers should be blooming side by side, When will the lass be found andnever be alone? a (Firstthreeverses translated nd adaptedby Rebecca Schwan. ) This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 123 Example 8, LiuyueMoli (JasmineFlowers in the Sixth Moon)is anothergood example of a popularsong. This piece is from Taiwan and is in the southern style (Jian 1984: 50). The text speaks of a girl who compares herself to pretty jasmine flowers, and longs for a lover. The sixth moon refers to the sixth month of the lunar calendar. With the exception of a leap of a 6th (m. 2-3), the melody moves smoothly in conjunct movement with many intervalsof a 3rd. It is in pentatonicscale, zhi mode, the final being gl (sol). The form is in four equal phrases,each having four measures,and it fits the qi, cheng, zhuan,he sequence. The el (mi) pitch at the end of the thirdphraseis tonally far away from gl (sol) at the very end hence, its functionis zhuan(turning). he ending pitch of T the first phrase, d2 (re), on the other hand, is closely related to gl (sol). There are seven words in each half phrase, with some vocables at the end (shown in parentheses). Conclusion We have observed the possibility of seeing Han Chinese folk songs in terms of north-south divisions. From this perspective, it seems that geographicalfactors have influenced the characteristicsof folk songs. We have also seen the classification of folk songs by type, involving three majorcategories and their sub-types. It is importantto note thatwhile folk songs such as the xiaodiao (lyric songs) are encountered frequently in China, there are also haozi (work songs) and shange (mountain songs) which are relatively unknown outside of China. It is hoped that this introductionwill lead to more thoroughinvestigationsof this subjectin the Westernworld. This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 124 Asian Music, Spring/Summer 989 1 Notes 1 This song was transcribed y the authorfrom the recording, Behind b the GreatWall (MonitorRecordsMP 525), Side A, Band 2. The cut fades out graduallywithout a final pitch. It is only assumed to be in the yu mode from the general melodic movement. The same recordingfeatures several good work song examples and an excellent example of the sailing song subtype. 2 m Due to difficultiesin reproduction, usicalexamples takenfrom Jiang Mingdunsbook are recopied by the author. It seems contradictoryto include non-lyrical and functional songs here, but the author follows Jiangs theory. The same contradictory situationexists in the next sub-type. 3 This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Han Kuo-Huang: Han Folk Songs 125 Appendix: Scales and Modes of Han Chinese Music The Chinese names for pitches, scales and modes are summarized here accordingto the system establishedby Li Yinghai (1981: 11). Since he discusses only pentatonic scales, other scales will be omitted. Pitches denote relative ratherthan absolute values. The first note of each series is the name of the mode. Gong Gong Shang JiaoZhi Yu Gong Shang JiaoZhi n Shang n Jiao A -n vu1 U Q This content downloaded from 222. 126. 240. 162 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Yu 1 AsianMusic,Spring/Summer 989 126 Glossary of Selected Terms ChangJiang l pashandiao fR Lbi †¢ , qi cheng u GeYoumai shang gong shange Han shidiao haozi , he huaer xiaodiao T- j xiaoqu iU ~ xintianyou HuangHe XiuHebao jiao yaoqu LanHuahua yinchangdiao t7 , †¢ M Liuyue oli MengJiangNii # j t I~0 yu zhi zhuan Authors Names Du Yaxiong MiaoJing Jia.

Philips Sense And Simplicity

Philips Sense And Simplicity The case describes the challenge faced by the CEO and newly hired Chief Marketing Officer to reposition the Philips brand and drive the organizational changes to support the new vision. Central to the version was the Sense and Simplicity marketing campaign, which came to embody a whole new way of doing business at Philips. The primary target of the Sense and Simplicity campaign was customers aged 35-55. Philips was not thought of as a cool and attractive brand by Generation Y consumers. Philips must rewire the Sense and Simplicity campaign for the Generation Y market. Answer the following questions- a). The results revealed that consumers across various countries seek simple technology, i.e., technology without hassles. In this background, how did Philips utilize its technological strength to connect with the customer? Philips has a brand promise of sense and simplicity and they differentiate themselves through their innovation process, the way in which they develop customer relationships and the focus from their own staff on providing a superior experience related to customer. But with the impact of Social Media becoming the most important activity on the web, they have identified that there are many areas into which they must expand their horizon to keep the customer promise fresh and focused. About more than 200 million users joined facebook in a single year and 34% of bloggers blog about products and brands. In this environment its not enough to know that this is happening you need to know what people are saying and you need to find the best way to react. With only 14% of consumers trusting advertising, companies need to be reaching and reaching positively the 78% of consumers who give and rely on peer-to-peer recommendations. First thing is to take note, and then the service teams can ENGAGE with and supply SUPPORT to the clients. Mainly where there is negative response, the plan is to change this into positive advertising. Likewise to other companies such as Apple and Dell, Philips is also driving channels for peer-to-peer support. More than 50% of question from customers are answered by other customers. All of a sudden its not just a conversation; its a community of support and commitment. Effectiveness on the whole is measured using very simple KPIs (upholding the brand statement) and the main focus is on the delivery of true support. Today Philips provide products and services in three main areas: Healthcare Philips is the leader in top-of-the-range medical diagnostic equipment, helping surgeons in the battle against heart disease and cancer. Progressively more consumer health and well-being have also become a focus. Philips Healthcare is using Net Promoter and Social Media strategy to revolve health-care into human-care through the approach of active listening. They unite social media streams to NPS strategies to distribute a holistic experience for their customers. Supervision comes from a global level but delivery, execution and empowerment is based at the local level. Even as Marketing makes the promise to the customer, the Service association is then liable for keeping the promise. And the Social Media approach is part of delivering on the promise. Lifestyle Philips innovates in their lifestyle segment with their Ambilight TV and DVD recorders. The company has recognized a leadership position in lighting and has introduced electrifying new products such as the Senseo coffee concept. Technology Philips semiconductor and lighting products are embedded in the cars we drive, in the offices where people work and in sports stadiums. Philips proves its presence at world level; it illuminates monuments such as the Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower and events like the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Philips Electronics has unveiled its newest brand movement, which focuses on bringing the impression of simplicity more rapidly to customers around the world. Building on the companys sense and simplicity brand positioning, the drive focuses on prominence the benefits offered by simplicity, as well as allowing consumers to openly experience simplicity first hand. The new drive spans TV, print, online and outdoor media in 10 markets across the globe China, France, Germany, U.K., U.S.A., Brazil, Russia, The Netherlands, Italy and India. The drive will also see Philips spread out on the creativity and uniqueness that has already been applauded for new ideas that advance the consumer experience, such as the sole sponsorship of CBSs 60 Minutes, a agreement to bring the contents pages of Time, Fortune, People and Business 2.0 to the first four pages of the magazines, and allowing visitors to access premium content on the Wall Street Journal and ESPN websites for free. To widen the envelope further outside traditional advertising means, Philips most recent campaign will also comprise experiential marketing activities for the first time in each of the countries to help allow customers to fully understanding simplicity in action. Some of these activities will comprise Simplify New York which will provide New Yorkers with free access to the premium online service from The New York Times, free copies of the magazine, The Week and a set of online tools to make their daily lives easier; the launch of SimpliCity.com, a website (www.philips.com.br/simplescidade) which will supply people in Sà £o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro with the first central online resource to access and share valuable information and tips that simplify life in these cosmopolitan cities; and a Simplicity Squad in Canada providing customers with free vouchers for products and services to simplify their lives, as well as activities in other markets. To promote the discussion and debate about simplicity, Philips is also sponsoring an online forum to let people from all over the globe to voice their opinions and share their experiences of simplicity. The www.livesimplicity.net discussion forum allows people to contribute to online discussions and also begin thought of their own about simplicity in areas as varied as travel, business, communication, health and wellness, and technology. The site gives everybody a opportunity to have their say, interact with others and discuss problems. It is hoped that this interactive dialogue will contribute to helping find the solutions to meet future needs. b). New products, new services, new solutions, business creation, strategy, research, brand architecture, contact with customers everything must be driven by the brand positioning. What internal changes did Philips initiate, to link its processes with the theme of Sense and Simplicity? Sense and simplicity characterize the whole thing that Philips does and reflects that it is market oriented i.e. everything is intended to meet consumers needs and is based on customer insights. For more than a century, the company has been interacting with people in their daily lives. More than a million Philips products are purchased each day. It is trusted as one of the worlds top brands, with an incomparable understanding of how people interact with technology. Philips was established in 1891 and made lightbulbs an easy product. Right through the years the company enlarged its portfolio into technology products that became too complex for most users. When Philips realized this, it determined to make life easier and so launched a brand repositioning all about simplicity. The term positioning refers to where products and brands are located in a market. What is more crucial is where consumers see such products/brands being located in the market. For example, customers might see products as giving good value or poor value for money. They may associate a brand with high quality or low quality. It is key to carry out market study to spot suitable positions to take in the market. A suitable position is one that suits customers necessities. The term repositioning refers to a cognizant strategy to alter the site of products/brands in the market. The new best position should be based on market research. How Philips repositioned itself sense and simplicity is the brand guarantee that Philips has recognized through its research as the best one to take. Since the launch Philips has made immense improvement. This has been recorded by achieving milestones down the route. Excellent examples are the creation of a Simplicity Advisory Board (SAB) and the launch of a range of thriving products such as Senseo ®, a coffee machine that is stylish and simple to make use of. Creating a repositioning strategy A responsible strategy The stages involved in moving a product are: carrying out research to find out the weaknesses of the preliminary position researching a right track to take Creation plans and taking actions to improve the position. A difficulty that faced Philips in 2003 was that its media investment was somewhat unfocused and was spread thinly among too many different product segments. The table shows just four product areas and the target audiences for each, which were being addressed. In addition Philips products were marketed beneath lots of names, using a range of dissimilar advertising approaches. It was no wonder that there was great uncertainty in customers minds. The challenge in front of Philips, therefore, was to generate a clear vision that would help the company to reposition itself and all of its linked brands. A brand promise was then set out that is clear and easy to follow. The brand promise is sense and simplicity. In the recent high-tech age, consumers are faced with a lot of hard product choices. What most of us want are clear-cut communications about the settlement that these products will provide for us. This is as true of medical professionals ordering brain scanning equipment for a hospital as it is when you or I want to buy a light bulb, electric toothbrush or cordless kettle. Three main elements This is why the brand promise sense and simplicity is so significant to Philips. Creating consistency and direction In order to move ahead it was crucial to recognize the key issues. The difficulty facing the company was lack of loyalty and direction. Resources were being spread too thinly across too many products, with developments in numerous countries. Decision making within the wider Philips organization had develop into patchy. This was plain to see there were in addition many products, too many markets and a lack of consistency in advertising. For the customer it was tough to tell what was and what not a Philips product was. Meeting customer needs The first challenge was to modify the Philips image. This was built about sense and simplicity. The message that Philips is getting across at present is that the whole thing it does is focused on meeting customer needs. The entire thing that Philips does now is based on this concept. The message is spread through the organisation, making sure that all business processes are founded on sense and simplicity. Everybody who comes into contact with Philips, whether they are employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers or other stakeholders, should observe this brand promise. For example, it is publicized in the company logo and all the company operations from top to bottom. Sense and simplicity is shown in all the new products that Philips develops, as well as in existing ones. When the company designs a latest electric kettle, its concern is to offer a state-of-the-art, easy-to-use product. The same principle applies to medical equipment, flat screen TVs, and food mixers and so on. New Philips products are: advanced based on market leading technologies designed around you based on the result of careful customer research Easy to experience easy to use. Philips is also looking at all of its existing products to make sure they fit the wants of sense and simplicity. The third key element of sense and simplicity is communications. All Philips exchanges should be easy to understand. The message given is directed at the target audience and is simple to follow. One of the key ease milestones has been the launch of the Simplicity Advisory Board (SAB). This is a think tank of independent experts from the fields of information technology, healthcare, fashion, design and architecture. It has been able to give an outside-in view of what simplicity means and how this can be legal across the organisation. The members of the board were selected for their wide ranging knowledge and expertise. Illustrating the strategy products Philips image We can demonstrate the new repositioning strategy by taking the example of several of the high-tech products that Philips has just worked on. A good example of this is Senseo ®. Senseo ® Coffee System has been developed through a joint venture between Philips and Sara Lee, a Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) supplier. The key aspects of Senseo ® are: cool design easy-to-use technology Amazing coffee. Between 2001 and 2005 more than 10 million of these coffee machines were sold in eight countries an impressive total. The product embodies what Philips is trying to achieve in everything it does. This is to join an exciting state-of-the-art product with simplicity. The coffee makers are combined with Douwe Egberts Senseo ® coffee pods to give customers the taste they want. Recently Philips launched its own Simplicity Event. This provided Philips with a prospect to share, with stakeholders, how far it has come in its assurance to sense and simplicity. Products that already deliver this promise were exhibited, together with living prototype demonstrations of how Philips envisions simplicity in the future. Senseo ® is one example of sense and simplicity in action. Communicating sense and simplicity At the heart of business achievement is good communication. This means sending messages from individuals or organisations to others (receivers). Good contact involves: communicating a brand promise, in this case sense and simplicity in a clear and easy to understand way to the right target audience Using the right media. There are a number of ways that Philips does this: As it is a worldwide company, it is essential to direct contact from the centre. This ensures that the Philips message is conveyed consistently. Philips believes that there should be a single insight for each product (not mixed messages). All innovative work carried out by advertising agencies must be based on the sense and simplicity promise. Television and print (for example, magazine) adverts are offered in a standard way at least three Philips adverts in a single magazine in a campaign that might last for eight publications of the magazine.

Effective leadership styles in problem solving

Effective leadership styles in problem solving This assignment shall critically analyze the extent to which effective management and leadership styles can be used to address and solve problems in social care and health environments. Introduction The service field of social and health care environments has made great progress in recognizing its values for the future periods and things which require changing to achieve considerable and noticeable improvements across a variety of services. Management and Leadership styles need to be used effectively to bring out noticeable changes and for achieving specific actions to make significant improvements a reality in the social and healthcare environment. Effective and efficient implementation of change and improvement is a dynamic and comprehensive process which takes its due time to come into action and specific management and leadership programmes are usually unique to every organization. Every organization depends upon change and programmes for improvement for different reasons. Leadership plays a very vital role in the success of organisational improvement in social and healthcare service sectors. Effective leaders can enable improvements to take place and they have the capability to foretell the direction in which an organisation must be headed in terms of service delivery such as greater service user involvements and also guide their organisation in this direction. It is very important to have a predetermined purpose or ideology involving employees to bring about improvements in the system. The management must set the scope of these improvements and it is leaderships responsibility to aide in bringing and implementing changes for betterment of the services. Overview of Health and Social Care Sector Healthcare sector refers mainly to all those services which are offered by hospitals, clinics, general practitioners to prevent, diagnose and treating illness. This is a main and primary activity United Kingdom and consumes important parts of Gross Domestic Product and accounts of employing over ten million people across the country. This is a very complex sector comprising of not just healthcare service providers but also private and public funders and patients (consumers). Furthermore, significant economic sectors are associated actively with this sector, particularly pharmaceuticals and suppliers of medical equipments. In this assignment we shall concentrate on service provision of healthcare and how management and leadership styles can bring about improvement and address the problems of this sector. Social services is a multifaceted concept having different meanings and could include, provision of welfare payments and pensions. This assignment the term social services will be confined to work which is rendered by a person or organisation for furtherance of welfare of citizens. It includes, but is not restricted to, services for: Children and their families Disabled individuals of all age groups Elderly individual particularly those suffering from mental health problems Individuals misusing drugs and alcohol Services related to HIV/AIDS The typical providers of social services are public authorities and voluntary organisations however; private sector also plays an important role, to illustrate, provision of long-term care facilities. Healthcare and Social services were treated differently traditionally, due to their origins but also because of the fact that interest groups maintained their boundaries. This entire situation is undergoing changes throughout the western world due to different factors which include increase in elderly population, increase in awareness of preventing diseases instead of cure and an increased demand from customers (citizens) integrated services to meet needs specific in nature. This resulted in increasing stress on care including healthcare in the community, with higher collaboration between both sectors healthcare and social service providers. United Kingdom offers a National Health Service (NHS) free of cost at the point of delivery; this expenditure is funded primarily through general t axation. Several issues that affect healthcare also affect social services, especially ageing society. However, the functioning of hospitals and community-based care has transformed differently. UK is now exploring ways of coordinating both sets of services more efficiently, for e.g. shifting towards a home-based and community care grouped with correct use of expensive hospital services. This can be achieved and development in informatics and associated disciplines are anticipated to offer it. (OST, 2001, p. 8) Current Trends and Driving Forces of Social and Healthcare Sector Healthcare and Social care service sector is currently undergoing different changes and thus it is essential to evaluate what are the current trends and forces responsible for these changes. This assignment shall look at the most significant trends and drivers affecting health and social services sector, they are: Changes in Demography and society: The citizens of UK are currently living in ageing societies. However, the major concern is workforce and elder ageing, i.e. increase in number of persons above 80. This phenomenon is known as triple ageing. The resultant effects of triple ageing on health and social services are well known. Increasing consumerism and expectations. The term consumer patient is reflective on the assumption that more and more number of people are expecting to receive health care services they need at affordable prices. Latest medical technologies The need to reduce health costs, extend life expectancy and improve quality of life is often cited as drivers for technological developments in health and social sector. Many people believe that these latest technologies can totally transform and revolutionise the healthcare sector, despite concerns of increasing costs. Leadership in Healthcare and Social Services Leadership and management are two important factors which will help bring about the needed changes in the Healthcare and Social Services sector. Clarity and effective communication is very important for leaders depending on improvement initiatives. In the same line, frontline employees require to be provided with opportunities to embrace the latest ideology and purpose and customize it so that they can alter services accordingly. Leadership in healthcare and social services will be successful when the management decides the purpose of the organization and underlies requirements for improvement, analyzes what changes required to be made to achieve these objectives and examine how the necessary improvements can be achieved. To make a success of the implementing changes in service, leaders must make sure there is effective communication amongst the staff which is two-way and useful. Management in social and healthcare sector Management of the organization should entrust employees to carry forward improvements and enhancements in their daily service delivery. It is always possible for employees to be involved in what of the change, however there is a wide scope for involving how. Management must try to involve employees in the stages of planning, this will encourage staff to acknowledge and support the improvement process while feeling sense of ownership over the improvements. The main management style here is democratic in nature which means employees are heard to and their opinions and ideas are considered, including those employees who might not easily welcome changes. Employees must be given the tasks of carrying forward improvements in their daily routine work. Encourage them to participate in making decisions independently. Workers must be allowed to participate in discussions, questions and design activities of improvement. Another important aspect of democratic management style is feedback from em ployees which is a result of consulting on exercises and decisions taken based on inputs. Encouraging teamwork, both inter and intra-departmental, comprising of diverse members. Employees must be exposed to development of activities which they had been a part of while designing. Provide the staff with ample time for involvement, developmental activities and participation. If staff is finding it difficult to balance present commitments with time for improving services, then work along with the management and find answers. Management and Leadership Styles Management is a universal concept and is very popularly used terminology in the business world. Every type of organization be it business, political, cultural or social involves management since it is management which assists and directs the different efforts of people towards a predetermined goal or objective. According to Harold Koontz, Management is an art of getting things done through and with the people in formally organized groups. It is an art of creating an environment in which people can perform and individuals and can co-operate towards attainment of group goals On the other hand, Leadership is a process through which an executive could direct, guide and influence behaviour and work of other individuals in the direction of achieving particular goals in an existing situation. Leadership refers to the potential of influencing the behaviour of others in the organization. It can in specific terms be referred to as the capacity to influence a group towards goals realization. It is the capability of a manager to motivate his subordinates to work together with confidence and enthusiasm. There are three main categories of management and leadership styles which are as given below: Autocratic managers are decision makers and closely control and supervise employees. Managers generally have less levels of trust and just give orders which are expected to be obeyed. Paternalistic managers tend to give more attention to the social needs and views of their employees. Managers are keen on making the employees feel happy and generally act as a father figure. They tend to consult employees about different issues and listen to their feedbacks and opinions. However, managers are actual decision makers but do take interests of workers into consideration since they believe staff actually needs direction. Democratic Managers are those who entrust their employees and encourage them to make important decisions. They would delegate work to them along with authority to do and also listen to their advice. There is a clear bi-directional communication which often includes democratic groups, offering useful tips and ideas. Managers should be willing to encourage skills of leadership among subordinates. Conclusion and Recommendations Health and Social Care services are in the midst of transformation at national, local and international level. The core of these changes lies in the desire to offer customers with increased levels of involvement in their caring, promotion greater choices and interdependence amongst users and more efficiently support from the entire community, everything while staying within the parameters of standards of quality and budgets. Some programmes are usually unique to particular organisations, beyond general regions targeted for improvements. Sometimes, organisations might undergo changes due to increasing pressures from their funding institutions or government, while others may be responding to changes due to poor standards and lastly organisations that are aligning their management to cope up with the new changes in the sector. Main recommendations for adopting management and leadership styles in health and social care services are: Effective leadership in the organisation which motivates employees in the organisation to willing participate in changes and also respond to it. Involving employees and their participation in decision making to cope up with the changes in the sector. Identify skills and help in development of those skills of employees. Employees must be constantly given chances to improve their existing skills and develop new skills according to the changing environment. Management of organisations in social and healthcare sectors must have a more democratic approach which will encourage employees to participate and also motivate them to work to their full potential.

Academic Effects of Active Parental Involvement Essay -- A Level Essays

Academic Effects of Active Parental Involvement Findings demonstrate that parent involvement in a child’s learning is positively related to their achievement. The first teachers of our children are the adults in the home. This is where the children learn their attitudes and values that are engraved in them for the remainder of their lives. When families as a whole participate, in children’s education in positive ways, there are noticeable changes in the child’s test scores, attendance records, quality of work, attitudes and behavior, graduation rates, and the amount that enroll in higher education. The level of involvement is often questioned by the parents; however, research suggests that â€Å"the more intensively parents are involved in their children’s learning, the more beneficial are the achievement effects† (Cotton and Wikelund, 2002, p. 2). It is believed that when parents monitor homework, encourage participation in extracurricular activities, are active in parent-teacher associa tions, and help children develop plans for their future, children are more likely to respond and do well in school. There are indications that prove that the most effective form of parental involvement is when the parents work directly with their child. Researchers find that the more activity each parent puts in, there will be greater achievement for that student in comparison to the children with passive parents. When parents actively participate, that is work with their children, attend their activities, and help in the classroom, greater achievement is noted. Academic Effects of Passive Parental Involvement Passive parent involvement is better than no involvement, however the effects aren’t as successful for the child. This... ... This article helps to explain the social effects that parental participation has on children. It describes how self-esteem and motivation is related to the amount parental interest in the child and their education. Watkins, T. (1997). Teachers communications, child achievements, and parent traits in parent involvement models. Journal of Educational Research, 91 (Sept./Oct.), 14. Retrieved March 12, 2002. This article explains how parental involvement through home instruction, volunteering in the classroom, has been linked to the quality of children’s learning and motivation. Swick, K. (1984). Inviting Parents into the Young Child’s World. Stipes Publishing Company. Playing Their Parts: What Parents and Teachers Really Mean by Parental Involvement. (1999). Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved on April 15, 2002 from the World Wide Web.

Biffs Changing Perception in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Biff's Changing Perception in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman In Death of a Salesman, Biff's perception of society is altered through a chain of events throughout the play.   His unrealistic expectations about how to succeed, learned from his father, eventually caused the destruction of his fantasies.   His concept of an ideal society, where being liked is what is needed to succeed, is harshly changed to a reality where he must realize that hard work and devotion are necessary to prosper.  Ã‚   Through a series of events, Biff gradually comes to a realization of what is necessary for success.   First, we are shown a part of his childhood where Biff is told that "the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead."   This idea appears in direct contrast to Bernard, one of Biff's childhood friends, who works and studies hard.   Biff decides that Bernard will not succeed because he is "only liked, not well-liked," and being well-liked is the cornerstone of success. Nonetheless, later in the play we see that Bernard has become very successful, underscoring one of the messages in the play, that success is not just a result of popularity.   Second, we are shown a scene in Boston soon after Biff has just failed math for the year.   He discovers his "heroic" father having an affair.   Biff comes to the painful realization that his father's values, his views, and everything that Biff had mad e the foundation of his life, are all completely "fake" and "phony."   Unfortunately, he has nothing with which to replace it.   Lastly, Biff decides to leave to try and find himself, but an argument develops between Biff and Willy.   Biff begins to see himself as like his father, "nothing," just an average man trying to make a living, and quite possibly failing.   Biff's earlier image of his father's greatness has crumbled entirely, leaving a lost young man trying to find his way.   Biff realized that he now needs to find his own values in life.   He has finally tasted reality and now must dive head first into the pot, without any real preparation. Thus, it is clear that in the novel Death of a

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation Bias Rosemarie Hamm September 21, 2012 Confirmation Bias Confirmation bias is the human habit of seeking information that confirms one’s judgments or assumptions. One’s current feelings about a situation, memory, or person influence one’s thoughts and memories about that situation, memory, or person. If one is feeling negatively about something or someone, the individual will often recall the worst factors or memories about that person or circumstances.However; if one is feeling positively about something or someone, the individual may recall the best factors or memories about that person or circumstances. In this way, one confirms his or her own current feelings. This can end badly; if bad feelings lead to bad memories; which then lead to more bad feelings, in a vicious cycle. This may also cause problems when someone becomes overconfident about someone or something; when his or her positive feelings lead to positive memories and positive expectatio ns [ (Myers, 2012) ].An example of confirmation bias in relation to negative feelings could be found in a friendship ending without just cause. One person may develop a negative attitude about a friendship. This individual may recall the worst times and forget the best times; which confirms his or perceptions. These perceptions then contribute to more negative memories, and cause a downward spiraling effect [ (Myers, 2012) ]. An example of confirmation bias in relation to positive feelings could be found in a dysfunctional romantic relationship.It is common to overlook negative traits in a new romantic relationship. Positive feelings often affect one’s perceptions of the other individual. One partner may be dishonest or irresponsible; but the other partner may not realize this. The other partner’s positive feelings are masking his or her perceptions of the dishonest or irresponsible partner. The dysfunctional romantic relationship will continue until this cycle ends [ (Myers, 2012) ]. References Myers, D. (2012). Exploring social psychology. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

How and why customer groups are targeted Essay

Gillette mach 3 turbo razor The Gillette mach 3 turbo razor is aimed at men age between around 17 upwards. The mach 3 turbo razor is essentially a razor for shaving hair off men’s faces, so any man who wants a clean shaven face is targeted by Gillette. Xbox one Microsoft have marketed the Xbox one as more than just a game console but a multi-media centre to attract a bigger target audience than just gamers. They targeted anyone between mid teens to late twenties or even higher. However Gamers will take up most of the target group. Apple iPhone 6 The iPhone 6 can be marketed at pretty much anyone with the wide range of functions it has for example: internet access, high definitions camera and video recorder, easy music access, games, texts and calls and face time. The target audience is anyone from mid teens and upwards. Fender standard telecaster The fender standard telecaster is an instrument that will be aimed at anyone who plays electric guitars. It can be aimed at young children or elderly people and all guitarists in between, but also because of it versatility it can be aimed at many different genres of music for example: Blues, Rock, country etc†¦ Business to business products Bic ball point pens These types of pens are one of the most famous pen brands in the world, Because of this many business have used their products. Bic ball point pens are aimed at all businesses which may have offices or any sort of reception or desk work to be done. For example: Accountants or law firms. JCB Large Excavator JCB will aim their large excavator (Digger) at any sort of contracting/sub-contracting firms that are involved in the construction industry. For example: Joinery firms. The main characteristics/features of each group for each product Gillette mach 3 turbo razor Because the target audience of the Mach 3 razor is so big it is hard to specify specific characteristics apart from the fact they are men who want a very good close shave with minimum facial irritation. These consumers will be from all backgrounds and live globally all over the world. Microsoft Xbox one The most of the target audience will most likely be people who like playing video games and probably have done before the Xbox one was released; these people are aged between early – mid teens to mid – late twenties. Also because of the Xboxes marketing as a multi-media centre many people have who like movies may have bought one also. The people who own an Xbox are from all over the world have a big range in age. Apple iPhone 6 Most likely because of the iPhone sixes recent release the people who bought one had an iPhone prior to this one releasing. Also because the iPhone 6 is so expensive the people who did buy one are financially well off or bought it although they know they can’t afford it or Teenagers asked their parents/ guardians to buy them one. These people are global however the majority are in the U.K and U.S.A. Fender standard telecaster The people buying standard telecaster are for the majority of the time musicians and have an interest in music probably because of their choice in guitars blues, rock, country, rock and roll etc†¦ However because of  Christmas telecasters may have been bought as presents to children or siblings. Also in recent years old electric guitars have become collectable some reaching prices of $400,000 and above in some cases, so collectors may have purchased a standard telecaster to keep for 40 years until it is collectable. Bic ball point pens The business that buy Bic pens are mostly office based for example accountants or law firms, Also it could be construction firms with offices. Pretty much any business with an office that needs pens probably buy Bic pens. Because Bic is a global company they have customers all over the world and these companies may vary in their trades. JCB Large excavator Unlike Bic not every business needs a digger. This product will be specific to the construction or deconstruction industry. Contracting businesses will be the biggest customer for JCB these may include joinery or earthmoving contractors. JCB is now a global company meaning their customer base will also be global as construction work has happened all over the world and will proceed to be so. How each audience is reached Consumer products A business may decide it needs to reach its customers geographically. Two neighbourhood classifications that are commonly used by organisations are ACORN and MOSIAC. ACORN is a geo-demographic tool that businesses use to identify and understand the UK population and local demand for products and services, The ACORN system categories UK postcodes using demographic statistics and lifestyle variables to give businesses a guide to the difference between geographical regions. MOSIAC is a system that classifies households in the UK into 12 Mosiac groups and 52 sub groups called Mosiac types. These groups and types are formed on the basis that the households comprising them share certain characteristics. Their core customer segments by cross-referencing their customer database with the profile. This helps them to make marketing decisions based on the kind of customer they attract. Business to business products All the individuals and groups who participate in the purchasing decision process in a business are known as a Decision-Making Unit or DMU. A DMU could include the following groups: Influencers: these are individuals whose opinion may be sought about a product or organisation. They will probably be influenced by brands, company reputation and ongoing relationships. Users: Users will be interested in the benefits the product offers, such as increased production rates or reduced waste. Buyers: Buyers or purchasing officers will be concerned about easy purchasing arrangements, delivery dates and security of supply. This can mean that a business can differentiate itself from the competition by stressing its success rate and how long it will last. Deciders: Deciders such as managing directors will probably be most concerned with the overall cost of the product and whether the organisation can afford it. The cost benefit of purchasing the product or service is a key issue as it is obviously not worth the purchase if the benefits that may result do not warrant the initial investment. Specifiers: Specifiers decide on the detailed specification of the product to be purchased. They may well want technical information about such things as component performance and material characteristics. Gatekeepers: Gatekeepers may deny potential users information for a variety of reasons, for example, quality managers may have safety concerns or finance managers may have financial reservations. They can prevent sellers reaching the key decision makers. Bibliography Btec Level 3 National Business Student Book 1