Normalized Child

Name: Shiva Kheiri Date: 4/5/2012 Instructor: Mrs. Deborah The Normalized Child Normalization is one of the most important goals of Montessori, but what does normalization mean? Most importantly, when does this process occur? Dr. Maria Montessori used the term normalization to describe a unique process she observed in child development. The process of normalization takes place in any Montessori-group at the beginning of the school year that children enter a new unknown environment. However, there are many characteristics that describe a normalized child. 1] Generally, normalization considered to be the transformation to a higher level of development, and the first step of education. However, in the process of development there are many different bodily functions that are formed in a child, and these developments depends on brain development. These developments occur mostly when children interact with each other, and in a different environment than their home. Maria Montessori observe d that when children are allowed to be free, and interact with their environment, they blossom.On the other hand, there were children who had no idea what to do, how to speak, and their thoughts were beyond reality. That is where normalization makes the correction. As Maria Montessori said, normalization is the most important single result of our whole work. However, what are the wonderful characteristics of a normalized child? In general, there are eleven characteristics of a normal child; following paragraphs are dedicated to these characteristics. A love of Order, we may think children do not pay attention to details, but once something is out of order, they will start asking questions about it. Similar article: Practical Life EssayFor example, if the teacher asks the children to take a nap before lunch time, they will question the teacher. So, the child has a desire to keep an order and to have his/her daily routines. Love of Work, describes the activity that children involve not just because it is fun, but also it provides education. It brings a form of self-expression and corresponding joy. For example, when we see a child chooses an activity, and keeps doing it over and over again with full concentration and never tires; that is love of work. Normalized children never see work as punishment. Profound Spontaneous Concentration, basically it is isolation of children rom their environment due to their concentration on an activity. It occurs when a child is fully engaged in his/her work, and it involves his intelligence. We can also call it the attention of life, or a phenomenon of growth which brings us to the next characteristic. Attachments to Reality refer to bringing ou t children from their dream land, and encounter them with reality. However, there is always place for imagination but in a limited time and place. In fact, children should be exposed to reality before fantasy. For example, video games can teach so many fantasized stories that children might confuse them with their real life.Therefore, there is always a limitation on fantasizing, and what they do as activity is based on reality not on their belief. Love of Silence and working alone, it definitely does not mean children like to be hermit, but it refers to the first step of independence. In many times children are willing to do their work with no assistance which basically means they want to test their own ability to get the work done alone, and most of the time their work requires concentration in a silence environment. For example, we do a game called â€Å"silence game† which requires children to listen to a sound and analyze it on their own.So, they learn to control their co ncentration, and work in a peaceful environment with respect to others. Elimination of the Possessive Instinct, the attitude of normalized children to their environment is not possessive, but it is intense love. The point of this tittle is to eliminate children’s selfishness. Some children believe everything belongs to them, and take advantage of what has been given to them. So, our purpose is to change their possessive instinct to three things: to know, to love, and to serve. For example, the same children who tore plants in the class learned to watch it grow.Power of act from Real choice and not from Curiosity Obedience Independence and Initiative Spontaneous Self-Discipline Joy At the end, we can conclude that normalization of children takes place according to the stages of child normalization described by M. Montessori. The level of normalization mainly depends on the years of staying with Montessori classroom. On the other hand, Dr. Montessori believed that if a child is placed in a well prepared environment, he/she would blossom, and show his total social potential. However, it is up to us, as teachers to prepare the environment in a way that children can freely develop their personality

Physical and technological resources of a selected organisation Essay

Describe the main physical and technological resources required in the operation of a selected organisation. M1 – explain how the management of human, physical and technological resources can improve the performance of a selected organisation. In this assignment I will describe the main physical and technological resources required in an organisation, and how the management of human, physical and technological resources can improve the performance of Tesco. Physical resources Some of the main physical resources for Tesco are; their premises, machinery, equipment, materials and their stock. I have listed these as the main resources required as they are huge factoring reasons as to why and how Tesco makes such huge amounts of profit. A business can’t carry out its day to day activities without having a system in place which manages physical resources. Physical resources can include; buildings and premises, machinery, materials (and even waste) and equipment. Businesses should manage its premises according to size, the environment and location of the organisation and even according to its customer needs, wants and requirements as it needs premises to operate. The management of the businesses machinery greatly helps increase performance of Tesco as it means they can produce products faster, deliver and receive products faster, and serve customers faster and more efficiently. Lack of equipment or bad management in Tesco could mean production of products and customer service in some aspects of the business running couldn’t be carried out as efficiently or at all. Things classified as equipment could be IT hardware and software that must both be managed extremely carefully. No one unauthorised to do so should be able to access the IT hardware, this can be enforced with physical barriers and surveillance. The software should also be protected with adequate security and firewalls etc. to prevent people from accessing Tesco’s databases of customers and products, which could cause a huge loss of reputation and money if it was accessed by unauthorised  personnel. Technological resources Tesco’s’ main technological resources include their intellectual property, their copyrights/patents, and their experience and skill. Their intellectual property is, put simply, their ideas; things that make them unique. This would include things such as their logo, their ‘Tesco value’ range, and schemes such as the clubcard and the point reward scheme. The management of these resources can greatly improve Tesco’s performance. If the IP is kept up to date and fully modernised this will give them a competitive advantage, as long as the ideas are original and not different versions of competitor’s ideas. The IP of Tesco is what makes them Tesco, and will be how consumers recognise the brand; if this is kept in good light customers will trust the business and feel connected and familiar with it. By recruiting successful and experienced staff into the management, they can guarantee themselves to make the best decisions possible, and of course, the experience of the business as a whole also makes them what they are today. Human resources The management of human resources is crucial for an organisation. The management should ensure their employees are managed correctly and professionally. If employees perform efficiently and effectively then the customer service and therefore profitability of a business will be maximised. A business can manage its human resources through many methods, including; employee motivation/rewarding, training, appraisal and personal development planning. One of the most important aspects of managing HR is employing individuals with the right skills, qualifications and even personality for a particular job or task they will be required to do. In relation to Tesco, from experience working there, they could provide greater training in the products they sell so staff are able to provide a better, more personal feeling customer service. D1 – Evaluate how managing resources and controlling budget costs can improve  the performance of a business. Budgets must be closely monitored (and stuck to) in order to fully achieve to the businesses maximum potential. The processes and internal techniques must be managed and all resources must be effectively used. It is very important for a business such as Tesco to manage their resources and control their costs in order to budget. Managing resources and controlling costs to a budget is very beneficial for Tesco as it involves a lot of different resources and money is always flowing in and out of the business, which, if managed well, will improve the performance of Tesco. Managing physical resources is very important as they are essential for the day to day running of the business. Tescos management should do things such as check their machinery, equipment and premises regularly to make sure that everything is efficiently working and also to help Tesco improve their overall performance. It is also very important that Tesco provides employees with suitable induction and training programmes on how to operate new machinery so they are up to date in the knowledge of use and know how it can be used most effectively. If an employee isn’t familiar with how to use a piece of machinery, the efficiency of the business will be decreased. Tesco has many physical resources that should be effectively managed; such as their entrance and reception (customer services), which should be kept tidy, organised, and any damages (such as the fire damage as a recent example in Newbury) should be fixed as soon as possible. As this would be the first thing a customer would see when entering the store. Other physical resources used by Tesco could be the bakery and cleaning equipment; such as Hoovers, floor cleaners and ovens; all this equipment should be regularly checked as physical resources like these have a high chance of needing replacement, and subsequently, affecting the budget of Tesco. Premises is the most important physical resource of Tesco. If the premises and main equipment used within are managed well, then customers will be satisfied with their shopping experience and feel comfortable to return, increasing the chance of them being long term customers. Human resources are also a big aspect of the running of Tesco. This must be managed  effectively and successfully as the employee performance directly affects the success of Tesco. HR can be managed through training and regular appraisals, which will develop new skills and improve performance in the work place, which will affect the performance of the whole business. If HR is not effectively managed, employees job skills may go ‘off track’ and employees with the wrong skills will be in the wrong job, holding back the productivity of the area they work in, also, affecting the whole business. Keeping all employees motivated is a key aspect when managing employees. If they are not motivated, the working environment will be bad and staff will perform under their potential. Tesco could (and do) motivate their staff through reward systems, where they pay staff for successfully completed tasks, or offer them incentives to succeed. Regular appraisals have been proved to be a successful way of managing HR. this can be carried out whenever seen fit by management, so it is therefore not overly time consuming. It also costs nothing, meaning no monetary cost is placed on the business expenses. This can also relate to costs to budget as appraisals will create a better relationship between the management and the staff and therefore encourage long term employment, cancelling out recruitment costs. It will also, more simply, mean staff are happier to save the companies money, as they have a better view of it. Technological resources are intangible but are managed similarly to physical resources. The management of technological resources will massively improve the performance of a business. Budget management, may sound simple – controlling what the business spends, but it isn’t, nor is it just this. Budgeting can come under all categories of resources, for example; HR. HR can help a business budget by the amount of people they recruit, and keep in a job, for example, if Tesco were over-staffed they may consider laying off some staff. However, this could go either way. If too many members of staff are laid off, then the over all productivity of Tesco could be negatively affected. The staff left could lose respect for the business and therefore motivation to work within it. Less staff, if done in the right was, could be positive however, if those who are laid off have the reasons and regrets fully explained to them then  they may be less bitter about it. They should also ideally be offered some kind of benefit pack for staying employed in the business for as long as they have. If the staff left at the business are also explained what benefits have been given to the employees who have left, they will also be less bitter about the budget cuts, and may remain just as motivated as before, as long as they feel secure in their job.

Fundamentals of Geography Essay

In geology, a rock is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids. For example, the common rock, granite, is a combination of the quartz, feldspar and biotite minerals. The Earth’s outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. Rocks have been used by mankind throughout history. From the Stone Age rocks have been used for tools. The minerals and metals we find in rocks have been essential to human civilization. [1] Three major groups of rocks are defined: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The scientific study of rocks is called petrology, which is an essential component of geology. At a granular level, rocks are composed of grains of minerals, which, in turn, are homogeneous solids formed from a chemical compound that is arranged in an orderly manner. The aggregate minerals forming the rock are held together by chemical bonds. The types and abundance of minerals in a rock are determined by the manner in which the rock was formed. Many rocks contain silica (SiO2); a compound of silicon and oxygen that forms 74. 3% of the Earth’s crust. This material forms crystals with other compounds in the rock. The proportion of silica in rocks and minerals is a major factor in determining their name and properties. [2] Rocks are geologically classified according to characteristics such as mineral and chemical composition, permeability, the texture of the constituent particles, and particle size. These physical properties are the end result of the processes that formed the rocks. [3] Over the course of time, rocks can transform from one type into another, as described by the geological model called the rock cycle. These events produce three general classes of rock:igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The three classes of rocks are subdivided into many groups. However, there are no hard and fast boundaries between allied rocks. By increase or decrease in the proportions of their constituent minerals they pass by every gradation into one another, the distinctive structures also of one kind of rock may often be traced gradually merging into those of another. Hence the definitions adopted in establishing rock nomenclature merely correspond to more or less arbitrary selected points in a continuously graduated series. 4] Igneous Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word igneus meaning of fire, from ignis meaning fire) forms through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. This magma can be derived from partial melts of pre-existing rocks in either a planet’s mantle or crust. Typically, the melting of rocks is caused by one or more of three processes: an increase in temperature, a decrease in pressure, or a change in composition. Igneous rocks are divided into two main categories: plutonic rock and volcanic. Plutonic or intrusive rocks result when magma cools and crystallizesslowly within the Earth’s crust. A common example of this type is granite. Volcanic or extrusive rocks result from magma reaching the surface either aslava or fragmental ejecta, forming minerals such as pumice or basalt. [3] The chemical abundance and the rate of cooling of magma typically forms a sequence known as Bowen’s reaction series, after the Canadian petrologist Norman L. Bowen. Most major igneous rocks are found along this scale. [2] About 64. 7% of the Earth’s crust by volume consists of igneous rocks; making it the most plentiful category. Of these, 66% are basalts and gabbros, 16% are granite, and 17% granodiorites and diorites. Only 0. 6% are syenites and 0. 3% peridotites and dunites. The oceanic crust is 99% basalt, which is an igneous rock of mafic composition. Granites and similar rocks, known as meta-granitoids, form much of the continental crust. [5] Over 700 types of igneous rocks have been described, most of them having formed beneath the surface of Earth’s crust. These have diverse properties, depending on their composition and how they were formed. Sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are formed by sedimentation of particles at or near the Earth’s surface and within bodies of water. This process causes clasticsediments or organic particles (detritus) to settle and accumulate, or for minerals to chemically precipitate (evaporite) from a solution. The particulate matter then undergoes compaction and cementation during diagenesis. Before being deposited, sediment was formed by weathering and erosion in a source area, and then transported to the place of deposition by water,wind, ice, mass movement or glaciers which are called agents of denudation. Mud rocks comprise 65% (mudstone, shale and siltstone); sandstones 20 to 25% and carbonate rocks 10 o 15% (limestone and dolostone). [3] About 7. 9% of the crust by volume is composed of sedimentary rocks, with 82% of those being shales, while the remainder consist of limestone (6%), sandstone and arkoses (12%). [5] Metamorphic Metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type—sedimentary rock, igneous rock or another older metamorphic rock—to differenttemperature and pressure conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. This process is called metamorphism; meaning to â€Å"change in form†. The result is a profound change in physical properties and chemistry of the stone. The original rock, known as the protolith, transforms into other mineral types or else into other forms of the same minerals, such as by recrystallization. [3] The temperatures and pressures required for this process are always higher than those found at the Earth’s surface: temperatures greater than 150 to 200  °C and pressures of 1500 bars. [6] Metamorphic rocks compose 27. 4% of the crust by volume. [5] The three major classes of metamorphic rock are based upon the formation mechanism. An intrusion of magma that heats the surrounding rock causes contact metamorphism—a temperature-dominated transformation. Pressure metamorphism occurs when sediments are buried deep under the ground; pressure is dominant and temperature plays a smaller role. This is termed burial metamorphism, and it can result in rocks such as jade. Where both heat and pressure play a role, the mechanism is termed regional metamorphism. This is typically found in mountain-building regions. [2] Depending on the structure, metamorphic rocks are divided into two general categories. Those that possess a texture are referred to as foliated; the remainder are termed non-foliated. The name of the rock is then determined based on the types of minerals present. Schists are foliated rocks that are primarily composed of lamellar minerals such as micas. A gneiss has visible bands of differing lightness, with a common example being the granite gneiss. Other varieties of foliated rock include slates, phyllites, and mylonite. Familiar examples of non-foliated metamorphic rocks include marble,soapstone, and serpentine. This branch contains quartzite—a metamorphosed form of sandstone—and hornfels. [2] In geography maps are one of the most important tools researchers, cartographers, students and others can use to examine the entire Earth or a specific part of it. Simply defined maps are pictures of the Earth’s surface. They can be general reference and show landforms, political boundaries, water, the locations of cities, or in the case of thematic maps, show different but very specific topics such as the average rainfall distribution for an area or the distribution of a certain disease throughout a county. Today with the increased use of GIS, also known as Geographic Information Systems, thematic maps are growing in importance. There are however applications for different types of general reference maps when the different types are understood correctly. These maps do not just show a city’s location for example; instead the different map types can show a plethora of information about places around the world. The following is a list of each major map type used by geographers and a description of what they are and an example of each kind. †¢ Political Map: A political map does not show any topographic features. It instead focuses solely on the state and national boundaries of a place. They also include the locations of cities – both large and small, depending on the detail of the map. A common type of political map would be one showing the 50 U.  S. states and their borders along with the United States’ north and south international borders (map of the United States). †¢ Physical Map: A physical map is one that shows the physical landscape features of a place. They generally show things like mountains, rivers and lakes and water is always shown with blue. Mountains and elevation changes are usually shown with different colors and shades to show relief. Normally on physical maps green shows lower elevations while browns show high elevations. An example of a physical map is one showing the state of Hawaii (map of Hawaii). Low elevation coastal regions are shown in dark green, while the higher elevations transition from orange to dark brown. Rivers are shown in blue. †¢ Topographic Map: A topographic map is similar to a physical map in that it shows different physical landscape features. They are different however because they use contour lines instead of colors to show changes in the landscape. Contour lines on topographic maps are normally spaced at regular intervals to show elevation changes (e. g. each line represents a 100 foot (30 m) elevation change) and when lines are close together the terrain is steep. For example a topographic map showing the Big Island of Hawaii would have contour lines that are close together near the steep, high elevation mountains of Mauna Loa and Kilauea (map of the Big Island). By contrast, the low elevation, flat coastal areas show contour lines that are spread apart. †¢ Climate Map: A climate map shows information about the climate of an area. They can show things like the specific climatic zones of an area based on the temperature, the amount of snow an area receives or average number of cloudy days. These maps normally use colors to show different climatic areas. A climate map for Australia for example uses colors to show differences between the temperate area of Victoria and desert region in the center of the continent. †¢ Economic or Resource Map: An economic or resource map shows the specific type of economic activity or natural resources present in an area through the use of different symbols or colors depending on what is being shown on the map. For example an economic activity map for Brazil can use colors to show different agricultural products of given areas, letters for natural resources and symbols for different industries (image showing a map of Brazil). Road Map: A road map is one of the most widely used map types. These maps show major and minor highways and roads (depending on detail) as well as things like airports, city locations and points of interest like parks, campgrounds and monuments. Major highways on a road map are generally red and larger than other roads, while minor roads are a lighter color and a narrower line. A road map of San Francisco, California for example would show the major highways as a wide red line and other large roads as a lighter red with minor streets as gray (map of San Francisco). Thematic Map: A thematic map is a map that focuses on a particular theme or special topic and they are different from the six aforementioned general reference maps because they do not just show natural features like rivers, cities, political subdivisions, elevation and highways. If these items are on a thematic map, they are background information and are used as reference points to enhance the map’s theme. An example of a thematic map would be one showing the population change of Canada in specific locations from 1996 to 2001. The map shows the theme it is attempting to get across to its audience and uses a political map (e. g. one showing the provincial and territorial borders of Canada) to give it more of a reference. What Is the Difference Between Weather and Climate? It’s a sweltering midsummer day. â€Å"It must be global warming,† mutters someone. But is it the Earth’s changing climate that has made the day so warm? Or, is it just the weather that is so unbearable? Weather is the mix of events that happen each day in our atmosphere including temperature, rainfall and humidity. Weather is not the same everywhere. Perhaps it is hot, dry and sunny today where you live, but in other parts of the world it is cloudy, raining or even snowing. Everyday, weather events are recorded and predicted by meteorologists worldwide. Climate in your place on the globe controls the weather where you live. Climate is the average weather pattern in a place over many years. So, the climate of Antarctica is quite different than the climate of a tropical island. Hot summer days are quite typical of climates in many regions of the world, even without the effects of global warming. Climates are changing because our Earth is warming, according to the research of scientists. Does this contribute to a warm summer day? It may, however global climate change is actually much more complicated than that because a change in the temperature can cause changes in other weather elements such as clouds or precipitation. Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and the means (together with the smaller ocean circulation) by whichthermal energy is distributed on the surface of the Earth. The large-scale structure of the atmospheric circulation varies from year to year, but the basic climatological structure remains fairly constant. Individual weather systems – mid-latitude depressions, or tropical convective cells – occur â€Å"randomly†, and it is accepted that weather cannot be predicted beyond a fairly short limit: perhaps a month in theory, or (currently) about ten days in practice (see Chaos theory and Butterfly effect). Nonetheless, as the climate is the average of these systems and patterns – where and when they tend to occur again and again – it is stable over longer periods of time. As a rule, the â€Å"cells† of Earth’s atmosphere shift polewards in warmer climates (e. g. nterglacials compared to glacials), but remain largely constant even due to continental drift; they are, fundamentally, a property of the Earth’s size, rotation rate, heating and atmospheric depth, all of which change little. Tectonic uplift can significantly alter major elements of it, however – for example the jet stream -, and plate tectonics shift ocean currents. In t he extremely hot climates of the Mesozoic, indications of a third desert belt at the Equator has been found; it was perhaps caused by convection. But even then, the overall latitudinal pattern of Earth’s climate was not much different from the one today. The wind belts girdling the planet are organised into three cells: the Hadley cell, the Ferrel cell, and the Polar cell. Contrary to the impression given in the simplified diagram, the vast bulk of the vertical motion occurs in the Hadley cell; the explanations of the other two cells are complex. Note that there is one discrete Hadley cell that may split, shift and merge in a complicated process over time[citation needed]. Low and high pressures on earth’s surface are balanced by opposite relative pressures in the upper troposphere.

Post-Modernism and art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Post-Modernism and art - Essay Example Quaternity is another artwork by Anself Keifer that depicts art as a production in the post modernism era. The painting has a rough grains on the floorboards traced in various charcoal lines bleeding over a burlap canvas. There are three flames burning at the centre with each one being a member of the Christian fraternity: father, son, and the Holy Spirit. At the right hand corner, there emerges a snake that commune through the flames and it is labeled as Satan. In his sense, he labels the Christian fraternity and Satan as having a complex relationship by placing Satan equidistant from the three Christian trinities. Thus, his artwork portrays that Christianity suppressed evil. In the artwork, every trinity has a hidden fourth, which all the three combine to make a quaternity. In his brain by David sale, there is a picture of a naked woman on a bed. The image is almost pornographic. Across the canvass are tiny images of Abraham Lincoln that are taken from pennies. These images suggest cheapness and moral rectitude. The conflicting meaning in the artwork competes with each other and competes over the naked woman thus draining its pornographic content . This relays the recycling of a culture authenticated by the audience. Though pornography is prohibited in most states, the artwork tries to reveal pornography on a lighter note. Thus, most individuals are able to identify with the artwork though on a lighter note. . All the ideas and emotions expressed are only implied due to lack of.

Knowledge Management and its Advantages in Business Research Paper

Knowledge Management and its Advantages in Business - Research Paper Example Knowledge management can either contribute to the corporation or harm it in the attainment of the corporate goals. Thus, in order to assess its effect upon the organization, knowledge management must be considered as one of the business processes of the organization. This way, it can be determined whether the organization is moving closer or farther from the goals and objectives. Measuring KM effectiveness can be attained by measuring its impact upon the other business processes, the goals and benefits. Knowledge is an intangible asset and therefore cannot be observed. In recent times, management of knowledge has gained a lot of focus in organization management. Essentially, it has become one of the most important assets in business today. Knowledge management can be defined as the continual and persistent interaction among players in a system that leads to enhancement and maintenance of the systems knowledge base. The system or organization produces knowledge by gathering and organizing information and integrating the information in its strategies, goals and objectives to ensure adaptability and sustainable growth. In other words, an organization utilizing knowledge management continually compares existing knowledge with new information and adds up its knowledge base to improve on its method of production, strategies in an attempt to ensure that its targets and goals are attained. (Firestone, 1998). In a business setting, knowledge has three main building blocks, namely: a) data wh ich is raw, and without context; b) data is then transformed into information which is usable; and c) lastly, information is interpreted and combined to beget knowledge. There are two main types of knowledge, tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is derived from experience, and refers to expertise or knowledge that is difficult to transfer orally or through writing. For example, mechanical expertise can, to an extent be classified as tacit because it is acquired in time through experience and practice. On the other hand, explicit knowledge can be documented and taught through classroom learning. Explicit knowledge can easily be shared without necessarily having to practice or train (Marquard, 1996). Statement of the problem In the corporate environment, multiple factors that have emerged in the recent past have continually changed the approach and way of conducting profitable and sustainable businesses globally. Increased competition due to global economic developm ent, liberalization of international markets, advancement in technology and global integration has significantly changed the competitive landscape. Moreover, increased information access and globalization has not only increased consumer choice but also shifted power from producers to consumers. Traditionally, critical success factors such as product leadership, capital

My Study in Global Political Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Study in Global Political Economy - Essay Example Getting this degree would not only satiate my passion, but it would also serve as a stepping stone for my future career. As a final year Bachelor’s degree student, majoring in Policy Studies and Administration with a concentration on Politics & International Affairs and Policy Streams, I have a solid academic foundation, both theoretically and practically when it comes to general politics and international relations. My knowledge in politics is an added boon as politics is intertwined with the economy, which in turn plays a big role in international relations. As an exchange student at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, I was greatly impressed by the speech of the former Prime Minister of Canada, Paul Martin, on the financial crisis, although I did not have enough knowledge about credit and Subprime Mortgage. As compared to the economy concerned with statistics and data, I am more interested, not to mention knowledgeable, in political economics, i.e. a study into the r elationship between politics and economy, for example, the political determinants and effects of economic outcomes, especially in the time of financial crises and global insecurity. That is why when I came across the master’s course in Global political economy offered by the  ­your institute, I could not help but apply for admission therein as this is the field I want to pursue. This is in line with my career goals of working in the international commerce department of a multinational company, or the foreign affairs department of the government. Getting this degree would help me develop the necessary coping skills with regard to any future career challenges; it would enable me to enhance my knowledge and improve my skills in both global politics and global economy.  

Housing Estate in Cold-Water Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Housing Estate in Cold-Water - Case Study Example This report pertains to the development of Cold waters housing initiative as apparent from the computer-graphed image above which will mean that the current map of the Cold-Water will have a large number of landscape changes made to it with a possible usage of land swaps and remodeling.At the outset it is possible to see from the graphically configured diagram of the Waterside View above it can be seen that it is not only a housing area but the inclusion of the aquatic leisure centre is all set to increase the commercial value of the estate. The plan is to focus upon terraced houses and low rise flats for an increase in the landscape beauty. The housing estate will be complete with a new leisure centre ,a public covered swimming pool, a training pool, and generous opportunities for gymnastic and sports activities. It is also planned that there will be two nearby single storey retail warehouses with expansive surface car parking for them and n restaurants/cafes with outside seating areas for the summer. All vehicle servicing will be underground. As mentioned before the housing plan includes a lot of low rise flats which will be around this commercial property and a liberal amount of landscaping will be provided from the dock area above. This area was formerly a low wage income area before the government too initiatives to bring out the commercial potential of this place. The residential housing is for both commercial and council purposes. There is a total of 55,600 sq m of residential housing available 60% of which is based on the PFI initiative and will be sold or leased back to the Local Government.The problem here is that due to the lack of labour etc there are likely to be delays in building which may cause fines being imposed upon the constructing firms.These delays may also be aggravated by the scientific protests going on. The idea for the commercial accommodation is feasible enough as the plan includes reasonably priced properties along with balconies and roof gardens and secure car-parking underground. The demographics, densities and styles around the locality and styles of local housing developments There are many neighbourhoods surrounding Cold water like as Steel Town, Chemical Town, Coal Town where is there is a rampant issue of economic decline and a change in function. New

Comparison of Fascism and Communism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison of Fascism and Communism - Essay Example However what should primarily be of our interest is that they were adversaries of reason. They were the biggest expressions of naked reason. All socialist theories including communism and fascism were not liberal, or governed by moral or religious norms. Democracy brought reason with it in this world. The democratic theories of French Revolution are an exemplary idea of that period. France was decristianized because religion was deemed as irrational and unimportant. The crucifies were dragged on the streets, priests were decapitated and churches smashed. The Notre Dame Cathedral was given a new name, â€Å"the Temple of Reason.† Inside the Cathedral, a gimcrack structure of Greco-Roman was constructed made up of papier-mache and linen and also a toga-clad opera singer who kept playing part of Liberty as the Flame of Reason ornamented the place. A ‘Feast of Reason’ was also celebrated in Saint Jean Cathedral where all the supplicants sang the anti-hymns orchestrati ng Reason as the Supreme Power (Gairdner). Hitler proudly laughed at the beginning of World War II that the upcoming revolution is ours which is National Socialism is the correct opposite of French Revolution. Micheal Oakeshott, a British philosopher, concluded communism, National Socialism, and fascism as policies of representative democracy which is the guide of the former. According to G.K. Chesterton, a passionate person is the one who have nothing but reason. These include not having standards of decency and moral norms but just logic. Reason without the norms of society is just a failure. It is true for all nations. Another witty person said that neither communism nor fascism was a decline into dark ages or going away from reason, but they were rather concerned with fulfillment. It is the irony of our past and also a warning to future (Gairdner). In Obama’s speech in Cairo, democracy was the fourth issue he brought up.

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The outcome of these models is a comprehensive understanding of the business cycles and the economic growth in the long run and the short run respectively. These results in turn help the government and the central bank of the economy to determine the policies that would be ideal for an economy in a particular scenario. The government of a country and the central bank act as the major policy making bodies in an economy and thus their roles in the molding of the economic system of a country are quite significant. This essay analyses some of the popular macroeconomic models that have been widely discussed over a long period of time. The analyses have been supported by the relevant figures, graphs and mathematical representations. However, before discussing the macroeconomic models it is essential to enumerate the basic concepts that would come up in any macroeconomic discussion. The most important macroeconomic variable is the national income of a country. It is the value added of the total goods and services produced in the specific duration of time. The total output translates to the income and therefore the national income is identified with the Gross Domestic Product of the economy (Arnold 113). The progress of an economy depends on the growth rate of this GDP. But there may not be a consistent level of growth in an economy. The variation in the growth rates are caused by the changes in the business cycles. The fall in the national product during any such cycle can be termed as recession. The other important variables include the rate of unemployment. This is the number of people in the economy who have the potential to get employed but have remained unemployed. On the other hand the increase in the price level of the economy is termed as inflation (Rossi 121). The monetary policy of an economy is a measure to control this

Industry and the united states Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Industry and the united states - Essay Example The hand made products were then replaced by the factory products thus making them more accessible and more affordable to the Americans. The process of industrial revolution started in Great Britain when machinery was invented to replace human labor while fossil fuel to replace wind, water and wood (Alam 23). The full impact industrialization was fully felt when the use of machine spread to other corners of the globe in around 1800AD. This led to comprehensive rises in production capacity that affected all the basic human needs from food production, housing and clothing among others. Industrial revolution opened the American economy to merge with the world economy thus initiating the exchange of goods and services between them and different countries. These also paved ways for the establishment of economies, which promoted their businesses and made them to expand and conquer the global economy. The ability of the Americans to dominate the seas allowed their merchants to displace othe r from the world trade system thus benefiting them greatly. The creation of the world economy was a result of industrialization that greatly benefited the Americans as they get ready market for their goods, most of which were of superior quality (Vitiello 21). Industrialized Lives Industrialization prompted a movement for rural life to urban life resulting to urbanization in the American states. Others who could not sustain the lavish urban life remained in slums resulting in the development of social classes and segregation of individuals. The introduction of new technology in areas of agriculture resulted in improvements in production of foods and increased trade. The tools produced from industries provided the platform for the Americans to increase their production techniques in their farming fields. The average women in America also took advantage of the opportunities presented by industrialization in America to advance socially, economically and politically (Cancian, Goodman & Smith, 14). They left the traditional women chores of cooking meals, and taking care of other household duties to engage in business and to work in the industries. The demands of workers for the factories initiated women's empowerment programs to enable them work in these factories in the same capacity as men. Women got a glimpse of the life at work, compared it with the traditional household duties, and resulted to a new dimension in family relationships. The industries also took advantage of the situation and reduce the wages since women worked for lower wages than men. This initiated the idea that women are of same competency as men and they begin to advocate for equal opportunity with men in workplaces. Industrialization led to segregation of people into different age groups especially through the blacks and the whites. The blacks who are the minority were often looked down upon at the expense of the whites with respect to the opportunities that were availed by industries. Areas dominated by the white population got attention form the government than those dominated by other races. The Native American thus greatly benefited from government incentives at the expense of the black population (Wythe 11). Industry and Population Growth The entrance of industries saw a sharp increase in population growth in the United States. The population in the United Sta

Customer Loyalty in a Business To Business Context Essay Example for Free

Customer Loyalty in a Business To Business Context Essay Customer loyalty is considered to be a powerful tool for most organizations in ensuring that they gain a competitive advantage in their respective industries ( Lam, Shankar, Erramilli, Bvsan, 2004, p. 294). Customer loyalty is necessary for ensuring that organizations remain profitable while also achieving growth through reaching out to new market grounds. The importance of customer loyalty in the world of economics has developed gradually as an area of study especially business to business (B2B) environments. This is due to the need to study and identify factors that ensure customer loyalty is maintained and even increased, according to Haghkhah et al. , (2013, p. 156). Haghkhah, et al., (2013, p. 156) further noted that increased competition for customers in the market signifies that business ought to react even faster and more specific to the demands and wants of clients in order to win their loyalty. For this reason, marketers in most organizations tend to focus on customer retention techniques and also to lay an emphasis on increasing their loyalty levels. In order to achieve this, B2B has offered vast opportunities to ensure that most organizations achieve their objectives of customer retention and loyalty. Thus, the latter shows the importance of understanding customer retention and loyalty as an important area of the research study. Customer loyalty is viewed as a behavior of repetitive buying and further developed moving forward with factors such as antecedents, consequences, and factors. This has led the researcher to gain an interest in conducting further research on customer retention and loyalty, therefore, this research paper will be on the various ways and techniques that organizations can implement in order to increase customer loyalty in a B2B context Customer loyalty According to Haghkhah, et al., (2013, p. 157) a high rate of loyalty in a B2B environment is a competitive advantage to the seller due to the clients willingness to pay a higher price for goods and sensitive since they start becoming less price sensitive as a result of trust that has been gained. This means that the income generated is likely to increase and remain stable to move forward Customer loyalty is viewed as a strategy that aims at ensuring customers gain behaviour of repetitive purchasing from the same company. Customer loyalty in a B2B environment achieves a mutual reward that benefits both the customer and the organization. It is usually considered as ways of gaining competitive advantage by an organization over its competitors. Various companies have applied the strategy of maintaining customer loyalty since it is considered cheaper in regard trying to gain new customers in order to increase their revenue base. ÄÅ'ater.T ÄÅ'ater.B (2010, p. 1322) view customer loyalty based on activities such as contract renewal, making recommendations to clients and increasing patronage in a business to business environments. They further note that these factors will likely influence the level of loyalty to clients of an organization. In other research, customer loyalty in a B2B environment is based on the experiences of the client, the future expectations that a client may have about the organization and the frequency at which a customer buys goods and services from the organization( haghkhah, Abdul Hamid, Ebrahimpour, Roghanian, Gheysari, 2013, p. 158). Further, (ÄÅ'ater ÄÅ'ater, 2010) notes that in order to influence the loyalty of clients in a B2B context, and then the organization has to understand the behaviour of the client and the attitude of the client. Literature review 2.1 Limitations and Gap in Literature The field of customer loyalty is one that has much information, but very little attention has been given to business-to-business scenarios. Most previous research has mainly focused on the customer’s point of view (Mascareigne, 2009). This could be because most view customer retentions as a behavioral factor. (Ranaweera Prabhu, 2003) In any economy, businesses have to transact to perform their daily operations. Some businesses, such as audit firms, exist to serve other businesses. Extensive research on this area could aid other businesses to learn the dynamics of customer loyalty amongst themselves. A major limitation that was also experienced in the research was the over generalization of the research based on a B2B context. Since different businesses have different operations and strategies, some aspects may works for a certain sector that may not necessarily work for another. For example, concepts that may be used to increase customer loyalty in the banking sector, may not work in the manufacturing sector. According to Buttle (2008, p. 267) commitment is defined as the relationship that exist between the two firms and is likely to be terminated at a reasonable future date. In a B2B environment, the commitment shared by the two firms is usually on a mutual agreement. Doma (2013, p. 72) notes that commitment between two firms is usually bonded by trust among the two firms. The level of trust that is usually shared by the two or more firms that conduct business affects their commitment framework. The more a firm is committed to another increases the level of loyalty shared by the two firms. Moorman Rust (1999, p. 183) in their research notes that commitment is usually the level of effort that is put by firms in ensuring a valuable relationship enjoyed by the two firms is maintained in the long term. The relationship usually has economic benefits for the two firms in their bid to ensure they remain profitable in their operations. For this reason, there exists a belief among organizations that the relationship has economic benefits; thus efforts are put in maintaining it. However, according to Hennig-Thurau (2004, p. 463) states that many scholars tend to argue that there is no major difference between loyalty and commitment. That school of thought has been dismissed by Morgan Hunt (1999, p. 24) who argued there is a difference between loyalty and commitment. They, however, noted that the two are related, with a commitment being an antecedent of loyalty. This means that commitment is a factor in B2B environment that will increase the level of loyalty. This also meant th at the existence of commitment had a strong positive impact on the level of commitment. Shabbir et al. (2007, p. 280) in their research demonstrated that commitment is an antecedent of loyalty. They argued that commitment in the B2B environment, it played a central role in ensuring that loyalty is always maintained and even increased to higher levels. Sharma, et al. (2006, p. 77) in their study note that commitment is the situation whereby there is a desire to make a relationship stronger with another person or even group due to familiarity or even friendship has that has been developed over time due to the personal interaction that has occurred between the two over a period of time(Eakuru Mat, 2008, p. 125). Therefore, commitment should be as a result of identifying the values that are shared commonly between two organizations. It is crucial to note that the customer will retain a relationship with another party due to the positive effect they have with the supplier. At times, a client may be forced to continue staying in a relationship with another party due to lack of valuable options that may be available to them (Fullerton, 2005, p. 1388). However, most relationships are maintained with a commitment as a result of the benefits that both parties will benefit from (Brandi, 2001, p. 67). When commitment is the guiding principle of B2B environment, and one organization performs poorly in comparison to the incumbent organization, then due to the level of commitment shared the partners are unlikely to switch to other options (Stephan , 2002, p. 20). This makes a commitment an underlying factor that will help in influencing the level of loyalty in a B2B environment (Stephan , 2002, p. 33). Akin (2012) gives an example, in comparing the loyal between customers with low loyalty and customers with high loyalty and explains that customers with high loyalty will be not be swayed by discounted prices from other suppliers. Therfore, the higher the level of commitment that will be shared between organizations an increase in loyalty levels between the organizations will be experienced. If the level of commitment is increased through activities such as contract renewal and making of recommendations to the other organization, it will in turn increase the level of loyalty enjoyed by the two firms. Therefore, if organizations want to increase the rate of exit by their clients, then they have to build a relationship that will be founded on a commitment. Commitment will in turn increase the level of loyalty in a B2B environment. This will ensure that the future of the organization is maintained as it will continue making profit. In a study conducted by CITATION Gus05 l 1033 (Gustavsson Lundgren, 2005) they give an example whereby airline companies use their frequent flyer programs as a means to enhance repeated purchase through provision of economic incentives to ensure that they increase and also maintain loyal among their clients. 2.2 Theories and Methodologies A common principle that has emerged from the total quality management (TQM) movement is that the decisive path, to retaining customers, is to satisfy their needs (Colby, 2013). The theory holds that if by identifying what customers expect and by meeting these requirements and expectations, these customers are less likely to opt for the services given by a competitor. Past research conducted by Colby (2013) has shown a positive relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. In other words, if a client is satisfied with the services offered by a business, the client is bound to be loyal to the business. Other studies have also identified a positive relationship between service quality and customer loyalty (Van Es, 2012). However, a certain level of satisfaction does not always guarantee the desired loyalty. In a certain survey, Colby suggested four indicators of customer loyalty and this include; demographics, past behavior, perception of gain or loss of switching to a different brand and attitudes towards openness to new brands. Studying these four indicators can give a better understanding of customer loyalty. For instance, if a business expects to save on costs by transacting with another business, then they are most likely to be loyal to that particular partnership. The attitudinal approach takes a view of purchase behavior and tends to explain in terms of values, beliefs and attitudes. Deterministic theory entails the logical relationship between variables and researchers in this field are responsible for identifying which variables affect customer loyalty. It appears to be acceptable to most cognitive researchers that attitude comes before behavior in a scenario that involves repurchasing a product and is very important because attitude comes before a choice. The behavioral approach holds that internal processes cannot be measured and, therefore, have no place in research (Bennet Bove, 2002). Understanding customer loyalty in a B2B scenario is a long term relationship regardless of the importance of the transactions. Both methods may differ in views but can be both used to understand the concept. Although customer loyalty research has evolved over the years, most of this research uses a logical empiricist paradigm(Paavola, 2006). Information about customer loyalty has been derived mainly from cognitive psychology, with theories about attitude forming most of the work. Current theoretical framework could, therefore, bring a new perspective into the loyalty research. Paavola (2006) uses the social constructionism paradigm to examine the notion of customer loyalty critically. The study gives a detailed description of customer loyalty that is based on the social reality of customers. The results imply that different types of loyalty should be taken into considerations when making managerial implementations. Categorization can also be very beneficial when it comes to future loyalty research. Most theories, which are associated with loyalty studies, deal with issues such as loyalty programs, customer satisfaction, customer value, service quality and social bonds (Jacobsen, Olsson, Sjovall, 2004). A model constructed by Jacobsen, Olsson and Sjovall (2004) shows that social bonds have the most significant effect on customer loyalty with companies in the banking sector. The study shows that the most important factors, in maintaining customer loyalty in the banking sector, were social bonds and personnel. This is because, banking services are very similar and to survive in such as market, strong competitive personnel are required to make the right connections. The same study revealed that monetary benefits are not a significant factor in that area of business. According to Kuusik (2007), the factors, trustworthiness, satisfaction, importance of relationship and image are important factors that play a role in the different levels of customer loyalty. Traditionally, most research has focussed on either the influence of individual factors on loyalty or the nature of different levels of loyalty. It is important to not only view loyalty through behavioural criteria, but also attitudinal criteria as well. Behavioural clients could be divided into; forced to be loyal, functionally loyal and loyal due to inertia (Kuusik, 2007). For instance, in a B2B context, when a certain company is a monopoly, getting supplies from them is the only logical answer, and this forces a company to be loyal by force. Businesses can be loyal by inertia due to the importance of a certain process. If the process is of low importance, then there is practically no need to get another partner. This can happen in situations where the transaction is routine such as trash- pickup. Functionality loyalty is gained from when organizations have to partner with other organizations because they have an objective reason to be. Research has shown that inertia is a situation opposite to loyalty CITATION Aki12 l 4105 (Akin, 2012). For example, a business may select another business since they require minimal effort to reach them. Dahlgren (2005) used multivariate data analysis techniques to build a link between dimensions of brand loyalty and to capture the different levels of customer loyalty. The result showed several differences in the loyalty dimensions. In a similar study, Kuusik (2007) uses a LOGIT regression model to determine the significant factors that affect customer loyalty. The model comprises of various factors that affect customer loyalty. The study reveals that image, satisfaction, importance of relationship and trustworthiness are the most significant factors in loyalty research. According to East et al. (2005) the definition of loyalty is useful if they can be used to predict phenomena such as search, retention, and recommendation. The authors establish that combination measures of customer loyalty often act as poor indicators of consumer loyalty as compared to other singular indicators such as recommendations. Apart from viewing these combinations to be of limited value, the research also establishes that there is no form of loyalty that always predicts different loyalty outcomes and a general concept of loyalty should be abandoned (East, Gendall, Hammond, Lomax, 2005). For instance, instead of using indicators such as loyalty programs and money rewards, researchers should either look for retention of customers and any recommendation given by them. 2.3 Identifying relationships between ideas and practice to increase loyalty in a B2B context Various ideas have been drafted in order to increase customer loyalty in a B2B context. For example, from the above review, it is noted that identification of the companys prospects and acting on them will help in increasing the loyalty. However a company can deliver on all the needs of their clients, but the delivery of their services will influence the level of loyalty moving forward. If when delivering all the needs of their client, and they produce a poor delivery service, then this will likely lead to a decrease in loyalty level. For example according to Akin (2012) factors that help increasing the loyalty of customers is high-level service quality delivered by firms that will lead to a high level of customer satisfaction. In another scenario, companies tend to try and find ways in which they can influence the frequency at which their clients access their websites for information. However, research indicates that half of the customers get information from their website. The lack of companies to invest and provide websites that are easy to access and provide the necessary information to their clients will lead to a decline in the level of loyalty. For this reason, there is a clear distinction between the ideas developed to increase loyalty and the practices a company will adopt. Conclusion From this literature review, it can be shown that various researches have tried to establish the existence of a positive relationship between loyalty and aspects such as service quality and customer satisfaction. Some studies have employed the use of correlation analysis to investigate this relationship. Correlation research allows a researcher to determine whether a relationship between variables exists, it allows one to define the extent of the relationship between the variables (Gall, Gall, Bord, 2005). Qualitative and quantitative research methods both have their benefits and drawbacks. For instance, when the correlation between two variables has been established, it still does not tell the researcher what should be done, but rather what can be done. Qualitative methods, as used by Paavola (2006), can also bring out knowledge that is not familiar with other researchers. The results can also be influenced by the researcher’s personal biases. However, some of these studies tend to cover wide areas that may take long periods of research. The benefits of customer retention have been recognized by many researchers (Feihua, 2011). In the business to business scenario, certain aspects of retaining a customer bring out themselves than conducting business with the ordinary customers. For instance, paying attention to the ordinary, like attending meetings on time is not a necessary, but a crucial habit to consider. In a B2B relationship, the parties are more defined, and this is based on the assumption that both parties are seeking common benefits in the relationship (Oy, 2010). In a normal business to customer relationship, the dissolution of the relationship ends up in the consumer leaving the services of the provider. In the B2B setup, the end of the relationship is thought in terms of a process while in switching is thought as just as a change in the relationship. In customer loyalty research, perhaps it would be of vital importance to consider the industry in which the research is being conducted on. In industries wher e the businesses provide similar services, social bonds could be the prevalent factor that promotes consumer loyalty between businesses. In other industries, where the services offered are different, probably loyalty programs and monetary rewards could be the way to win customer loyalty. References Akin, E. (2012). Literature Review and Discussion on Customer Loyalty and Consciousness. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences, 158-170. Brandi, J. (2001). Building Customer Loyalty: The 21 Essential Elements in Action. Texas: The Walk The Talk Company. Buttle, F. (2008). Customer Relationship Management (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge. Doma, S. A. (2013). Relationship Quality as Predictor of B2B Customer Loyalty. SYSTEMICS, CYBERNETICS AND INFORMATICS, 111(1), 72-78. Gustavsson, S., Lundgren, E. (2005). Customer Loyalty. Lulea University of Technology. Haghkhah, A., Abdul Hamid, A. B., Ebrahimpour, A., Roghanian, P., Gheysari, H. (2013). Commitment and Customer Loyalty in Business-To-Business Context. European Journal of Business and Management, 15(19), 156-164. Lam, S. Y., Shankar, V., Erramilli, M. K., B. M. (2004). Customer Value, Satisfaction, Loyalty, and Switching Costs: An Illustration From a Business-to-Business Service Context. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 32(293), 294-311. Bennet, R., Bove, L. (2002). Identifying the Key Issues for Measuring Loyalty. QUT Digital Repository, 1-29. ÄÅ'ater, T., ÄÅ'ater, B. (2010). Product and relationship quality influence on customer commitment and loyalty in B2B manufacturing relationships. Industrial marketing management, 39(8), 1321-1333.Colby, C. (2013, December 9). A New Paradigm for Understanding Customer Retention. Retrieved from Rockbridge: http://rockresearch.com/a-new-paradigm-for-understanding-customer-retention/ Eakuru, N., Mat, N. (2008). The application of structural equation modeling (SEM) in determining the antecedents of customer loyalty in banks in South Thailand. The Business Review, Cambridge, 10(2), 129-139. East, R., Gendall, P., Hammond, K., Lomax, W. (2005). Consumer Loyalty: Singular, Additive or Interactive? Australian arketing Joural, 10-17.Feihua, Q. (2011). Customer Retention in E-commerce business. Haaha-Helia University press, 1-56. Fullerton, G. (2005). How commitment both enables and undermines marketing relationships. European Journal of marketing, 39(11), 1372-1388.Gall, J., Gall, M., Bord, W. (2005). Applying educational research: A practical guide (1st ed.). Boston: Pearzon. Hennig-Thurau, T. (2004). Customer orientation of service employees: Its impact on customer satisfaction, commitment, and retention. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 15(5), 460-478. Jacobsen, D., Olsson, M., Sjovall, A. (2004). The Creation of Customer Loyalty. Kristianstad University, 1-71. Kuusik, A. (2007). AFFECTING CUSTOMER LOYALTY: DO DIFFERENT FACTORS HAVE VARIOUS INFLUENCES IN DIFFERENT LOYALTY LEVELS? Tartu University Press, 1-29. Mascareigne, J. (2009). Customer Retention. Lulea University Press, 1-88. Moorman, C., Rust, R. T. (1999). The role of marketing. The Journal of Marketing, 180-197, 63.Morgan, R. M., Hunt, S. D. (1999). The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. The Journal of marketing, 20-38.Oy, O. (2010). IMPROVING CUSTOMER LOYALTY THROUGH A REGULAR CUSTOMER PROGRAM. TAMPEREEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU University Publications, 1-45. Paalova, H. (2006). Categories of Loyalty. Toward Meaning-based Theory of Customer Loyalty. European Advances in Consumer Research, 420-428. Ranaweera, C., Prabhu, J. (2003). The influence of satisfaction, trust and switching barriers on customer retention in a continuous purchasing setting. international journal of service industry management, 374-395. Shabbir, H., Palihawadana, D., Thwaites, D. (2007). Determining the antecedents and consequences of donor †perceived relationship quality—A dimensional qualitative research approach. Psychology Marketing, 24(3), 271-293. Sharma, N., Young, L., Wilkinson, I. (2006). The commitment mix: Dimensions of commitment in international trading relationships in India. Journal of International Marketing, 64-91. Stephan, B. (2002). Customer Loyalty Programs and Clubs (2nd ed.). London: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Van Es, R. (2012). The Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Loyalty, and its Influence on Business Model Design. Universiteit Twente, 1-85. Source document

Approaches to Psychology Essay Example for Free

Approaches to Psychology Essay The psychoanalytic approach was started and developed mainly in Europe between 1900 and 1939 by Sigmund Freud, a Viennese doctor who specialized in neurology. As a doctor, he became interested in the field of hysteria the manifestation of physical symptoms without physical causes and became convinced that unconscious mental causes were responsible, and could be responsible for all mental disorders and even our personality. He created the theory of personality, and based his ideas upon intensive case studies of a considerable range of patients, especially his infamous study on Little Hans, a young boy who Freud carried out psychoanalysis upon. Bowlby (1946) applied Freuds theories when he used psychoanalysis on a large group of children with various ages on a study of habitual delinquency. The central emphasis is on dynamic, biological processes especially those taking place in the unconscious mind, and involves the idea of psychic determinism, i. e. Freudian slips. Freud said that we all have instinctual drives wishes, desires, needs, or demands, which are hidden and suppressed from the consciousness because society disapproves of their open expression. Freud proposes three main components of the mind; the id, the ego and the superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle and its goal is immediate gratification and reduction of tension caused by irrational impulses. The ego operates on the reality principle, and controls the id in its reaction with the world. The superego operates on the idealisation principle, with norms and values of society being internalised. According to this approach, we all undergo psychosexual stages oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital which gradually motivate the individual to focus on the libido, and can be linked with the Oedipus complex. The libido is described as psychic energy behind primary drives of hunger, aggression, sex and irrational impulses. Fixation at any of these stages can lead to behaviour in our adulthood reflecting earlier stages of our childhood, which are caused by unresolved conflicts. For example, fixation at the oral stage can cause adult behaviour that is centred on the mouth (eating, smoking, etc. ) The purpose of psychoanalysis was as a therapy to treat mental disorder by means of treating the unconscious mind. The methods that Freud used for investigating the unconsciousness were by means of case studies, and deep analysis and interpretation. Free association involves the uninhibited expression of thought association, no matter how bizarre or embarrassing, from the client to the analyst. Dream analysis involves the analyst attempting to decode the symbols and unravel the hidden meaning (the latent content) of a dream from the dreamers report (the manifest content). Freud used his theory to explain a number of topics. He explained that the development of personality came from fixations or defence mechanisms, and that aggression was caused by hydraulic drives and displacement. Abnormality was seen as the consequence of early traumas and repression, which subsequently could impair our moral and gender development, the latter being the result of the Oedipus complex. The psychoanalytic approach has been greatly influential within psychology, in areas such as psychotherapy and developmental theories, and also beyond in art, literature and other sciences, some 100 years since Freud first developed his ideas. His theory has had some experimental support in certain areas, such as repression and fixation. Freud introduced the world to the concept of the unconscious, and regarded his case studies like Little Hans and Anna O as firm empirical support for his theory. He thought his belief in determinism and detailed collection of data were scientific, yet many psychologists today argue that his theories and ideas are too biological, that is that they rely too much on the influence of basic instincts and physical drives. Most of Freuds ideas and concepts came from only a handful of results on the study of children. Freud could have allowed his own prejudices to shape his analysis, leading to no objective measures. His close interventions and feedback to the childs family could have changed the childs behaviour and that of its family. Psychoanalysis lacks rigorous empirical support, especially regarding normal development, and leads to reductionism, i. e. it reduces human activity to a basic set of structures, which cant account for behaviour. Freuds ideas have been accused of being irrefutable, and are therefore theoretically unscientific. Another approach to psychology is the behaviourist approach, which concentrates on the theory of learning and behavioural therapy, and tries to explain behaviour in terms of its relation to environmental events (stimuli), rather than any innate factors. The view that behaviour should be the sole subject matter of psychology was first advanced by the American psychologist John B. Watson in the early 1900s. His position came to be called behaviourism. He believed that psychologists could not afford to speculate upon the unobservable inner workings of the mind, since they are too private to be studied scientifically. For the behaviourist, much of their research focuses on objectively observable behaviour, rather than any internal process. The approach proposes that behaviour is radical, and that it is caused and maintained in this way.

Culture Between Brixton And Brick Lane Cultural Studies Essay

Culture Between Brixton And Brick Lane Cultural Studies Essay It is undoubtedly the case that we live in an age where wealthy people dominate the world and that there is strength in numbers. Many would argue gentrification has a negative effect in towns whereas others claim it brings richness to inhabited poor towns. It is clear that both Brixton and Brick Lane have suffered from their consequences but how good are those? However, not only gentrification affects the culture of a determined place, but also does the commodification as it happened since not many years ago in both Brixton and Brick Lane. As with the gentrification, the consequences are different between both areas and will be analysed below. Gentrification is defined as the process by which wealthier (mostly middle-income) people move into, renovate, and restore housing and sometimes businesses in inner cities or other deteriorated areas formerly home to poorer people. Because of this prices rise and, these rising prices then force out the remaining population of lower income people and more middle and upper income people are attracted, perpetuating the cycle of gentrification. As a result, in many cases, large families are forced to leave the area because they cannot afford to pay such high rents leading to a change in the culture of the place. This way, those poor families who have to face the hard reality of measuring each coin they own in order to feed the whole family and pay all the expenses so that they are not kicked out. That is how it works, some rich people not satisfied with their current wealth want to enrich even more even though they are ruining others ´ life. In general, gentrification is driven by people with little empathy and rather selfish whose only aim is to be greedy. Others would argue that gentrification brings richness to the culture and economy of the area and that it does not have any setbacks. Fortunately, there are few cases when gentrification has been welcomed because it has not been done with evil intention. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES But, which are the advantages and disadvantages of gentrification? On the one hand housing values increase for homeowners and also an increase of tax revenues for city services. Furthermore, reinvestment is made in infrastructure, roads, water mains, local schools etc. Another positive aspect would be that some businesses expand or change to serve new populations and this enhances the economy. In addition to this, housing stock might be renovated and upgraded to the income of money to the area. As there economy enhances, development of job opportunities occurs either in the short term or in the long run. All these lead to the redevelopment of urban core in a short period of time. Likewise, for those working downtown, the commuting reduces considerably. Finally, gentrification brings the concentration of population and public services in existing areas thereby reducing suburban sprawl. On the other hand, a great deal of disadvantages exists. First of all, as previously mentioned, higher income investors displace lower income residents making them feel angry. In other words, burden of economic displacement placed on those least able to afford it. Another downside of gentrification is that it disrupts community institutions rooted in neighbourhoods. However, the one of the worst drawbacks could be that forces people to move away from community institutions built to serve needs. Obviously, due to all these facts, racial and economic conflict during the transition period could be increased. Gentrification also has a bad effect on markets as markets can be manipulated to serve developer interest at the expense of older residents and new investors. Last but not least, it increases urban density and parking/traffic problems in neighbourhood. BRICK LANE As far as Brick Lane ´s gentrification is concerned, famous artist who were looking for cheap studios and workshops, got interested in and attracted to Brick Lane. Unfortunately, if we focus on this side, gentrification has had a negative effect on Brick Lane because local artists have been victims of displacement owing to their higher rent. Should we look it from the point of view of culture, Brick Lane is losing little by little its well-known creativity since numerous computer art companies are taking over the area. As a result of its unusual historical heritage, Brick Lane has turned into the home of many different backgrounds. The Bangladeshi is still the leading ethnicity in the area followed by the Asian community. After that, hipsters are progressively becoming the third most influential community in Brick Lane. Nevertheless, as gentrification changes the same do a lot of ethnicities and that can be reflected in younger generations of Bangladeshi who are willing to separate from their parents without losing their roots. Nevertheless, fortunately, despite the gentrification attempts, Brick Lane remains almost exclusively Asian. The Bangladeshi ´s strength in the area is so noticeable that many investors do not dare to go there so Brick Lane does not even suffer the consequences of gentrification. Of course it has suffered from it but like many other places in the world. We could say that the culture of Brick Lane is almost intact when it comes to consequences of gentrification. That could be seen in the fact that Brick Lane and its surrounding streets house are some of the poorest people in Britain, yet within a few hundred yards to the west lies the City of London the richest area of the UK. BRIXTON When it comes to Brixton ´s gentrification, the gentrification process started 20 years ago more or less although the process has become noticeable only during the last few years. The typical newcomers to the area are middleclass young professionals working in London, looking for modern flats at a relatively affordable price in a trendy area such as Brixton. Even though gentrification forces residents to leave their neighbourhoods, numerous families who have lived in Brixton for a long period welcome the changes because they feel the process will give them the chance to improve their quality of life. Thanks to the increase of the value of houses provoked by the gentrification, various families can afford now larger houses and they can give their children a better education in better schools. In spite of the fact that some of them do not have more choice but to leave Brixton, most shops and market stalls remain, and a large amount of people who have left the area come back to Brixton in order to go shopping or whatever they are willing to do. Because of its sheer proximity to the London center, the neighborhood is getting more urbanized and civilized and money is invested in the areas real estate. Apart from the improvement of the neighborhood through gentrification, Brixton can also benefit from the cultural tourism. Although gentrification has commonly a bad connotation because diminishes the local culture, to my mind, gentrification is having a good effect on Brixton. This is supported by the fact that the area is becoming little by little even safer and the poor economy is enhancing as well. The point is that the Afro- Caribbean culture is very strong because those who left come back in order to run their businesses and those newcomers of the area are eager to adapt and experience the local culture. Nowadays peoples of different nationalities and ethnicities mix in the district but Afro-Caribbean still predominate. However, it is true many families were forced to move unfairly but I think it has been worth happening because the positive sides overweight the negative ones. COMPARISON Taking into account all these facts, I feel the gentrification of culture between Brixton and Brick Lane is being different from my point of view. Brick Lane has hardly suffered the process of gentrification and the culture remains almost intact whereas the gentrification in Brixton is being tougher. The culture of Brixton is being affected but I think it is being for the good of Brixton because it used to be a controversial place where it is famous because of its crimes and drug dealers, therefore I think a renewal is needed as long as it does not destroy the little Jamaican ´s culture and heritage. COMMODIFICATION Commodification is the transformation of cultural icons, personalities or artifacts into a commodity. Cultural commodification can be understood as the process of eating others. You bring your own culture to a new place and step by step you achieve to settle it down and thus, then the new assembled culture is normal in the place. The previous culture in a specific place is altered and substituted by a new one. BRIXTON One important moment of Brixton happened in 1948 when immigrants from Jamaica on the Empire Wind, arrived in England looking for a better life, these British African- Caribbean individuals were housed and worked in Brixton. This is regarded as a landmark in history as the symbol of multiculturalism society in Brixton. It is thanks to this movement why it can be noticed easily the commodification of culture nowadays in Brixton. As you walk through the streets, it is rather difficult not to realize that you are surrounded by a different culture because the stores, restaurants, people and smells make you feel you are in a new environment. Not only do you come across with Caribbean food in restaurants and afro Caribbean people, but you also find in markets clothes and bags with the Jamaican flag and colors. Obviously, the Bob Marley is present almost everywhere. Nevertheless, it is not just about Jamaican culture in Brixton, there are also South American Butchers and restaurants are an important part of the picture along with Vietnamese and Indian supermarkets. Unfortunately, commodification has brought bad things to Brixton as well. Brixton is known as the drug capital of London where is not weird to catch people smoking cigars in the street being this due to the Rastafarian movement who think smoking is something good. Likewise, commodification has created a rather uncomfortable sensation in Brixton because is one of the most dangerous places to live in London because its rate of crime. Brixton used to be a place where the British Afro-Caribbean culture had its center but now this is dissolving into a more general and commercially viable mix of cultures. BRICK LANE The commodification of culture in Brick Lane is rather high nowadays as I could feel when I went there more than a month ago. The commodification could be reflected in almost every single aspect of the life in Brick Lane. First of all, what really impressed us was the amount of Indian restaurants in the zone. Therefore, food is one of the most important factors which have changed the culture in Brick Lane in the last decades. Of course, the amount of Bangladeshi was surprising even though it was market day and a lot of tourists come in order to have a memorable time. Everything is clearer if we see that Brick Lane is known as Bangla town because there might be a rationale to being called like this. In 1970s when Bangladeshi refugees moved into the Brick Lane the new religion was introduced, the Islam. Although there are diverse ethnicities, Bangladeshis dominate the area. Furthermore, the street art is very important in Brick lane and gives a special ambiance to the area and the famous markets too. COMPARISON In both Brixton and Brick Lane the commodification of culture is rather relevant because they are very famous in London because of its determined cultures. They differ from other areas in London In Brixton the black community is still present but as tourist flock the area, the commodification of culture is changing again. The original culture is changing into something new. I think this good due to the setbacks about crime and drugs I have just mentioned above. In Brick Lane the commodification is an important part as well and it can be seen very easily if you go to Brick Lane. The advantage of Brick Lane ´s commodification is that there are few problems in Brick Lane and it is a safe place to live whereas Brixton has received many claims CONCLUSION Whether it is viewed as positive or negative however, there is no doubt that gentrified areas are becoming important parts of the fabric of cities worldwide. There is no doubt that Brick Lane and Brixton are very famous because of its cultures and that they have its different charm. However, nowadays, Brick Lane ´s situation regarding culture seems to be better because the gentrification is not high and the commodification is benefiting the area whereas Brixton is suffering more the consequences of gentrification and the culture is changing quicker than in Brick Lane and the commodification in Brixton is giving little benefits to the area.

Essay --

What appeals most to people when it comes to different cultures is the food and the Jewish culture does not disappoint. Although Judaism is a religion, it is also a culture in its own right; many Jewish people share the same foods along with the same beliefs. What most non-Jewish people think of when the topic of Jewish food arises is the word kosher. Kosher foods are foods that abide by the regulations of the kashrut which is the Jewish dietary law . Some foods that are staples in the Jewish culture are matzah ball soup, latkes, tzimmes, gefilte fish, and Jewish apple kuchen (cake). Not all Jews share the same foods but most have had similar dishes throughout their lives. Those that keep kosher follow the laws of kashrut that start in the Torah. The word kosher comes from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kasher which means fit. When it comes to kosher meat, animals must have split hooves and chew their own cuds, although a pig has split hooves, it does not chew its own cuds so it cannot be kosher, other examples of non-kosher animals are the hare and camel. The Torah states winged creatures that cannot be consumed are mostly birds of prey, fish-eating water-birds and bats. Anything in the water that has fins and scales is considered clean. When it comes to dairy, milk from kosher animals is considered clean. Dairy and meat are not allowed to mix when keeping kosher. The reason for this is the Torah specifically forbids â€Å"seething† a young goat â€Å"in its mother’s milk† (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21) . Due to the dietary restrictions of Judaism, Jewish people had to get creative when it came to making dishes. A perfect example of this would be the Jewish apple kuchen or cake. For thi... ... tradition to eat sweet dishes for Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the hope of a sweet year. Gefilte fish is another Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is made from a poached mixture of ground boned fish like carp, whitefish or pike which is usually eaten as an appetizer. Historically it consisted of minced forcemeat which is a mixture of ground lean meat emulsified with fat, stuffed inside the fish skin. In the 19th century the skin has been left out and the fish is formed into patties. They are popular during Shabbat which is the Jewish day of rest and seventh day of the week; Jews remember the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days and the exodus of the Hebrews. Shabbat starts from a few minutes before sunset on Friday until the appearance of the three stars in the sky on Saturday night. Shabbat is started by lighting candles and reciting a blessing.

Free Essays: Symbols in Homers Odyssey :: Homer Odyssey Essays

The Symbolism of Homer's Odyssey Throughout Homer's The Odyssey, many tangible symbols are used to represent abstract ideas. Each symbol that Homer uses has two meanings. The double meanings of these symbols are used to represent Odysseus and Telemachus as they strive to meet each other. While each symbol has a meaning that represents the growth of Telemachus, each one also represents, by another meaning, the growth and development of Odysseus. When they meet for the first time, the symbols, and the character traits that they represent confluence, and the resemblance between Odysseus and Telemachus becomes complete. One of the main ideas running throughout the Odyssey is the importance of water. It has the power of giving life and quick, safe travel, but it also has the potential to drown you. Water can be considered a paradox in and of itself. While it is good and usually life giving, it also demonstrates how too much of a good thing can bring harm. It brings much harm to Odysseus as he is traveling to Phaeacia, "At Zeus' command the whole sky is heavy with clouds, the sea is seething, squalls from every corner hurtle together. There is nothing now for me but certain death." Everything needs water to live, however Odysseus speaks of water as an agent of death. Water that brings death by excess represents Odysseus, for he is the one that has to suffer all these years, and he is the one that nearly drowns. Odysseus also learns how too much of a good thing, such as wealth or gold, can seriously harm a man. He especially experiences this when he sacks Troy, and gets carried away, anger ing the gods. Henceforth, it is fitting that the excessive side of water represent Odysseus. Life that is brought by water, the water that satisfies souls is the type that represents Telemachus. He is not excessive, and has been in fact humbled by the suitors in their years there. Further, Telemachus has never seen any trouble with the water or the sea, "...sent a following wind through the clear sky to speed them from astern, so that their ship might most speedily complete their journey across the salt sea." The water never hurts Telemachus and always helps him. Telemachus does not get the chance, as his father did, to Perish from his own excesses. Telemachus also has a pure mind and body which is what water embodies.

Cloning Essay -- essays research papers fc

Cloning our society It is hard to say if cloning is an answer to a problem or just another problem for the human race. There have been books, movies, and even stories about mankind creating their own species of humans. A good example of what could happen if mankind learns to clone itself is Mary Shelly's' Frankenstein, a classic novel demonstrating what could happen when mankind takes the power of "God" in our own hands. Cloning is physically a new science but ethically is a century old debate. A clone is a group of genetically identical cells that are borrowed from a single cell by asexual methods and used to create a new cell identical to the first ones. Cloning happens everyday in the human body, muscle creates more muscle, the cells in the mouth, and the walls of the large intestines are constantly dividing. Besides the human body, plants also are able to procreate by asexual means also create plants that are identical to them. "The body cells of adult animals and humans can be routinely cloned in the laboratory. Adult cells of various tissues, such as muscle cells, that are removed from the donor animal and maintained on a culture medium while receiving nutrients manage not only to survive but to go on dividing, producing colonies of identical descendants. By the 1950's scientists were able to clone frogs, producing identical individuals that carry the genetic characteristics of only a single parent. The technique used in the cloning of frogs consists of transplan ting frog DNA, contained in the nucleus of a body cell, into an egg cell whose own genetic material has been removed. The fused cells then begin to grow and divide, just like a normal fertilized egg, to form an embryo." (Britannica) The process, which was previously described, is the same way that human beings can be cloned. The major misunderstanding is that all someone needs is a sample of DNA to put in this magical machine and a couple days later a fully-grown identical twin is born. The cloning of a human being would be a very difficult, time consuming, and risky venture. It took 277 attempts to clone "Dolly", the sheep born as the first success in cloning an adult mammal. This was achieved in 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland by a team of British researchers led by Ian Wilmut. However, there is a group of people who have the intent to... ...eplace an extinct animal but the animal won't even be pure guar. The newly born animal will have some cow DNA as well and now there will be a new species not the replacement of an old one. Humans may think that we've found the answer to so many problems, when actually we have just opened the door to cloning, but that's not the only door. Scientists seem to be the only ones who want to use this new technology with caution and reason. But yet the private sector just seems to be out there for its own interests: to be the first, be the best, or to go down in history. They don't seem to care of what a large responsibility this puts on the world as an entire population, it weighs down on us with moral problems, mental problems, and cloning problems. Works Cited "Clone". Britannica. 1999-2000 ed. "Private Group Set to Launch Human Cloning Scheme" National Geographic Society. http://www.ngnews.com/news/2000/10/10132000/clone_3142287101384834.asp "Raising the Dead". New Scientist. http://www.newscienist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/raisingthedead "Cult of the Clone". New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/cultoftheclone Cloning Essay -- essays research papers fc Cloning our society It is hard to say if cloning is an answer to a problem or just another problem for the human race. There have been books, movies, and even stories about mankind creating their own species of humans. A good example of what could happen if mankind learns to clone itself is Mary Shelly's' Frankenstein, a classic novel demonstrating what could happen when mankind takes the power of "God" in our own hands. Cloning is physically a new science but ethically is a century old debate. A clone is a group of genetically identical cells that are borrowed from a single cell by asexual methods and used to create a new cell identical to the first ones. Cloning happens everyday in the human body, muscle creates more muscle, the cells in the mouth, and the walls of the large intestines are constantly dividing. Besides the human body, plants also are able to procreate by asexual means also create plants that are identical to them. "The body cells of adult animals and humans can be routinely cloned in the laboratory. Adult cells of various tissues, such as muscle cells, that are removed from the donor animal and maintained on a culture medium while receiving nutrients manage not only to survive but to go on dividing, producing colonies of identical descendants. By the 1950's scientists were able to clone frogs, producing identical individuals that carry the genetic characteristics of only a single parent. The technique used in the cloning of frogs consists of transplan ting frog DNA, contained in the nucleus of a body cell, into an egg cell whose own genetic material has been removed. The fused cells then begin to grow and divide, just like a normal fertilized egg, to form an embryo." (Britannica) The process, which was previously described, is the same way that human beings can be cloned. The major misunderstanding is that all someone needs is a sample of DNA to put in this magical machine and a couple days later a fully-grown identical twin is born. The cloning of a human being would be a very difficult, time consuming, and risky venture. It took 277 attempts to clone "Dolly", the sheep born as the first success in cloning an adult mammal. This was achieved in 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland by a team of British researchers led by Ian Wilmut. However, there is a group of people who have the intent to... ...eplace an extinct animal but the animal won't even be pure guar. The newly born animal will have some cow DNA as well and now there will be a new species not the replacement of an old one. Humans may think that we've found the answer to so many problems, when actually we have just opened the door to cloning, but that's not the only door. Scientists seem to be the only ones who want to use this new technology with caution and reason. But yet the private sector just seems to be out there for its own interests: to be the first, be the best, or to go down in history. They don't seem to care of what a large responsibility this puts on the world as an entire population, it weighs down on us with moral problems, mental problems, and cloning problems. Works Cited "Clone". Britannica. 1999-2000 ed. "Private Group Set to Launch Human Cloning Scheme" National Geographic Society. http://www.ngnews.com/news/2000/10/10132000/clone_3142287101384834.asp "Raising the Dead". New Scientist. http://www.newscienist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/raisingthedead "Cult of the Clone". New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/cultoftheclone