Marche shoe district

Logistics Is simplified by the geographical concentration of firms in the district and the personal knowledge and trust that characterizes relationships amongst district entrepreneurs. Flexibility by the small firms' supply network enables the ups or downs of fashions to be met. Since asses, however, the district network has had to come to terms with an outsourcing trend to low labor-cost countries that is always a threat to mature and labor-intensive industries in developed countries. As a result, production of low-cost shoes has been outsourced almost fully, first to Eastern Europe and then to the Far East.In low-price product ranges, district companies retain only high-value activities of design, marketing and distribution in the Macerate district. Outsourcing has also affected the core district products In medium- to high- quality footwear. Here, however, foreign partners are Involved In only less complex tasks to preserve Italian style and quality. The result Is an Increasingly widespread network. Processed leather is brought into the district after initial processing in Asia eastern Europe for further processing (mainly to Romania and Albania for sewing and hemming).Prepared leather is returned to the district for finishing and assembly. Such partial outsourcing – called outward processing traffic – preserves he high-quality standards of district shoes, whilst cutting down on costs. This makes logistics a critical activity. Transportation costs per unit have increased, and responsiveness has been put at risk. This is of particular concern to a business that is linked to fashion, where season collections and sales campaign deadlines cannot be missed.Whilst offshore sourcing has led to significantly longer lead times, increasing inventories and lot sizes are not an effective answer. Most district firms offer differentiated products based on fashion trends, and therefore loud face a high risk of markdowns at the end of season. Therefore, firms normally order only 25-30 % of requirements for a seasonal collection from their suppliers and the basis of forecasts, and these are mainly carry-over models and â€Å"classic† leather. Orders for the rest of the collection are made in line with incoming orders from fashion fairs, distributors and boutiques.The new international network (including a sales network that is extending progressively towards Asia) has become so complex that even large companies find it difficult to manage. Leading district firms are tackling logistics issues through increased information processing capabilities and through advanced services from logistics service providers. In order to manage a production network spanning from nearby district suppliers to Eastern Europe (mainly for shoes) and China (for clothing), Forward has installed SAP-OAFS (Apparel and Footwear Solution).This new ERP system has allowed the company to improve visibility over production planning an tighten control over suppliers . Forward has outsourced outbound logistics, and is considering a logistics platform to handle information exchange for districts abstractors and foreign suppliers to reduce costs, an RIFF system to improve responsiveness to European customers and a logistics network to support its strong selling presence in China.However, most district companies are not large enough to become attractive propositions for IT or logistics service providers. Whilst they can't afford to lose outsourcing opportunities, theses small firms risk being unable to manage the more complex networks that result. Moreover, most district entrepreneurs do not fully support the potential advantages of sharing outsourced services. Since they lack the accounting tools for getting a complete picture of logistic costs, the do not perceive logistics as a competitive weapon.They care only about emergencies when a rush order is required or when a planned delivery is late, but dealing with such emergencies becomes more diffi cult when distant foreign partners are involved. Developing the infrastructure, the skills and the mind-sets, in order to manage such a radical change in international supply chain management, is probably the biggest challenge district companies will face in the next 5-10 years.

Consciousness mind Essay

The Psyche, is a culmination of how we interpret the world, all our psychological nature. It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey. The psyches are different paths to knowledge but have the same ending, personal ideas, experiences, emotions, as well as the collective unconscious. Conscious is the only part to the mind that is known directly by the individual, thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuiting. This is how we grow our consciousness; the attitudes of extroversion and introversion determine how we orient our conscious mind. Individuation, or knowing oneself as completely as possible is how we produce and develop our ego. The Ego acts as the gatekeeper, it determines what perceptions thoughts feeling and memories will enter consciousness. Its what we select to make conscious. The organizational of how we operate. The personal unconscious is the idea of information that we file away in our mind. Its there, but we’re not focusing on it at the moment; it’s below the surface, the storehouse of repressed psychic material Complexes lie in our personal unconscious. They are groups of contents that clump together to form a cluster or constellation. They are separate little personalities within the total personality. They are autonomous, possessing their own driving force, and can be very powerful in controlling our thoughts and behaviors. The collective unconscious is the portion of the psyche, which can be differentiated from the personal unconscious by the fact that its existence is not dependent upon personal experience, composed of contents that were once conscious, but the contents of the collective unconscious have never been conscious within the life time of the individual. Ex: Mans fear of snakes or the dark. Does not learn these fears through experiences with snakes or the dark, although such experiences may reinforce or reaffirm his predispositions. We inherit predispositions to fear snakes and the dark because our primitive ancestors experienced these fears for countless generations. They become engraved upon the brain. Archetypes lie in the collective unconscious, models of our ancestry, it is the endless repetition that has engraved these experiences into our psychic constitution, not in the forms of images filled with content, but at first only as forms without content, representing merely the possibility of a certain type of perception and action. They are universal; everyone inherits the same basic archetypal images. The persona, to take a characteristic that isn’t your own. The persona is the mask or facade one exhibits publicly, with the intention of presenting a favorable impression so that society will accept him. It is necessary for survival, it enables us to get along with people, even those we dislike, in an amicable manner. The anima/animus is the â€Å"outward face† of the psyche because it is that face which the world sees. The â€Å"inward face† he called the anima in males and animus in females. The anima archetype is the feminine side of the male psyche; the animus archetype is the masculine side of the female psyche. Everyone has qualities of the opposite sex. The shadow, is primal and animalistic, it lives in the unconscious. It is projected on the opposite sex and is responsible for the quality of the relationships between the sexes. It is persistent and does not yield easily to suppression. Ex: farmer to poet, burying the idea of being a poet, but an even may trigger that desire. The bigger the personality the bigger the shadow. The self is the organizing principle of the personality. It is the central archetype in the collective unconscious. It harmonizes all the archetypes and their manifestations in complexes and consciousness. It unites the personality, giving it a sense of oneness and firmness. The psyche: a relatively closed system must be dealt with as a unitary system within itself, apart from any other energy system. It is derived from the things we touch, see, smell, taste, feel, or hear. These are the continuous source of stimulation by which the psyche is fed. The psychic energy is the energy by which the work of the personality is performed. Also called the libido, the natural state of appetite, manifested consciously as striving desiring, and willing. Its expresses itself through perceiving, remembering, thinking, feeling, wishing, willing, attending, and striving. It originates from the experiences that a person has. Psychic values, a value is a measure of the amount of energy that is committed to a particular psychic element. When placing a high value on an idea or feeling it can exert a considerable force in influencing one’s behavior. For instance, one who puts a high value on beauty will put forth large amounts of energy to surrounding oneself with beautiful things. This reminded me of my sister in law, whom is obsessed with very beautiful and very expensive things in life. She devotes her time and hard earned money to the material things in life. One might say she’s trying to keep up with the Jones’. She would say she like beautiful and expensive things. Direct observation and deduction, is a complex that does not always exhibit its characteristics in conscious behavior. Ex: The person who says, â€Å"I can’t stand gossips† may be the one who gossips most. Complex indicators are any disturbance of behavior may be indicative of a complex. Ex: when a man calls his wife by his mother’s name, it suggests that his mother complex has assimilated his wife to it. The repressed memory is assumed which has some connection with an unconscious complex so that the memory is swallowed up by it. Emotional Reactions, is the underlying complex. Intuition is the natural and spontaneous capacity every man has to perceive the slightest emotional fluctuation in others. The Principle of Equivalence if the amount of energy cosigned to a given psychic element decreases or disappears, that amount of energy is lost from the psyche; it is simply transferred from one position to another. The principle of Entropy is the direction in which energy flows is conceptualized in physics by the second law of thermodynamics. This principle states, in effect, that when two bodies of different temperatures are placed in contact, heat will pass from the hotter to the colder body until the temp of the two bodies is equalized. Progression and regression, Progression is defined as a person’s daily experiences, which advance his psychological adaptation. One’s progression is a continuous process since his environment and experiences change continuously, which then adaptation is never completely achieved. Regression is the backward movement of libido. Through the collision and interactions of the opposites, they steadily become deprived of their energy. It subtracts energy from psychic elements whereas progression adds energy to psychic elements. Individuation Jung understood individuation to be something that began in the second half of life, when individuals reach the zenith of their lives and suddenly find themselves facing an unknown vista or some unforeseen upheaval. Sometimes this turning point takes the form of a crisis: such as a financial failure, a health problem, a broken relationship, or a change of residence or profession – something which upsets the status quo. Sometimes this experience assumes the form of a profound self-doubt, a loss of meaning or religious conviction, a questioning of everything previously held so dear. Sometimes it presents itself as a deep yearning or a call to change direction. In essence, one could say that the unconscious, or more specifically, the Self (with a capital â€Å"S†), the central organizing archetype in the human psyche, which has seemingly hidden the greatest measure of its influence while the ego has been busy building a life for itself, suddenly the Self returns full force to claim a significant say, if not a central place, in the overall scheme of things. And for what purpose? To call a person to become â€Å"a psychological ‘in-dividual,’† â€Å"a separate, indivisible unity or whole. † Those personal aspects, which have heretofore been disregarded – be they interests, talents, characteristics, experiences, or issues – now come forth to be acknowledged. That which was fragmented now strives for unity. That which was broken now yearns for wholeness. That which was neglected now seeks expression. That which was previously formless in nature suddenly begins to take a new shape, strangely in keeping with what feels like a unique and deeply ingrained individual patterning. The center of the personality moves from the ego toward the Self, in an attempt to establish a new center of the psyche somewhere between the two. There is something in the human psyche, which in its own fullness of time, struggles to produce the â€Å"true personality. † The individuation is an autonomous, inborn process, which means that it does not require external stimulation in order to come into existence. The personality of an individuation is destined to individuate just as surely as the body is destined to grow. But just as the body needs proper food and exercise for healthy growth, so the personality needs proper experiences and education for healthy individuation. For example in the early stages of childhood, of infancy personalities of the child are a reflection of the parent’s personalities, meaning that the child does not carry his own identity. But when the child separates himself from the parents, as in he starts attending school. He will then start shaping his own personality in unique ways apart from the parents. Three facts about Carl Jung. Jung was an introverted child and found happiness in being quiet and being alone. When he was a child he played by himself, since his sister was not born until he was nine. He spent hours inventing and playing games, then abandoning them to devise new and more complex ones. He did not want anyone to disturb him o tot interfere while he played. Jung had religious conflicts throughout his adolescence. Questions concerning religion were taboo. It produced confusion in jungs’ mind but it was the barrier that made communication with his father virtually impossible. He searched unsuccessfully through books for answers to his questions. Religious discussions with his father invariably ended unsatisfactorily, often with fuss and hard feelings. Jungs father died and made his financial situation worse. This left him responsible for the support of his mother and sister. Some of his relatives urged jung to discontinue his studies and seek employment, fortunately, one unclc offered financial assistance to take care of the family and the other relatives loaned jung money to continue at the university.

Compare and contrast Blake and Wordsworth’s view of London Essay

The poets Blake and Wordsworth both wrote poems about England’s capital city, London. The poets themselves each came from different backgrounds which may have influenced their view of London. Wordsworth was born and brought up in the Lake District and spent the majority of his life there, which may have led him to concentrate on the natural features of London. In contrast Blake was more aware of the industry and poverty of the capital City. He had lived all his life in London, receiving little formal schooling and even witnessing the death of his brother from consumption. Wordsworth’s poem â€Å"Composed upon Westminster Bridge† presents a calm and relaxed view looking across the water and the city. He writes about what he sees and views London as a majestic royal palace. Wordsworth reflects upon his subject with deep felt emotion, seeing it as a spiritual place of peace. â€Å"Dull would be the soul who could pass by, a sight so touching in its majesty†. He describes a special morning when the city seems to be asleep and is in awe of the tranquillity â€Å"never saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!†. Wordsworth is therefore commenting on the natural beauty that he sees rather than the daily life behind this scene. In contrast Blake’s poem is entitled â€Å"London†. Talking directly about the city itself it is the account of a person walking down the street saying what he sees. He is more concerned with the people who make up the City. Instead of seeing beauty he sees pain in the emotions of the people he meets. â€Å"In every cry of every man†. Blake concentrates on the oppression and poverty of the city. He blames the Church and authorities for their lack of attention and care for the people of London. â€Å"Every blackening Church appals†. The tone of the poem shows a lack of awareness; some safe inside while pain goes on outside, â€Å"and the hapless soldier’s sigh runs in blood down Palace walls†. In keeping with this pessimistic view, Blake’s poem is structured in a methodical and measured tone. It is written to a steady beat in four stanzas. This has the feel of a walking pace as he wanders around the city viewing its misery. Blake uses repetition to emphasise his point â€Å"in every cry, in every voice†. It is a formal bleak approach giving the bare facts as he sees them. Wordsworth’s poem is altogether more flamboyant. As a ‘romantic’ poet he writes this poem in the form of a sonnet. This style is mainly used in ‘love’ poetry. This structure emphasises the way Wordsworth concentrates on the physical aspects Wordsworth views around him. One line flows into another in an informal way. It is descriptive and reflective but does not attempt to look beyond the outward appearance â€Å"all bright and glittering in the smokeless air†. Wordsworth as a rich man, the son of a lawyer, views London on face value. He looks down upon the city from his lofty position unaware of the poverty below. His tone is full of grandeur â€Å"earth has not anything to show more fair†. He feels moved in his spirit and in harmony with his environment. Wordsworth’s tone is full of wonder, focusing on the magnificent buildings and seeing the city itself as a living being full of emotion. Blake expresses his feelings of frustration and sadness. He describes â€Å"chartered† streets and â€Å"chartered† Thames, which emphasises how everything has been taken over and oppressed. He comes from a lower middle class background; the son of a hosier and the tone of this poem expresses his awareness of the poverty around him â€Å"marks of weakness, marks of woes†. This sadness turns to aggression as the poem proceeds, criticising the Church and even the corruption of marriage. â€Å"And blights with plagues the marriage hearse†. There is a hopelessness and desperation expressed within this poem. Blake refers to â€Å"mind-forged manacles†, the metaphorical chains in which the people’s minds are held. This is typical of the negative images used throughout. The one beat rhythm and child-like tone emphasises the steady march towards an inescapable fate. This language underlines the lack of control which people have, their lives grinding out a pre-set pattern. Everything is â€Å"owned† – each chartered street. Even the Church is â€Å"blackening†, sinful, cruel, with a lack of purity and care. The oxymoron â€Å"marriage hearse† shows the conflict within society – the hypocrisy of marriage whilst poverty encourages prostitution to flourish â€Å"the youthful harlot’s curse†. The words are stark and shocking, exaggerating the problem to gain our attention â€Å"blasts the new-born infant’s tear†. The language used by Wordsworth is full of splendour â€Å"never did the sun more beautifully steep†. He paints pictures with his words, using the images of the â€Å"shining sun†, the â€Å"gliding river† the â€Å"beauty of the morning†. He extends a simile of the city by personifying it as clothed in sleep. â€Å"The city now doth like a garment where the beauty of the morning, silent, bare†. Wordsworth creates a feeling of awe and wonder at the beauty of creation. He uses the metaphor of the city like a â€Å"mighty heart lying still†. The sounds evoked by Wordsworth poem are very peaceful and calm â€Å"the river glideth†, â€Å"the morning silent†. In contrast Blake uses sharp sounds which are onomatopoeic in nature – â€Å"blasts†, â€Å"curse†, â€Å"cry†. He uses a strong heavy rhythm emotive of the oppression felt with repetitive force â€Å"and mark in every face I meet, marks of weakness, marks of woe†. The tone of Wordsworth’s poem is soft and lilting â€Å"a sight so touching†, â€Å"a calm so deep†. This is set against the harsh cry of Blake’s London. The approach used by these two writers promotes a different response from the reader. Wordsworth’s flowery imagery encourages a warm view of London. He is optimistic in his approach, concentrating as he does upon the immediate sights and sounds of a peaceful morning scene. Blake however conjures up a feeling of misery for the plight of the people of London locked in a prison of poverty which he blames on the â€Å"establishment† who have no care for their situation. Blake concentrates on social injustice, perhaps borne out of his own upbringing, whilst Wordsworth seems unaware of anything but the natural beauty of the environment and not its inhabitants. Two seemingly different views of one city seen from varying perspectives.

Leading the Catholic School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Leading the Catholic School - Essay Example This paper declares that culture is a complex concept that admits of several definitions, but the most comprehensive is the synthesis proposed by Gallagher of â€Å"culture† as a notion that contains the following characteristics: human, traditional and dynamic, evolving and religious, shared by and with others, involves complex visible factors, an expression of a vision, contains behavioural norms and response patterns, institutional or symbolic, adds meaning to what is ordinary, spiritual and religious, self-communicating, fallible and renewable, and rooted in religious consciousness. This discussion explores that culture changes or evolves over time, defined and altered by interactions amongst the individuals who make up human society Culture is not monolithic because the human agents or actors who are imbued with intelligence and free will give culture its dynamism through interaction and co-operation, giving rise to sub-cultures that add to societal diversity. Culture is a feature of any human society and is shaped by the behaviour of everyone in that society who learns and shares that culture with future generations. Culture also shapes their behaviour and outlook on life, and determines how they think, feel, and act. Culture can be analysed using several perspectives and frameworks since it is visible to observers. These manifestations range from the very tangible and overt that one can see and feel to the deeply embedded, unconscious, basic assumptions that form its essence.

ACCOUNTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ACCOUNTING - Essay Example The organization entered into illegal accounting territory when $5.6 million of products that had been shipped early were returned. As a means of avoiding the revenue setbacks, the organization decided to conceal them by dispersing them between four departments, in effect allowing the organization to largely reflect the earlier robust financial statements. These accounting problems impacted the company’s financial statements as they erroneously reflected robust sales and revenue figures when in reality the payments for these products had not been received. In further concealing the true incoming revenues through dispersing losses among departments, the financial statements did not accurately reflect sales figures for the period, as this practice concealed a 6% loss. Two primary employees at Cutter & Buck were sanctioned for their participation in these accounting practices. The first employee is Stephen Lowber, the former chief financial officer. Lowber was sanctioned through paying a $50,000 fine and agreeing to not serve as an officer or director of a pubic company. In addition Lowber agreed to cooperate with investigators into detecting past accounting fraud at the company. The second employee involved was David ‘Andy’ Hilton, the former regional vice president for sales. Hilton was sanctioned through agreeing to pay a $25,000 fine. It’s clear that their actions pose ethical problems for the company. When one considers that the organization is a public company they are not simply responsible internally, but also must be responsible to stakeholders. Capital market research demonstrates that one of the primary contributing elements to shifting stock prices is revenue figures. Through the organization’s practice of recording revenue early and then concealing losses among departments, they were able to produce inaccurate statements that may have contributed to inflated equity valuations. Other groups of individuals

Advancement of Policies for Gender Equality Essay

Advancement of Policies for Gender Equality - Essay Example These are for example forums such as the famous Beijing meeting, which surprisingly took the world by surprise and which saw the creation of awareness through the setting of several policies and objectives through their mission statement. Such objectives included and not limited to empowerment of women, principle that terms women’s and female children’s rights as inalienable, etc. in general, advancement of policies for gender equality entails taking actions to promote equitable distribution of resources and wealth across both genders such that there is growth and development in the economy (Lorber, 2005). The goals of these policies enhance several goals, which can be classified basically into three categories. These include focus areas such as; capabilities, resources, opportunities and services as well as human security. Under capabilities, education for both genders especially women is advocated for so as to ensure that they attain the necessary qualifications to en able them compete effectively with their men counterparts in all fields. This is necessitated by the fact that most of the societies used to view women as property such that instead of advocating for them to go to school, they were made to get married at a fairly tender age. Under resources and opportunities, women are given a fair chance to participate in decision making thereby enabling them to acquire leadership skills. This means that they can no longer be viewed as inferior to men in this context but as equal partners in development activities.

The Professional Studies 2 Task Research excercise Essay

The Professional Studies 2 Task Research excercise - Essay Example Michael Gurian, author of The Minds of Boys. Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life, and founder of the Gurian Institute has concluded, after 20 years of research (Gurian 2005, p. 9), that there is a "crisis that many boys experience in our educational culture today" (Gurian 2005, p..9). Gurian's scientific research shows that boys learn differently than girls in five significant ways. They learn through sensory-tactile experiences, by attaching learning to physical movement, by chunking or attacking one task at a time, by organizing information into groups, lists or sub-groups, and by exercising their need to physically move between tasks (Gurian 2005, p. 48). I intend to address one of the gender-based differences through an action research proposal which asks the question: Can Art be effectively incorporated into cross-curricular foundation subjects as outlined by the National Strategy, to increase oral communication and literacy skills in boys. Gurian's research indicates that "girls have, in general, stronger neural connectors in their temporal lobes than boys do; these stronger connectors appear to facilitate more sensorially detailed memory storage and better listening, especially for tones of voice. Boys in general pick up less of what is aurally going on around them, especially when it is said in words, and need more sensory-tactile experience than girls in order for their brains to light up with learning." (Gurian 2005, p.48). Boys should be offered the option of communicating through art and oral communication first. Once they have formulated their thoughts, through art and talk, they can commit their well-formulated ideas to paper. "For boys, the arts provide a vehicle for making meaning visible, allowing them to "see" the story as it unfolds. Through the arts, boys can express and explore emotion in a safe context. Both of these factors have been found to increase boys' understanding and enjoyment of the texts the y read." (Ontario Education 2004, p.22). We aren't asking boys to replace writing skills with oral and visual communication. We see them struggle with formulating abstract thought. Because all thinking moves from concrete to the abstract, from the visible to the invisible, we're allowing our boys a more boy-friendly way of putting things down on paper. I choose action research as the preferred method for attaining information because its methods are ideally suited to classroom investigation and it allows for continued Action Research 3 professional development, not only throughout the research period, but also in a continuous manner thereafter. Cohen and Manion describe it as "an on-the-spot procedure designed to deal with a concrete problem located in an immediate situation. This means that ideally, the step-by-step process is constantly monitored over varying periods of time and by a variety of mechanisms (questionnaires, diaries, interviews and case studies, for example) so that the ensuing feedback may be translated into modifications, adjustments, directional changes, redefinitions, as necessary, so as to bring about lasting benefit to the ongoing process itself rather than to some future occasion" (Cohen and Manion 1994, p.

EU Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

EU Law - Research Paper Example It sets out the vision or primary goal that must be achieved and then left to the individual state to see how best it will implement the directive. In other words, a directive is aimed at allowing a country’s national laws to easily conform to the international laws. This means that a country has the option to already rely on its own existing laws if it feels they are sufficient.6 It will also have the option of coming up with the laws to which the latter grant them a period of between one to five years. It is stated that the differences between regulations and directives are aimed at member states or individuals while regulations apply to everyone. It is also argued that regulations are designed to apply directly while as seen in Article 288, directives are made effective after some form of legislation is implemented by the member state to give the said directive a form of validity.7 In the case of Van Duyn v. Home Office [1974] ECR 1337, the applicant Yvonne Van Duyn, a Dutc h woman, was denied entry into the United Kingdom to work as a secretary in the Church of Scientology.8 The conflict that caused her to sue Home Office was that she had rights to movement as a worker. This meant that the Home Office had no right to turn her away. On the other hand, the Home Office argued that it had a right to deny a person entry on the basis of public policy, public security and public health. At this time, the Church of Scientology was banned, and on this basis, the entry of Van Duyn was denied.9 Evaluation of the Differences, Advantages and Disadvantages As discussed above, it emerges that a difference exists between these two decided cases. A regulation as shown by the case of Commission v. Italy, part of the... It is stated that the differences between regulations and directives are aimed at member states or individuals while regulations apply to everyone. It is also argued that regulations are designed to apply directly while as seen in Article 288, directives are made effective after some form of legislation is implemented by the member state to give the said directive a form of validity. In the case of Van Duyn v. Home Office [1974] ECR 1337, the applicant Yvonne Van Duyn, a Dutch woman, was denied entry into the United Kingdom to work as a secretary in the Church of Scientology. The conflict that caused her to sue Home Office was that she had rights to the movement as a worker. This meant that the Home Office had no right to turn her away. On the other hand, the Home Office argued that it had a right to deny a person entry on the basis of public policy, public security and public health. At this time, the Church of Scientology was banned, and on this basis, the entry of Van Duyn was den ied. As discussed above, it emerges that a difference exists between these two decided cases. A regulation as shown by the case of Commission v. Italy, part of the ruling was that a directive cannot be interfered with. It must be implemented in its entirety. On the other hand, as Van Duyn v. Home Office has shown, a country has the discretion to implement a directive as it sees fit. This means that the individual country has the advantage of refusing to implement a directive if it contravenes national law.

Response paper about what you thought about Gandhi's work and his Essay

Response paper about what you thought about Gandhi's work and his life. Be sure to include citations - Essay Example According to Francis Sejersted, Alfred Nobel is quoted in his will as having stipulated that his wealth was to be devoted to the annual award of five prizes "to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." With regard to the Peace Prize, Nobel defined this as having "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." (Sejersted) It is difficult to imagine how a man who dedicated his life not only to the freedom of his people but to abolishing well-established systems of institutionalized racism and religious oppression could have been overlooked for so many years. In my opinion, this oversight is one of the greatest failings of the Nobel committee in its entire history. Despite the failure of the Nobel committee to recognize the work of this great man, his legacy remains a shining example for all who wish to change the world (or even their own small corner of it) through non-violent

Environmental impact assessment of West field Shopping Centre in West Essay

Environmental impact assessment of West field Shopping Centre in West London - Essay Example Proper management of these is important The proponent will use qualified contractors to construct the buildings Westfield shopping Centre is located in Shepherd’s Bush, West London and is developed on a large Brownfield site which was once the location of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition by the West Field Group. This site is bounded by the Wood Lane, the West Way and the West Cross Route. This site is part of the White City that contains many other developments in various stages. The project parameters can be represented in a flow diagram as shown in Fig.1 Roads leading to the area will experience an increase in the number of pedestrians and traffic since there will be more people in the area. It will however be able to cope with it since it coincides with several other London infrastructure projects that serve West Field and its environs. These projects include the Shepherds Bush railway station built on the West London Line, a bus and taxi rank on the Shepherd’s Bush Interchange and new cycle routes. There is also a grade-separated junction connecting to the West Cross Route and running along the site. b) Employment of about 50 – 60 workers during construction, this has the knock on effect of creating a market for food vendors as well as the obvious benefits to those who depend on the workers employed here The project helps in alleviating office problems around West Field as it seeks to provide modern buildings complete with accessories. It will provide job opportunities to many people especially during construction phase. This will have a multiplier effect with the income spreading to more people. It will open new business opportunities for grocery and other businesses in West Field. The project however calls for proper management to avoid the waste generated ending up in rivers and other waterways. It will affect the scenic value of the surrounding environment but it will add to the aesthetics of the area as well

Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Essay Baz Luhrmann is the director of the modernised film Romeo and Juliet- written by Shakespeare in the 1700s. Luhrmen uses cinematic techniques to help make Shakespearian dialogue understandable to a modern audience. He uses techniques such as camera work, appearance and props to convey the idea of a higher power creating an unchangeable destiny for Romeo and Juliet. The director also uses slow motion shots, low angle shots and close ups to help put across the meaning of Shakespeare dialogue. He also employs symbolism to convey the idea of Romeo and Juliet’s chaotic lives. By the end of this essay I will have shown how well Baz Luhrmann made this Shakespearian play understandable for a modern audience through his use of cinematic techniques. From beginning to end Baz Luhrmann uses modern film techniques to create Shakespeare’s 17th century play into something visually captivating for a modern audience. Baz Luhrman wanted to exploit the crucial beginning of the film by using a montage to help them understand the prologue. One example of montage in use is whilst the narrator speaks of â€Å"the break to new mutiny† he uses violent images to convey its meaning. The director uses images from newspaper headlines (Montagues vs Capulets) to suggest a tension between the two households. The use of special effects and a visually captivating montage help to bring a better understanding of what the prologue means. The idea of Romeo falling in love with a young girl at first site and to be willing to die for his love would be difficult for a modern audience to relate to. Baz Luhrmann had to make sure of two things, to make sure that his audience could easily accept that Romeo is a desperate hope for love and Juliet being so naive and innocent she could fall in love with Romeo so easily. The director illustrates these believable characteristics when we first see Romeo or Juliet in the film. When Romeo first emerges he is seen depressed. He smokes a cigarette whilst writing poetry wandering aimlessly on a grey clouded day. The cameras zoom on face of Romeo’s melancholic expressions. Baz Luhrmann uses these shots to bring impressions of a man who is lost and upset. Not long after this point in the film Juliet is introduced as being a young girl with an innocent personality. Her father’s face is zoomed into when he speaks of Juliet being still a stranger to the world- which implies that she is naive and could be easily seduced. This is done to emphasis the dialogue. In other scenes close-ups are done on her makeupless face an aspect that makes her more innocent. By using modern media techniques Baz Luhrmann could allow for his audience to believe that love at first site between these two people was possible. At the point of meeting, Romeo and Juliet are separated by a large blue fish tank; it is calm and peaceful. Deep blue water, soft pastel colours of pink and blue all give the effect of romance. Both Romeo and Juliet’s faces are zoomed into to help the audience acquire an understanding of the deep love both characters have fallen into. Capulet and Montagues had been historically in anger and fear of each other- meaning Romeo and Juliet’s love almost impossible to last without being torn apart by their families. A crucial point that sparks this anger is finding out of the secret marriage. This is soon found out by Tybalt (Juliet’s brother) who in his rage looks for Romeo but is only met by a fight with Mercutio (a close friend of Romeo’s). He brings the audience’s attention through uses of cinematic techniques. He uses fast moving cameras, low angle shots, special effects, close-ups, slow motion camera shots, music and pathetic fallacy to make his audience feel a sense of suspense and thrill from the action scenes. Tybalt disliked Romeo and takes his rage out through violence. At the crucial point of engagement he is confronted by Mercutio. The director chooses to have the camera move quickly between the two foes to create almost a blurred vision effect. This gives the audience confusion amongst the scuffle to mimic the experience the characters feel. The camera closes up to show. Tybalt responds by stabbing Mercutio with a shard of glass. This critical moment is slowed down to dramatize the seriousness of Tybalt’s actions. Low angle shots are quickly met by Mercutio falling to the floor and shouting:† a plague on both your houses† Baz Luhrmann uses low angle shots to underline the significance of Mercutio’s words. At this point a thunder storm comes about, and the camera angles changed to high above the heads of the men below. The use of pathetic fallacy and the suggestion that these actions are being judged by a higher power, both combine to help the audience understand the Shakespearian language. By using the weather to mimic the characters emotions the significance of his words are amplified. Romeo is met with feeling of vengeance and anger which lead to Tybalt’s death soon to come. Bazz Luhrmann opens this scene with a setting in dark streets with fast music to set the pace of the fight between Romeo and Tybalt. Focus is put on the faces of both Tybalt and Romeo to give more understanding of the rage being felt by both characters. Noises of car engines, loud bangs, shouting and thunder make the scene thrilling and exiting. Just before Tybalt is shot, the cameras zoom onto the gun to highlight its importance in the fight. A crescendo in the music is employed to build up to the climatic death of Tybalt. The gun fire is very loud and startling to underline the crucial moment when Tybalt dies. a close up on Romeo’s face of realization which adds even more unhappiness to the scene is used to emphasize his depressing thoughts. The camera slowing down and zooming on Romeo’s falling gun is the final cinematic technique used to imply the wrongness of Romeo’s actions. Every technique used by Baz Luhrmann used in both these fight scenes were all specific to helping his audience understand Shakespear’s sometimes confusing word. This made the director successful at keeping the audience’s attention and understanding. The final crucial point that Baz uses many techniques to help understanding is the final scene. Baz Luhrmann intended to make destiny a believable reason for Romeo and Juliet’s death. He sets the scene at a church filled with lit candles and large crosses. To symbolise a higher power is in play. High angle shots are used to amplify this idea. As if to say that this was an evitable ending between Romeo and Juliet he uses those. The fact that the director brought religious aspects to his use of props and high angle shots creates a believable ending that could not be avoided for it was their destiny. Death seemed believable and inevitable at this point. In conclusion Baz Luhrmann had clearly made his film approachable and understood by a modern audience. He clearly used a vast amount of cinematic techniques at points where the meaning of character dialogue was crucial to be understandable by his viewers. His ability to create two believable characters that could fall in love so easily was outstanding. Even though it would usually seem absurd to a modern audience Baz Luhrmann still manage to create the believability, by using techniques such as a use of props (Romeo smoking and writing poetry about love) or even a use of close up angle shots to emphasize the importance of dialogue speaking of Juliet being still a stranger to this world. In my opinion Baz Luhrmann did a perfect job of emphasizing important points, creating symbolic meanings, creating believable characters and enrolling a religious aspect to the film without losing audience acceptability.

The Count of Monte Cristo Essay Example for Free

The Count of Monte Cristo Essay The novels of Alexander Dumas are favorites of many generations of readers because of his fascinating characters, tangled stories and dynamic plots. One of them, â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† was finished in 1844. Given its brilliant storyline about love and revenge in the 18th century, the novel was brought to life for the first time in 1934 by director Rowland V Lee and skillful actors Robert Donat, Elissa Landi and Sidney Blackmer. However, would it be worth it to do second film based on the same novel? Joe Leydon from Variety believes so. He states his certainty in the director of the remake, Kevin Reynolds who â€Å"proves to be fully on top of his game, infusing the grandly melodramatic permutations of the plot with firm conviction and stylish gusto† (Leydon). The old film from 1934 was given a fresh, new, compelling production in 2003 filled with a lot of breathtaking, uniquely visualized action scenes. The plot in both films is naturally no different. The tranquil life of Edmond Dantes, a 20 years old sailor on the â€Å"Pharaoh† ship, who plans to marry the beautiful Mercedes, is shattered when his friend Fernand wishes the lovely Mercedes for himself. Three other people wish to harm Dantes for different reasons. Danglars is an accountant of the Pharaoh and fears that if Dantes becomes Capitan, he will lose his job because Dantes notices his abuses; young assistant prosecutor De Villefort is afraid that his father’s connections with the dethroned Napoleon might be revealed, and the neighbor of Edmond’s father is jealous of his success. On the eve of Mercedes’s and Edmond’s wedding, Dantes is slandered and accused of being a Bonapartist. He is sent to the d’If castle, a prison fortress not far from Marseilles, without an opportunity to object his sentence. Dantes is informed that he will remain forever in prison. He attempts suicide, but he is unexpectedly saved by the appearance of anothe r prisoner Abbe Faria, who for years has dug tunnels and attempted to escape, but due to erroneous calculations has ended up in Dantes’s cell. The two misfortunates quickly become friends. Abbe Faria is a highly educated individual and discovers who sent Edmond into d’If castle and what their motives were. At that moment, he unwittingly sowed the seeds of revenge in Dantes. For six months, Abbe helps  to educate Edmond in English, German and Spanish and introduces him to math, physics, history and philosophy. After a year of planning their escape, Dantes and Abbe began to dig the tunnel to freedom. Sadly, incurable illness stalls Abbe from fulfilling their plan. Foreseeing his death, the abbot reveals to Edmond his secret treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. When the abbot dies, Dantes takes his place in a body bag and is thrown into the sea instead of the dead Abbe Faria. It is unbelievable he survived. After miraculously managing to escape, he becomes the very wealthy and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, establishes himself among the French nobility and skillful plans his revenge on everyone who stabbed him in the back. He is overwhelmed by the desire to find and assassinate his enemies, especially Fernand Mondego who married his fiancà ©e and had a child with her. The story of revenge is long, full of action and unexpected plot turns. The Count sneaks past the enemies and discovers their devastating secrets which aid him in devising their suffering deaths. The Count of Monte Cristo first wins the trust of his nemesis’s and manages to get close to them to learn their weaknesses, which will be the cause of their eventual death. Until the last minute of their life none of them realizes the source of their troubles. The transformation of the uneducated, naà ¯ve and kind sailor Edmont Dantes into the wise, aristocrat with a desire for revenge is fascinating. The actor, Jim Caviezel, uses all aspects of acting – mimics, gesture, voice, eyes to describe the transformation. His eyes seem to be the most influential quality of his character. The performance of Jim Caviezel is so capturing it resembles one of the most famous characters in the history of film – Al Pacino in â€Å"The Godfather†. As hard as someone tries to find flaws in the film, they cannot. The direction of Kevin Reynolds is at a very high level without having to use flashy or cheap effects. He knows where to stop a scene, what to do with it, and always picks the most appropriate angle in order to engage viewers in the moment. An example of this is the very first scene in the movie. Second mate Dantes and ship representative Mondego are aboard a sloop to Elba, the island to which Napoleon was banished and guarded. Edmont and Fernand get on shore to seek medical supplies for their dying captain. Upon seeing them, the British horsemen first assume Edmont a nd Fernand are here to free Napoleon. An action scene commences as the British open fire at the two sailors from the â€Å"Pharaoh† ship. The guards  have no intention of listening to or believing what Edmont tries to tell them (that they only seek medical assistance). The unique aspect in â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is the camera position and rotation which is utilized in the very first scene. The filming is done from above, thus exposing the viewer to entire field on which Edmont and Fernand battle the British troops. The camera rotates around the actors and zooms in on their faces to display the facial expressions as they fight. Dim light from the moon reflects in their sweaty faces. Before we know it, the camera takes us back in the air again, and we can see more British troops quickly approaching in the far distance. Besides from above, cameras are also filming from below (the moment when Napoleon appears). This constant rotation from above to below involves the viewers in the scene. We are completely aware of the location of each character in the moment. After Napoleon â€Å"saves† our brave character seeking help for their dying captain, the former Emperor of France escorts them to the physician. At which point they enter his cabin and we notice the second unique aesthetic element in the movie – darkness. Almost half of the movie is filmed in the dark and usually the only light provided is by the Moon’s reflection (outdoor scenes) and candles (indoor scenes). This aesthetic element helps the viewer experience what lighting might have been like during the Renaissance period. About one fourth of the film takes place in the ghastly chateau d’If which is the absolute perfect example of how to use virtual darkness in scenes. With Dantes’s arrival in d’If castle, we are teleported to his new â€Å"home† for the next 16 years, filled only with darkness and horrid beatings. What do we think of when we hear the word â€Å"darkness†? Fear, death, misery? This is exactly what the director wants us to feel when we are seeing scenes from d’If castle. Fear – from the annual beating they give all innocent prisoners. Death that eventually comes either from starvation or suicide. Misery – being exposed to only a small window of light and one meal a day. Another noticeable visual element in â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is the use of the blur effect. The director often blurs the background to set more focus on what’s happening in the scene. We see this aesthetic element throughout the entire film, mostly during dialog accompanied with a close up on the characters faces for example, the scene of Mercedes and Edmont speaking by the rocks. The camera is focused on their faces when we see Fernand approaching from the distance.  Seconds later, the focus is changed to Fernand as Mercedes and Edmont are blurred to the viewers. When Edmont shares the news of his promotion we can see the jealousy and frustration on Fernand’s face. Speaking of characters faces, the movie also focuses on the representatio n of characters’ eyes. The clearest example of this would be the dinner scene at Fernand and Mercedes’s mansion for their son Albert’s birthday. After saving the youngsters life, Count Monte Cristo was invited to the Mondego residence for Albert’s birthday party. Throughout the entire evening, Monte Cristo and Mercedes exchange looks as the Countess Montego starts recognizing the love of her life, Edmont Dantes, in the new French aristocrat. They exchange expressions, looks, smiles which reveal to us what the characters are thinking. Such details make â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† a â€Å"lavishly mounted and appealingly old-fashioned swashbuckler† (Leydon). The reviewer of â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† on Variety – John Leydon provides a fantastic summary of the movie. He writes about the actors, plot and direction without going in depth on a particular subject or praising / criticizing the movie in excess. Those are the exact qualities of a good fil m review. This brings up a burning question who can write a film review? In the article â€Å"Film criticism in the age of the Internet† the editors of Cineaste suggest it often seems that everyone is a critic (Cineaste), and we can all agree with that. Nowadays, people can view, comment and write anything on the Web. Anyone can register on a blog or forum and begin writing reviews of movies. It doesn’t even matter how good their writing is or what position they takes because today â€Å"everyone’s a critic† (Cineaste). The expression â€Å"quality over quantity† can quite correctly apply here. There are more and more film reviewers on the Internet, to whom Cineaste refers to as â€Å"amateurs† (Cineaste), â€Å"demented teenagers† (Cineaste) or generally modern film critics. Tobias Grey’s thoughts on this new age of criticism in his article â€Å"Debating film criticism† is that â€Å"modern film criticism is far too subjective and not nearly analytical enough† (Grey) in addition â€Å"criticism is reputed to be dead, film criticism especially so.† (Jesse Walker). While this may seem bad, I like the fact that if you don’t enjoy a certain film, you’re not necessarily a bad reviewer or a person with no taste in film because â€Å"you have a soulmate in cyberspace, and he posted his thoughts (which are identical to yours) on a now-defunct interactive Web site†Ã‚  (Walker). So, what does all of this tell us? The large amount of film criticism on the Internet kills the real meaning of quality level film criticism, however it exposes us to more writers’ thoughts and opinions. The editors in Cineaste express their hope that â€Å"good criticism will predominate over bad in both magazines and the Internetand that increased bids for corporate and government control of cyberspace will not drown out, or silence, the many lively online voices (some of whom are represented in our symposium) that have already changed the face of contemporary film criticism.† â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† is a capturing and fascinating film. The classical love story in the 1800’s intrigues the viewer and the action grabs your attention. It is a favorite film for people of all ages because it shows human qualities that last forever such as greed, desire for revenge, love and more. Analyzing the motion picture as art I paid more attention to the camera movement and lens zoom which made me realize how great the movie actually is. The director communicates with us through visual language and the characters reveal their thoughts through their facial expressions. A close up on the main character’s troubled face or shaking eyeballs can tell us a lot more than dialog. I like â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo† for the special attention to details. They connect us with to film and we experience it in a different way. Such minor details may seem like not a big deal if you watch the film for its story, but if you focus and view the film as art you’d see there is much more than dialog and action scenes to â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo†. Bibliography Film criticism in the age of the Internet. Cineaste Fall 2008: 1. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Grey, Tobias. Debating film criticism: Europeans share opinions on the pics they review and also on the qualifications for being a well-rounded critic. Variety 29 Oct. 2007: A2+. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Leydon, Joe. â€Å"The Count of Monte Cristo.† Variety. n. pag. Web. 24 Jan 2002. Walker, Jesse. Everyones a critic: Dont shed any tears for cinephilia. Reason June 2002: 62. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

Musical Psychotherapy: History, Effects, and Applications

Musical Psychotherapy: History, Effects, and Applications Samah El Saadi Abstract We all enjoy music as a form of art but we rarely take into consideration the effect of the music that we listen to. Music therapy is using music in a therapeutic manner in order to recover or stabilize a mental, physical or psychological state. This review will introduce music therapy and trace its origins back in history, and then it will give an insight on music related neurosciences explaining what parts of the brain and neurotransmitters are involved. Music can affect us on many different levels; however, this review will focus on the ability of music to aid in psychotherapy. It is important to highlight that the potential power within music can be either constructive or destructive depending on the choice of music. Musical Psychotherapy What is music therapy and what are the origins? Everyone sees music as a form of art that they enjoy playing or dancing on its rhythms as they tend to develop a preference to certain type of rhythms. However, seldom do people think of the impact of music on their health although through their experiences with music they would know that their favorite type of music can make them feel relaxed, happy or even anxious. But have you ever considered music as a form of therapy? Research showed that music does have an effect on our health and it can be either positive or negative depending on the music, yet these effects are mediated through psychology and neurosciences (News in Health [NIH], 2010). Music therapy is applying music as a tool in order to improve, stabilize or restore an emotional, mental, or physical health. It is conducted by accredited music therapists who are able to skillfully use music and music elements in assessing patients, developing treatment plans, evaluating progresses and contribute in research (Music Therapy Association [MTAO], 2010). Music therapists plan music sessions for individuals or groups and may use active or passive approaches in the therapy depending on the patients’ need. The therapy may include listening to music, making music, talking about the lyrics or even writing songs, but definitely it is not restricted to people with musical abilities. Since music is accessible everywhere, music therapy is not limited to a place and sessions can be arranged at homes, hospitals, hospices, care centers or any calm place people may prefer (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2008). The nonverbal emotional entity of music makes it a universal langu age that can ease the self-expression, personal development and social interactions which would aid in psychotherapy. Music can always have a positive impact on people whether they are ill, disabled or perfectly healthy (MTAO, 2010). The principle of therapeutic use of music is not new, ancient cultures were aware of music power which for some was part of their traditional healing practices such as the case of Native Americans (ACS, 2008). The musical power of healing was marked in different ethnic ancient inscriptions like that of Rome, India, China and Egypt (Music as Medicine, 2014), as it was mentioned in the writings of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle, Pythagoras and Plato (ACS, 2008). However the modern music therapy dates back to World War II when music was used to help in the treatment of soldiers who were suffering from shell shock, and it was in 1944 when Michigan State University initiated the first degree program in music therapy (ACS, 2008). Music related neurosciences For many years research was ongoing to understand the means of action of music and why it does have this strong impact on our lives. Since the impact is mediated neurologically, scientists intensively investigated the brain regions and with the help of the emerging imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) they noticed that it activates unexpected regions involved in emotions and memory, in addition to the brain’s motor regions that are responsible for coordinating physical movements. The neuroscientist Dr. Petr Janata in his recent studies proved that the area of the brain serving as a central hub between music, emotions and memories is the medial prefrontal cortex. In an attempt to understand the medial prefrontal cortex activity, young adults were subjected to extracts of childhood songs while being monitored with fMRI and it was noticed that the activity was optimal when they heard a familiar song that call to mind an emotion or memory (NIH, 2 010). Dr. Janata stated that in Alzheimer patients the medial prefrontal cortex is one of the last brain regions to deteriorate, hence this explains why patients with Alzheimer may recall childhood tunes whereas other memories are lost. In further investigation on the medial prefrontal cortex activity, Dr. Allen Braun and Dr. Charles Limb monitored via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner the medial prefrontal cortex in a jazz musician as he played his music. The doctors noticed that the region was not active when the musician played a memorized tune; however, it became active when the musician was improvising concluding that the medial prefrontal cortex also has a role in the creative expression of music (NIH, 2010). Going deeper into the music impact on the neurological level, an experiment was done to check the neurotransmitters involved and the time of their release. Via the ligand-based positron emission tomography (PET) scientists discovered that music triggers dopamine release in both the dorsal and ventral striatum. Nevertheless, this discovery was not surprising since dopamine is known to be responsible for the pleasure sensation whether due to sex, drugs or just music. But the more interesting discovery was the monitoring of the increase in dopaminergic voxels in the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) preceding a favorite part and peaking when the favorite part was reached. The phase of increased dopaminergic voxels prior to the favorite part was termed Anticipatory phase, as depicted in the figure 1, and it prepares us for the subsequent musical part that we love and will cause the dopamine peek giving us the pleasure sensation (Salimpoor et al, 2011). To have a better understanding, scientists took a closer look on the music itself. Early theories about music argued that we get affected by music through the connotative meanings and mental images that it reflects; however, according to the musicologist Leonard Meyer it is the ambiguity and not knowing what the next note will be is what keeps us waiting in excitement. Repetitive expected patterns in music is boring and can be annoying like an alarm clock, hence it is the unpredictable patterns that give us the chills. Meyer stated that the uncertainty is what triggers the release of dopamine as we try to figure out what the next note is. We may be able to predict some of the notes but not all of them and that is what cause our brains to plead for those notes that will unleash the uncertainty and completes the pattern, yet these notes are usually spared till the end to keep us listening (WIRED, 2011). Music therapy in clinical trials Now that we had an insight on the neuroscience that relies behind the effects of music, we should note that music has effects on both physical level and psychological level. Some of the physical effects are enhancing immunity, decreasing anxiety, and altering the blood pressure and heart rate (NIH, 2010), whereas at the psychological level music has the power to alter our mood and aid in psychotherapy. In this review we will be focusing on the psychological effects and its role in psychotherapy. Several clinical trials have been conducted in order to ensure the effectiveness of music therapy. In a clinical trial 46 patients diagnosed with depression were randomly separated into two groups. Group 1 was subjected to the standard care that includes antidepressant medication, psychotherapy and psychiatric counseling, whereas group 2 underwent 60 min music therapy sessions in addition to the standard care. The patients were assessed after 3 months and results showed that people who received music-therapy had less depressive symptoms from those who didn’t. Professor Christian Gold, one of the two study leaders, said: Music therapy has specific qualities that allow people to express themselves and interact in a non-verbal way even in situations when they cannot find the words to describe their inner experiences.† (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011). Another similar clinical trial that was done on 79 patients with low- and medium-grade depression revealed results that reinforces the ones that were retrieved by the first clinical trial mentioned here (Castillo-Perez et al, 2010). In a clinical trial on 80 schizophrenic patients, 42 patient where assigned to do music therapy for 60 minutes twice a week while 38 other patients were assigned to undergo standard care. After 3-month follow-up the results indicated improvement in the depression status and psychiatric symptoms of the patients (Lu et al, 2013). It is important to note that there is dose-effect relationship in music therapy by which more recurrent sessions would result in more considerable improvements (Gold et al, 2009). Can music be destructive? The power of music is just like any other power that can be either constructive or destructive depending on the usage. Nice music can lift you up and motivate you, but on the contrary sad or violent music can be destructive. In a study published in 2003 by the American Psychological Association (APA), researchers from Iowa State University examined the effect of violent lyrics by which they made students listen to seven violent songs and 8 nonviolent songs being sung by the same artist and using the same musical style in order to control the other factors, and then they were assessed for their aggressive thoughts and feelings through psychological tasks. The results showed an increase in the aggressive interpretations where Dr. Anderson, a lead researcher, stated that violent and aggressive music makes people biased toward aggressive interpretations, and this form of interpretations will eventually manifest in aggressive verbal and physical expressions and antisocialism (APA, 2003). What complicate things more is the fact that classification of music as beneficial or destructive can be subjective. In an investigative study 80 people were played the same songs but prior that some of them were told that the music is suicide-inducing and others were told the music is life-affirming. The study shows that depending on the prior labeling of the music the same songs were perceived by listeners as either suicide-inducing or life-affirming, thus it is the censorship and prior labeling that might give songs their harmful effects on listeners (North Hargreaves, 2005). As some people argued by saying that negative music gives them sensation of relief due to knowing that someone else felt in a particular way but was able to recover and be creative enough to express their emotions in such a way, hence for them it is perceived as a form of hope if they were in a similar situation (Baker Brown, 2014). Music therapy today and its other potential powers Nowadays degrees in music therapy are becoming more available worldwide as people are becoming more aware of the therapeutic role of music whether it is physical, mental or psychological. There are a lot more potential powers in music yet to be discovered such as its role when played in businesses and retails stores and how it can affect the customers’ behavior (Yalch, 1993), its effect on fetuses by which some claim that the choice of music of the pregnant women will affect their children later on (Kisilevsky et al, 2004), and how effectively does music help hospitalized patients in recoveries and in lessening their pain (ACS, 2008). Music is an entertaining form of art that is easily accessible to everyone and flexible enough to satisfy different tastes; these characteristics makes music a potential power that if people knew how to utilize it correctly, they would be seeking a better state of a harmonic life. References American Cancer Society. (2008). Music Therapy. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/mindbodyandspirit/music-therapy American Psychological Association [APA]. (2003). Violent music lyrics increase aggressive thoughts and feelings, according to new study; Even humorous violent songs increase hostile feelings. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030505084039.htm Baker C. Brown B. (2014). Suicide, Self-Harm and Survival Strategies in Contemporary Heavy Metal Music: A Cultural and Literary Analysis. J Med Humanit. PMID: 24682627. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24682627 Castillo-Perez S., Gomez-Perez V., Velasco M.C., Perez-Campos E. Mayoral M. (2010). Effects of music therapy on depression compared with psychotherapy. The Arts in Psychotherapy, volume 37(5), pp.381-390. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197455610000857?np=y Erkkilà ¤ J., Punkanen M., Phil L., Fachner J., Ala-Ruona E., Pà ¶ntià ¶ I., Tervaniemi M., Vanhala M. Gold C. (2010). Individual music therapy for depression: randomized controlled trail. The British Journal of Psychiatry. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/2/132.full?sid=b97bc6bf-4b35-4c4f-8000-3111d1ef35f9#content-block Gold C., Solli H.P., Krà ¼ger V. Lie S.A. (2009). Dose-response relationship in music therapy for people with serious mental disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, volume 29(3), pp.193-207. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735809000026 Kisilevsky S., Hains S.M., Jacquet A.Y., Grranier-Deferre C., Lecanuet J.P. (2004). Maturation of fetal responses to music. Dev Sci,volume 7(5):550-9. PMID: 15603288. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15603288 Lu S.F., Lo C.H., Sung H.C., Hsieh T.C., Yu S.C., Chang S.C. (2013). Effects of group music intervention on psychiatric symptoms and depression in patients with schizophrenia. Complement Ther Med, volume 21(6):682-8. PMID: 24280478. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24280478 Music as Medicine. (2014). History of Music Therapy. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.musicasmedicine.com/about/history.cfm Music Therapy Association of Ontario [MTAO]. (2010). Music Therapy Definition. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.musictherapyontario.com/Default.aspx?pageId=1090464 News in Health [NIH]. (2010). Music Matters for Body and Mind. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2010/January/feature1.htm North A.C. Hargreaves D.J. (2005). Brief report: Labelling effects on the perceived deleterious consequences of pop music listening. J Adolesc, volume 28(3):433-40. PMID: 15925693. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15925693 Salimpoor V.N., Benovoy M., Larcher K., Dagher A. Zatorre R. J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature neurosciences, volume 14(2), pp.121-269. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v14/n2/full/nn.2726.html WIRED. (2011). The Neurosciences Of Music. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.wired.com/2011/01/the-neuroscience-of-music/ Yalch R.F. (1993) Using Store Music For Retail Zoning: a Field Experiment. Advances in Consumer Research, volume 20, pp.632-636. Retrieved May 23, 2014, from http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx?Id=7531

Parental Pressure on Children Playing Organized Sports Essay -- Sports

These days, there is too much pressure on children who participate in organized sports because of the unnecessary parental involvement they experience. A growing concern amongst those involved in youth sports is that certain aspects of parental involvement become detrimental to the development and experiences of young athletes. Early emphasis on winning, making money, and the disruption of education can exceedingly affect ones desire to further participate in a sport later on in his/her life. With more and more children participating in some sort of organized sport than ever before, there is a constant concern regarding the pressures kids are brought into to excel. Emotionally over-involved parents often think that it is their responsibility to persuade, push, or support the children's fantasies or sporting objectives, even if the kids themselves do not share the same aspirations as his/her parents. Part of growing up is learning what interests you the most. It's how one becomes familiar with who they really are and what they enjoy doing in life. Unfortunately, for many young children, his/her parents seem to take his/her own lives into their own hands. Most parents want their kids to grow up to be "superstars", make it big after the college scenario, and perhaps go on to play professionally or succeed in the Olympics. We all know that there are the few that make it professionally, and having your parent paint a picture for you as you're barely going into grade scho ol is unethical. Yet for the unfortunate, these kids are helpless to the pressure that is put on them at such a young age. Take Todd Marinovich, for example. For the child's entire life he was exercised, fed, schooled, and drilled with his fathers' one g... ...iety now that is constantly changing over time. "It used to be that youth sports [were] the one haven for good sportsmanship," says Darrell Burnett, a clinical child psychologist and youth sports psychologist. "Not anymore. It's not just a game anymore." With technology (etc) distracting our children with violence and so on, we cannot afford to ruin what sports may do for them. With sports being just one of the few things left that can contribute to success in life, education, and health, parents need not to put any sort of unnecessary pressure on their kids at such a young age, or any age for that matter, ever. References Rowley, S. (1986). The role of the parent in youth sports. In G.R. Gleeson (Ed.), The Growing Child in Competitive Sport, (pp. 92-99). London: Hoddon and Stoughton. Lee, M. (1993). Coaching children in sport. New York: Routledge.

The Public Choice Essays -- Education School Essays

The Public Choice For some parents, deciding on a school for their children can be a difficult decision. Many parents do not spend much time thinking about it; they place their children into the local school designated by where they live. Others attended a private school themselves and found that it was a beneficial experience and therefore want the same for their kids. But which is better: private schools or public schools? While there are many advantages and disadvantages in each (nothing is going to be absolutely perfect), we are going to focus on the benefits of an education in the public school system, or in other words, schools funded by the government that are for anyone to attend. An accurate definition found in the Encyclopedia of American Education (1996) states: â€Å"Any elementary or secondary school under control of elected or appointed civil authority, supported entirely by public tax monies, and, with few exceptions, open to all students in a designated district, free of any tuition charges.† (780) These include elementary, secondary schools and vocational schools. Public schools are a good choice in education because they provide a wide variety of subjects to study, are diverse in their student body, available to everyone, yet can sometimes be misunderstood. Imagine sitting in a class, completely bored out of your mind. This is not difficult considering everyone has taken a class like this somewhere along the road of their education. Not every class can be exciting and we should know that. Now imagine every class is of this level, with no â€Å"break†, or elective, classes incorporated into your day. Although this may not apply to all private schools, there are many that focus on specific topics. So even though the... ...des. Students who do well in a public school setting tend to feel better about themselves. They succeed because they want to, not because someone else forced them to. Whether someone prefers a public school or a private school, it all depends on the person. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to appreciate all that public schools have to offer because they get their vision blurred by all the benefits of private schools. The only thing holding them back may be cost. If these people would just take some time to find that there are just as many wonderful things about the schools our governments provide, they may feel more confident in their choice. Those never exposed to anything but private education miss out on the diversity among students, extra vocational and extracurricular classes, and may even continue to not understand all that public schools have to offer.

Essay --

It has become obvious that some people cannot drive without having some form of anger at other drivers. These people are usually patient and kind outside of their vehicles; but as soon as they start up their car, a strange phenomenon begins- Road rage. How can kind natured people have road rage? Is there something about driving that makes people tick? A few doctors and psychologists have found answers behind this problem, and some of the answers are quite shocking. People around other drivers have become more aggressive, territorial, and mean. It happens every day. A person could be driving the speed limit but another car behind gets frustrated, rides too closely as if they are about to crash, and then speeds past honking like a maniac. Some people who have no temper problem admit to losing control when they are driving. â€Å"For some road ragers, it’s a need for control, to counter to other drivers who they feel violate their proxemic space, or their need for possession of their lane or their part of the road. For others, it’s unchecked anger and aggression. It’s hormone-based, primitive, small-brain thinking, bringing a lack of emotional intelligence or the need to dominate someone else and their unsharable space. Add in unchecked egos, the need for superiority, narcissistic pride: my vehicle is bigger than yours.† This is quoted by Dr. Steve Albrecht who has written the article The Psychology of Road Rage. According to Dr. Steve Albrecht, it seems like some people have road rage because they feel as if they own the road, and do not let anyone get in their way. When they do, they are seen as violating the person’s space. There is also shocking news coming from Dr. Emil Coccaro, in the article ‘Road Rage’ Gets a Medical Diagnosis... ... influence emotions and actions. Another way to help with road rage would be to set a good example on the road with children so they have less of a change to have road rage problems as well. Children usually copy the way their parents are, and if they are calm on the road there is a good chance the children will too when it is their turn to drive. It seems like road rage is a mix between nature and nurture. It can be a psychological reason or how one was raised. Road rage should be more noticed than what it is today so people could do something about this growing problem. If ones who know they have a problem with road rage, they should go see a professional so they could find out why it is happening so often when it should not be; or even use the techniques mentioned before. If road rage and the dangers of it is taken more notice, a lot more lives could be saved.

General Motors Corporation General Motors Corporation

â€Å"General Motors is one of three leading automotive manufacturing companies in the United States. â€Å"General Motors merupakan salah satu dari tiga perusahaan manufaktur otomotif terkemuka di Amerika Serikat. Based in Michigan in 1903 by Henry ford and grew to reach revenue of $150 billion and more than 370,000 employees by 1996. Berbasis di Michigan pada tahun 1903 oleh Henry ford dan tumbuh untuk mencapai pendapatan sebesar $ 150 miliar dan lebih dari 370. 00 karyawan pada tahun 1996. In the 1970's, the automobile market for the major auto makers – General Motors (GM), Ford, and Chrysler- was crunched by competition from foreign manufactures such as Toyota and Honda. Pada 1970-an, pasar mobil untuk para pembuat mobil utama – General Motors (GM), Ford, dan Chrysler-adalah berderak oleh persaingan dari luar negeri manufaktur seperti Toyota dan Honda.In 1999, Ford acquired the Swedish Volvo model in an attempt to compete in the foreign market and expand to other regions. † Pada tahun 1999, model Ford mengakuisisi Volvo Swedia dalam upaya untuk bersaing di pasar asing dan memperluas ke daerah lain. † General Motors needs to use the business process reengineering for the information systems infrastructure to cut redundancies and requiring information process and the link among Ford centre in world wide.General Motors perlu menggunakan rekayasa ulang proses bisnis untuk infrastruktur sistem informasi untuk memotong redundancies dan memproses informasi membutuhkan dan link di antara pusat Ford di seluruh dunia. â€Å"General Motors implemented a 3-year plan to consolidate their multiple desktop systems into one. â€Å"General Motors mengimplementasikan rencana 3 tahun untuk mengkonsolidasikan beberapa sistem desktop mereka menjadi satu. This new process involved replacing the numerous brands of desktop systems, network Proses baru ini melibatkan berbagai merek menggantikan sistem

Prince Shotoku

Prince Shotoku Prince Shotoku was born on February 7,572. Prince Shotoku was a member of the imperial clan and took the throne after Empress Suiko’s reign. He was also known as Prince Umayado, Prince Kamitsumiya. Prince Shotoku was the son of Emperor Yomei. He was the second son born to the Emperor. When he was very little, he read a lot of books and he became very smart. Because of his intelligence and mind, Emperor Yomei decided that his second born son would make a good prince and future emperor. Prince Shotoku came into power in 593.Shotoku was inspired by Buddhist teachings, and wished to form a centralized government in his ruling era. Prince Kamitsumiya created and formed Japan’s first Constitution, also known as the Seventeen- Article Constitution to have rules for officials to be more worried about political affairs. He also wanted to spread Buddhism throughout Japan and build temples and much more to spread around the world. Prince Shotoku believed in Buddhism and followed all of the Buddhism to reach paradise and be a good Emperor.He was a very intelligent ruler with all of his thoughtful ideas and plans, he brought Japan to its Golden Age. He allowed his people to believe that he was a good ruler and could bring peace and harmony into Japan. After his years of ruling, he has turned Japan into a powerful aristocracy, and also noble families also held high positions in the government. â€Å"All men are influenced by partisanship, and there are few who have wide vision. † – Prince Shotoku From February 7, 572- April 8, 622

SM Jaleel Project

SM Jaleel & Company Ltd , affectionately known as SMJ, is one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of nonalcoholic drinks in the English speaking Caribbean. Since their inception in 1924, their wide portfolios of beverages have become household names across the Caribbean, and are currently distributed to over 60 countries worldwide. Their products span a host of carbonated soft drinks, exotic fruit juices, purified and flavoured water, energy drinks, and other fruit flavoured beverages. Every stage of production is owned by the esteemed SM Jaleel & Company Ltd.SMJ manufacture its own PET (plastic) bottles, tetra packs (juice boxes), and the cans that their wide variety of products are packaged in. As such, the company enjoys iconic status as the Caribbean’s premier soft drink manufacturer with a reputation for quality, innovation and commercial intelligence. SMJ have been innovative leaders in manufacturing, having pioneered the use of dynamic and advanced technology, syste ms, and processes in the soft drink industry. They have 25 years of experience in plastic blowing technology which has enabled SMJ’s wide array of PET bottles in different shapes and sizes.Their blow molding facility is also the largest in the Caribbean. SMJ was also the first in the world, in conjunction with Reynolds Metal Company, to fill fruit juices in aluminum cans. This was done using Nitrogen technology in the 1980’s, and eliminated the need for artificial preservatives in the product. To ensure consistency in providing high quality products at affordable prices, they have established and facilitated a global network of mutually beneficial partnerships with customers and suppliers.In accordance with SMJ’s dedication to quality and consistency, new products have actively been introduced to the market over the past two decades, via ongoing research and development efforts. Presently, SMJ’s products are found in over half a million wholesale and reta il stores, including Walmart and other renowned international retailers. Millions consume these products yearly because of this extensive reach. SMJ mission reads as follows; â€Å"To always stay one step ahead, constantly responding to an essential human need through thirst quenching, quality beverages and premium water.To create products of the highest standards that are priced affordably and distributed efficiently, providing greater accessibility to our consumers. To inspire and motivate our workforce to achieve excellence as a team while promoting their inner sense of self and purpose as individuals. To keep our target market top of mind, as we continue our commitment to improve and enrich the lives of our consumers†. In my opinion SMJ has lived up to their mission statement. They are right on point with each goal their organization placed.To further illustrate this here’s a look at their vision statement: â€Å"To strive towards being leaders in the non-alcoholi c market, making our people the cornerstone of our success, as we work together in a globally-focused, dynamic environment based on trust and sound values, providing all-encompassing beverage solutions that meet the ever changing, evolving needs of our customers†. SMJ has without a shadow of a doubt been leaders in the nonalcoholic beverage industry for the past two decades. They have gone beyond the call of duty in the industry.They are pioneers to the Caribbean and even the world’s market in the non-alcoholic industry. This marketing giant in the Caribbean formally known as SMJ has mastered the art of marketing and has captured numerous segments of the non-alcoholic market. They have accomplished this by marketing their products well. Positioning the product is very important. Marketing is about how your firm positions itself to satisfy your market’s needs. There are four critical elements in marketing your products and business.They are the four P’s of marketing. 1. Product; The right product to satisfy the needs of your target customer. 2. Price; The right product offered at the right price. 3. Place; The right product at the right price available in the right place to be bought by customers. 4. Promotion; informing potential customers of the availability of the product, its price and its place. Each of the four P’s is a variable that should be controled in creating the marketing mix that will attract customers to the business.Marketing mix should be something paid careful attention to because the success of the business depends on it. As a business manager, determining how to use these variables to achieve profit potential is important. This case study introduces the four P’s of marketing and includes worksheets that will help you determine the most effective marketing mix for the business. In this case study we would have observed that SMJ use positioning, marketing mix and the four P’s to bring about succe ss to SMJ. â€Å"Product† refers to the goods and services that are being offered to the customers.Apart from the physical product itself, there are elements associated with the product that customers may be attracted to, such as the way it is packaged. In terms of packaging SMJ has won over the hearts of many children with its unique patented PET bottle which was designed for the famous drink Chubby. Other SMJ product attributes include quality, options and brand name. SMJ product’s appearance, function, and support make up what the customer is actually buying.Successful managers such as Dr. Aleem Mohammed, Chairman S. M. Jaleel & Co. Ltd.pay close attention to the needs their product bundles address for customers. The products available for sale by SMJ are Carbonated Soft Drinks, Water, Juices FRUTA and Energy Drinks. In the Carbonated Soft Drinks there are a wide array of flavors available. The flavors include; Action Apple, Bubble Gum, Bubbly Cream Soda, Megastar M ango, Merenguito, Purple Power, Rock N Rolla Cola, Sorrel Soda, Tutti Frutti, Kola Champagne, Blueberry Blast, Fresa Strawberry, Go Bananas, Martian Magic, Green Crush, Orango Tango, Pineapple Sunshine, Poppin Pear. These are the flavors which have been made available in the Caribbean.In Latin America some additional flavors are available with some being omitted, they include; Fresa Strawberry, Martian Magic Green Crush, Cream Scream Soda, Fruit Punch Soda, Cola Soda, Blueberry Blast, Bubbly, Cream Soda, Go Bananas, Megastar Mango, Merenguito, Orango Tango, Pineapple Sunshine, Poppin Pear, Sorrel Soda, Action Apple, Bubble Gum, Kola Champagne. This shows that SMJ practices what is called market segmentation. They strategically position there products to meet their target audience, by bundling different flavors and in some instances same flavor but different names.Product bundle should meet the needs of a particular target market. For example, a luxury product should create just the right image for â€Å"customers who have everything,† while many basic products must be positioned for the price conscious consumers. This is demonstrated in my opinion by the availability of FRUTA and Caribbean Cool. Caribbean Cool is the economical re fruit drinks while FRUTA is the luxurious premium brand. For other important aspects of product may include an appropriate product range, design, warranties, or a brand name.Customer research was a key  element in building an effective marketing mix. Knowledge of the target market and SMJ’s competitors allowed them to offer product that will appeal to customers and avoid costly mistakes. Some of SMJ’s target audience includes, Eastern Caribbean, Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. SMJ has launched a fairly new 25% less sugar carbonated drink which is only available to the Eastern Caribbean, suggesting still in the experimental stages. Proper SWOT analysis should be carried out on launching a new product. SMJ h as always think long term about their venture by planning.This is evident by SMJ’s longevity in the Caribbean, there massive expansion projects and their successful handing over from one generation to the other. SMJ was able to take advantage of opportunities to add value through processing, packaging, and customers. One of their first major successes with packaging was the creation of the PET plastic bottle patented and sold with the name â€Å"Chubby†. It is an ideal size not to big attractive to its target audience, mainly children and not to little not too much. Perfect for a child’s lunch kit. SMJ growth occurred in different geographic regions.SMJ diversified its product, offering a whole range of nonalcoholic products. The success of this diversification was partly because of SSMJ’s successful acquiring of raw materials, production processes, and distribution which were all done by SMJ, which meant there was no need to acquire new suppliers, skills and equipment, and distribution methods â€Å"Price† refers to how much is charged for a product or service. Determining SMJ’s product’s price was tricky and even frightening. Many small business owners feel they must absolutely have the lowest price around. This isn’t always true and depends on your pricing strategy.SMJ pricing approach reflects a good image which positions their product well. Example FRUTA isn’t the cheapest fruit drink in the market, yet it is the preferred fruit drink by many customers. The price resulted from their pricing strategy covers the cost per item and includes a profit margin. Lower pricing would make it impossible to grow. As a manager, of SMJ one of the following alternatives pricing strategies may have been used. Selection of a pricing strategy by SMJ was based on the product, customer demand, the competitive environment, and the other products which are offered.Cost-plus: Adds a standard percentage of profit abov e the cost of producing a product. Accurately assessing fixed and variable costs is an important part of this pricing method. Value-based: Based on the buyer’s perception of value (rather than on your costs). The buyer’s perception depends on all aspects of the product, including non-price factors such as quality, healthfulness, and prestige. Competitive: Based on prices charged by competing firms for competing products. This pricing structure is relatively simple to follow because you maintain your price relative to your competitors’ prices.In some cases, you can directly observe your competitors’ prices and respond to any price changes. In other cases, customers will select vendors based on bids submitted simultaneously. In those cases, gathering information will be more difficult. Going-rate: A price charged that is the common or going-rate in the marketplace. Going-rate pricing is common in markets where most firms have little or no control over the m arket price. Skimming: Involves the introduction of a product at a high price for affluent consumers. Later, the price is decreased as the market becomes saturated. Discount: Based on a reduction in the advertised price.A coupon is an example of a discounted price. Loss-leader: Based on selling at a price lower than the cost of production to attract customers to the store to buy other products. Psychological: Based on a price that looks better, for example, $4. 99 per pound instead of $5. 00 per pound. After you decide on your pricing strategy, the amount of money you will actually receive may be complicated by other pricing aspects that will decrease (or increase) the actual amount of money you receive. You will also have to decide how to determine: Payment period: Length of time before payment is received.Allowance: Price reductions given when a retailer agrees to undertake some promotional activity for you, such as maintaining an in-store display. Seasonal allowances: Reductions given when an order is placed during seasons that typically have low sales volumes to entice customers to buy during slow times. Bundling of products/services: Offering an array of products together. Trade discounts (also called â€Å"functional discounts†): Payments to distribution channel members for performing some function such as warehousing and shelf stocking. Price flexibility: Ability of salesperson or reseller to modify price.Price differences among target customer groups: Pricing variance among target markets. Price differences among geographic areas:Pricing variance among geographic regions. Volume discounts and wholesale pricing:Price reductions given for large purchases. Cash and early payment discounts: Policies to speed payment and thereby provide liquidity. Credit terms: Policies that allow customers to pay for products at a later date. The methods discussed here should be a base from which to construct your price. The options will vary depending on how the pr oduct is sold.Since SMJ doesn’t sell directly to the customer they will need to ensure a proper margin is set by the retailer to ensure the success of their products. Tracing the path of SMJ’s product from production to final purchase is a useful exercise to discover this information. The research needed to understand the pricing along the distribution path will be more than worth the time it takes. SMJ’s price ultimately covers costs, contributes to product image by communicating the perceived value of the products, counter the competition’s offer, and avoid deadly price wars.Remember, price is the one â€Å"P† that generates revenue, while the other three â€Å"P’s† incur costs. Effective pricing was important to the success of SMJ. â€Å"Place† refers to the distribution channels used to get the product to your customers. What the product is will greatly influence how you distribute it. As a producer, SMJ decided if supplyin g direct is appropriate for their product, whether it be sales through retail, door to-door, mail order, e-commerce, on-site, or some other method they made the wise decision and choose not to.However an advantage of direct sales would be the contact you gain by meeting customers face to face. With this contact you can easily detect market changes that occur and adapt to them. You also have complete control over your product range, how it is sold, and at what price. As a result SMJ has to do extensive market research frequently to keep abreast of the market changes. Reseller Sales (Sales Through an Intermediary) Instead of selling directly to the consumer, SMJ decide to sell through an intermediary such as wholesalers and retailer who will resell SMJ’s product and distribute them.This has provided SMJ with a wider distribution than selling direct while decreasing the pressure of managing its own distribution system, additionally, reduction in storage space necessary for inven tory. One of the most important reasons for selling through an intermediary is access to customers. Wholesalers want a steady year-round supply of product to distribute. SMJ has a steady year-round supply that is of consistent quality. Market Coverage by SMJ has moved from local and regional in the early nineties to international in the late nineties, through resellers. Intensive, selective, or exclusive coverageâ€Å"Promotion† refers to the advertising and selling part of marketing. It is how businesses let people know what they’ve got for sale. The purpose of promotion is to get people to understand what product is, what they can use it for, and why they should want it. SMJ effective, promotional efforts contain a clear message targeted to a specific audience reached via the appropriate channel. In the case of chubby parents and children is the target audience. Their message is consistent with the overall marketing image, get their target audience’s attention , and elicit the response desired.Promotion involve advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotions. Advertising methods to promote SMJ’s product include the following. †¢ Radio: Radio advertisements inexpensive ways to inform potential local customers timing of ad is important. †¢ Television: Television allows access to regional and national audiences, but is more expensive than other options. †¢ Print: Direct mail and printed materials, including newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, flyers, and a logo, fact sheets, contests, coupons, and brochures directly to new or old customers on local, regional, or national levels.Currently there are chubby promotions in St Vincent and St Lucia back to School with chubby. †¢ Electronic: Company Web sites provide useful information to interested consumers and clients. †¢ Word of Mouth: Word of mouth depends on satisfied customers which SMJ has had a great track record. Public relations carried out by SMJ ensure that SMJ’s good price effective environmentally friendly Caribbean image is maintained.