Analysis of the daffodils by Wordsworth Essay

In this poem the poet speaks to a friend or family member about a spectacular group of daffodils that he recalls seeing when on a walk one day .The poet has an exultant tone which is obvious when reading this well-known poem. The theme is introduced with an end rhyming scheme which allows the poem to flow †I wandered lonely as a cloud†¦.when all at once I saw a crowd† .The theme of this poem is nature. The tone of the poem is shown by the use of joyful adjectives such as â€Å"golden† or â€Å"fluttering† this allows the poem to be light-hearted .Although the main theme in this poem is nature, I believe another theme is relationships because Wordsworth seems to have an amazing relationship with nature , in the way he describes the daffodils and when he thinks of the daffodils â€Å"his heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils†. The imagery in this poem is bright and colourful due to the metaphors used â€Å"Continuous as the stars that shine†. In third stanza the poet talks of the waves â€Å" The waves beside them danced ,but they outdid the sparkling waves in glee† this creates a striking image of waves ,but this quote also proves how great the daffodils were .This effects the tone of the poem. The wording Wordsworth uses is so brilliant that, with each sentence the image of the daffodils becomes clearer and clearer. This effects how I imagine the flowers. The sound pattern in this poem is includes many examples of assonance â€Å"For oft when on my couch I lie†, the o in a lot of the words slows the poem down, and it allows you to reflect on the sentence. There is alteration in this poem for example â€Å"Beside the lake ,beneath the trees† .Alliteration makes the sentence remorable and allows the poem to flow.

Leadership Project Essay

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world into a violence-free family has inspired millions of people worldwide. The icon of non-violence and universal human values, Sri Sri seeks global peace through service and dialog. Born in 1956 in southern India, Sri Sri’s appeal transcends class, race, religion and nationality. Millions of people revere him as their spiritual leader, and look up to him for inner peace and promoting ecumenical values. In 1981, Sri Sri started the Art of Living Foundation, an international nonprofit educational and humanitarian organization. The Foundation, now active in more than 140 countries, offers educational and self-development programs designed to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being. In Europe and the United States, the Foundation’s programs are helping inner city youth turn away from gang violence, drugs and alcohol. Sri Sri’s Prison Programs have helped transform the lives of an estimated 150,000 inmates around the world. In 1997, Sri Sri founded the International Association for Human Values, a humanitarian nonprofit organization that advances human values in political, economic, industrial, and social spheres. In South Asia, South Africa, and Latin America, the Association’s sustainable development programs have reached more than 30,000 rural communities. While his self development programs have popularized traditionally exclusive ancient techniques, Sri Sri’s social initiatives address an array of issues such as conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, prisoner rehabilitation, youth leadership, women’s empowerment, female foeticide, child labor, and access to education. In Kashmir and Sri Lanka, Sri Sri is working to further dialogue between opposing parties to resolve the conflicts peacefully. Sri Sri travels to more than 40 countries a year to share his message of social responsibility, and that all great spiritual traditions share common goals and values. His teachings of love, practical wisdom, and service promote harmony among people, and encourage individuals to follow their chosen spiritual path, while honoring other paths. Spreading the message of a One World Family Spreading the message of love, compassion and non-violence, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tirelessly advocates harmonious co-existence among people. While he addresses innumerable forums on diverse subjects, the common thread through all his speeches is the principle of humanity, and brotherhood. His universal, and simple message is that love and wisdom can prevail over hatred and distress. Whether it is speaking to parliamentarians in Argentina, business leaders in Europe, peace organizations such as the United Nations and Muslim and Hindu leaders, Sri Sri emphasizes human values, and unity among people. Sri Sri has been invited to address the World Economic Forum at Davos on two occasions, the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, the first World Congress of Imams and Rabbis in 2005 among other forums. With an aim of bringing together leaders from diverse walks of life, Sri Sri has also hosted a number of symposiums. The Truth & Reconciliation Conference to foster equality of the Dalit community (2007), International Conference on Human Values (2006) and the annual Corporate Culture and Spirituality Symposiums being a few of them. Through his public talks and symposiums, Sri Sri addresses issues of inter-faith harmony, environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation and grassroots development. He inspires thousands across the globe to live the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or a One World Family. University Doctorates Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa, Bangalore University, India, 2009 ?Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa, Nagarjuna University, India, 2008 ?Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa, Maharaja Sayajirao University, India, 2007 ?Doctor of Science, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India, 2007 ?Doctor of Philosophy (Holistic Medicine), Open International University for Complementary Medicine in Sri Lanka, 2006 ?Honorary Doctorate from Kuvempu University, India, 2004 International Honours Culture in Balance Award, World Culture Forum, Dresden Germany, October 10, 2009 ?Professor Honoris Causa, Szent Istvan University, Budapest, (Hungary), June 24, 2009 ?The Ball of Peace awarded by The Peace Doves, Norway, June 13, 2009 ?Phoenix Award, Atlanta, USA, 2008 â€Å"Corporate Culture & Spirituality† (CCS) is an initiative of the International Association for Human Values. While central themes vary, this unique annual symposium provides business and spiritual leaders with a platform to share insights and experiences on social responsibility, business ethics, and sustainable and profitable leadership. CCS was first launched in 2003 in Bangalore, India, and was attended by business leaders, academicians, and spiritual leaders from across the world. Encouraged by its success, a second CCS conference was hosted in 2004 at the Art of Living Foundation Headquarters in Bangalore. In 2006, the conference was held in European Parliament, Brussels, where more than 300 participants from 20 countries engaged in a dynamic discussion on ethics and business as an integral part of innovative and sustainable development. The conference was once again hosted in Brussels in 2007, and was attended by prominent leaders such as Prof. Ruud Lubbers, Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and co-Founder of The Earth Charter; Dr. Jacques Santer, Former Prime Minister of Luxemburg and Former President of the European Commission; Mr. Niels Christiansen, Vice-President, Nestle; Mr. Rutger Koopmans, General Manager, ING Wholesale Banking; Mr. Venugopal Dhoot, Chairman, Videocon Group; Dr. Hanns Glatz, Delegate of the Board of Management, Daimler; and Prof. Peter Eigen, Founder, Transparency International Germany. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS The Art of Living Course gives participants the practical knowledge and techniques to unlock their deepest potential and bring fullness to life. Whether happy and successful or feeling the stress of poor health, disappointments, or fear, every participant is cared for and comes away lighter, with effective techniques for releasing mental and physical stress and increasing his or her health, energy, peace, self-knowledge, awareness, and joy. Simple Techniques for Daily Life A remarkable feature of the course is that participants are able to re-discover the present moment, not as a concept but as a direct experience. Participants leave with simple but powerful techniques that they can practice every day. The Art of Living Course has been enjoyed by people of all traditions, religions, and walks of life, in universities, churches, governments, businesses, prisons, and war zones. The Art of Living Foundation is dedicated to inspiring, uplifting and empowering individuals to live life to its fullest potential. Its youth programs emphasize human values common to all cultures, religions and traditions such as non-violence, compassion, caring for the planet, enthusiasm for life, and an attitude of service toward others. Art Excel (All Round Training In Excellence) for ages 8 to 13 Presented in a practical and fun framework that appeals to youth of all ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds, ART Excel offers an enlightening approach that awakens youth to their deepest potential and life’s higher values. YES! for Teens (Youth Empowerment Seminar) for ages 14 to 18 Both fun and challenging, this 18 hour seminar provides teens with a comprehensive toolbox to both manage their own emotions and stress, as well as dynamically navigate through adolescence. YES+ for College Students and Young Professionals for ages 18 – 27 An innovative and dynamic educati onal and life skills program that provides young individuals with the tools to achieve their ideal life with ease, creativity, energy, and without inhibitions Balance can be achieved without lowering goals or lessening achievements ? it is about managing stress and managing ourselves. Based on the Sudarshan Kriya, the APEX Course is designed for business professionals. It is a simple, practical, and effective training program that empowers managers and employees, and promotes calmness and focus in the midst of any challenge or responsibility. The course is designed to improve concentration, enhance creativity, increase efficiency, and build a greater sense of purpose and teamwork. The APEX course differs from most management and employee development programs because it is not based on quick-fix solutions, theoretical concepts, or superficial success formulas, but rather on practical techniques that offer direct and tangible results. It has been developed for businesses to facilitate change from within each employee and manager. The course also incorporates basic principles of effective living and emphasizes the essential human values that help professionals lead more fulfilling and productive lives. SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS The Art of Living Foundation, a nonprofit educational and humanitarian organization, was founded by Sri Sri in 1981. The Foundation has chapters in more than 140 countries and its sustainable development projects, trauma-relief and self-development programs have benefited more than 25 million people around the world. By nurturing the spirit of service and compassion in every individual, the Foundation seeks to build a global society that is free of stress and violence. The mission of the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), a non profit organization founded by Sri Sri in 1997, is to foster a deeper understanding of the values that unite us as a global human community, and to encourage the practice of human values in everyday life. The IAHV, working in conjunction with the Art of Living Foundation, has initiated several disaster relief and sustainable development programs in South Asia, Africa, Europe, Central and South America and North America. Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth (VVM) is the umbrella organization under which various service projects of the Art of Living Foundation in India operate. In addition to rural development programs, women’s empowerment projects and educational initiatives, VVM is also involved in Vedic research, medical research and social research. The upcoming Sri Sri University in Orissa, India, will be a full fledged 15,000 student multidisciplinary university that will combine quality education with leadership skills, social responsibility and ethics. The academic majors that will be offered are Management, Law, Government, Mass Communications, Cultural Studies, Engineering, Medicine, Ayurveda, Vedic Sciences, Biotechnology and Research Sciences. University admissions will be based on aptitude tests alone, and the campus will include recreational facilities, meditation halls, and a sports complex. The Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir (SSRVM) Trust was founded in 1999 as a Charitable Spiritual and Educational Public Institution to impart a valu-based education in a stress-free and child-friendly environment. The Trust supports several educational institutions, from rural schools to urban universities. The Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Pre-University College started in 2003 in Bangalore, India. Affiliated with the Pre-University Board of Karnataka, the College’s aim is to provide affordable and high quality education to students on the threshold of their careers. To overcome the increased burden of private tuitions outside the school, the concept of â€Å"Integrated Coaching† was started. The initiative gives students the special training needed to face competitive examinations for professional courses. The Sri Sri Center for Media Studies’ mandate is to train and empower responsible and committed media professionals who will be reliable and objective information resources for people in a democracy. The Sri Sri Institute of Management Studies was founded in 2005, with the vision of blending high quality management education with spirituality and human values to create 21st century managers. The institute offers a 2-year post-graduate diploma in Business Management, and diverse programs in investment and portfolio management, debt securities, modern manufacturing, and supply chain management. The Sri Sri Rural Development Trust was founded in 2001, with a vision to provide permanent and alternative sources of income to the rural population in India. The Trust works in conjunction with the Art of Living Foundation to implement initiatives such as empowerment of rural women, vocational training programs for women and youth, self development workshops, free medical camps, and the Youth Leadership Training Program. The Sri Sri School of Performing Arts and Fine Arts, located in Bangalore, India, is a centre of learning for traditional dance forms, folk and classical music, and the fine arts.   The Sri Sri College for Ayurvedic Science and Research was started by Sri Sri to revive Ayurveda, the ancient system of healthcare that is native to India. The college is affiliated to the to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, and offers a five year B.A.M.S. (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) professional degree course. Some of the special features of the college include a herbal garden with diverse varieties of medicinal plants and a state of the art Research and Development Center. Incepted in 2003, the key objective of the Sri Sri Mobile Agricultural Institute is to provide guidance to farmers to become self-reliant, to revive organic farming, and to educate farmers on water management and irrigation. The Institute?s projects include workshops on chemical-free farming awareness, environmental conservation, and the advantages of organic fertilizers and pesticides. The use of indigenous seeds (instead of genetically modified ones) is also emphasized, and cooperative seed storages have been set up. WHY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR IS MY LEADER? For me he is not only spiritual leader but also peace advocate, meditation teacher, humanitarian. I am really inspired with his concept of spirituality. He has made many efforts for people to become stress free. I also like his vision to make stress-free and violence free world. He is not just limited to spirituality; he has also performed many social activities such as peace, disaster relief, promoting literacy, women empowerment, prisoner’s rehabilitation etc. he has also set many educational programs for students which we have seen earlier. He teaches people love and wisdom spreads message of love, peace, brotherhood throughout the world. He aims at promoting spirituality amongst people and making them realize that there is goodness in every individual. He advises people to accept as well as respect each other.

How does Steinbeck present loneliness in ‘of mice and men’? Essay

How does Steinbeck present loneliness in ‘of mice and men’? During the Great Depression in the 1930s in the USA many migrant workers went to California in search of work. In the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† John Steinbeck deals with the loneliness which affected these characters. One of the main symbols of this, is the setting of the novel is in Soledad, which translated from Spanish means solitude. Steinbeck point to the cause of loneliness being from discrimination, and the loneliest person on the working ranch would likely be the black stable buck â€Å"Crooks†, this is proved by his actions and his attempts to make friends. You first understand him when he expresses his loneliness to Lennie, â€Å"a guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick†. (page 82) This indicates he has become mentally ill due to his extreme loneliness in his room. As an African American he is not allowed into the bunk house or to play cards with the white ranchers. Crooks tells Lennie it is â€Å"Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, you all of you stink to me.† (page 77) This shows that he longs to join them in playing cards and feels bitter and angry that he can’t. This was a very racist time in America. Crooks was the only black person on the ranch and there was only one other black family in the area. As Crooks says â€Å"If I say something it is just a nigger sayin’ it.† (page 80) Crooks at first turns Lennie away from his room saying â€Å"you got no right to come in my room.† (page 77) but due to Lennie’s ‘disarming smile’ (page 77) he gives in and invites him in. When Crooks realises about the dream of the farm he wants to be part of it, offering to work for nothing. â€Å"If you†¦guys would want a hand to work for nothing – just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to.† (page 86) This shows how desperate Crooks is to overcome his loneliness and be part of something. However, this dream is stopped by Curley’s wife who threatens to accuse of him of rape so that he will be hung. She reminds him that everyone will believe her saying â€Å"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.† (page 91) This makes Crooks remember that he is not able to be anything else and that the dream is futile. He returns to being angry and bitter. Steinbeck does not offer any solution to Crooks loneliness. He simply gives an observation on life and how lonely it can be for some people. He shows how racism can cause loneliness and isolation and this can cause people to be very bitter and angry.   

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 2

International Business - Essay Example Because of this technological advancement and penetration, the access to information have increased and consumers are becoming more aware in terms of their needs and wants. Well informed consumers in the markets of the developing as well as the developed nations are becoming more demanding in regards to their needs for various products and services. Witnessing a strong business opportunity, organizations around the world are increasingly focusing on catering to the needs of the well informed consumers in various markets and hence are naturally venturing into many foreign markets. In this particular assignment, the focus is on US based retailer Wal-Mart and its outcomes when it ventured into different foreign markets. Wal-Mart is a US based retail giant, which started its business operations in the year 1962, in Arkansas, USA. The company had a humble beginning under the Sam Walton, who started the retail business from a very basic level. With the passage of time, the firm has grown expansively in the domestic American market as well as the multiple international markets. The company is widely known in its business markets for its implementation of a every day low pricing (EDLP) model. In regards to the current times, the company’s financial performance is highly impressive. As of the year 2013, net sales for the US market stood at over 274 billion USD while for the international market, it stood at over 135 billion USD (Walmart.com, 2013). In this particular assignment, the focus is on the US retailer’s mode of expansion into the various international markets around the world, and the associated successes and failures in those markets. The US based retail organization Wal-Mart has grown steadily over the years and in the course of responding to different dynamics in its domestic market, has ventured in to multiple international markets around the world. It is important to highlight that for a business organization to

Cloud computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cloud computing - Essay Example IT gurus administer the fused cloud platforms by means of the advanced knowledge of the virtual servers and the virtualization skills. Infrastructure and applications that promote cloud computing acceptance, attraction of IT Professionals towards cloud computing, and cloud adoption and rejection factors are fundamental. Cloud acceptance: (After reading the slide) let me explain this with the help of a diagram: Organizations that use cloud service can be categorized into three types based on their size; the mega enterprises, the large enterprises, and the medium enterprises. Cloud services used by them are of different kinds including collaboration, software services, desktops and infrastructure, and disaster recovery backup. Here, you can notice that while many enterprises are already using these kinds of services, there is a substantial number of organizations that are considering to use these services, which indicates that cloud computing is growing in popularity. ... nificance and value to the IT implementers because of the benefits its offers that include but are not limited to work efficiencies, support, enhanced productivity, and low-cost initiatives. More benefits of cloud computing are illustrated in the sixth slide. Virtual Infrastructure Cloud computing’s property of virtualization functions most efficiently at the minimization of the cost and complications of the IT operations. There are numerous other advantages that have worked for virtualization that primarily include improved accessibility, virtual maturity, larger data storage capacities, mobility and efficiency. IT executives invest in the cloud initiatives for a variety of reasons including saving money, increased predictability of costs, improved IT customer service, increased productivity, and standardized IT. As you can see in the diagram, the prime motivation behind investing in the cloud initiatives is minimization of cost and saving of money. Increased predictability o f costs and improved IT customer service are equally strong motivators following the saving of money. IT staff supports the cloud initiatives in order to be more efficient, to work with the latest technology, to improve the IT customer service, to maintain a current set of skills, and to minimize the complexity of the job. There is variation among the decision maker and implementer IT staff’s motivations behind supporting the cloud initiatives as evident from the graph. Except for the motivation of keeping the set of skills current, there is a greater number of the decision maker IT staff that is motivated by all of the aforementioned factors as compared to the implementer IT staff. This speaks of the fact that these factors play an important role in the decision making in the IT departments.

Channel Tunnel (between UK and France) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Channel Tunnel (between UK and France) - Essay Example Apart from that it also has a significant role in both the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the Community of European Railways (CER). This channel is also popularly called as the â€Å"chunnel† because of its three-way tunnel encompassing rail connections. It connects at one end with Folkestone in England to Calais in France at the other one. After the treaty for the construction of rail link between France and England was signed in 1986, the consortium, which was responsible for carrying out the managerial tasks of this project, started to face severe problems. These problems were mostly based on fiscal (economic) matters. Apart from the money hurdle which was being faced with at the time, meeting the already set schedule and the most important of the lot, ensuring safety for the rails as well as the passengers traveling in them was a much bigger problem than the other ones. By 1990, many people started to have serious doubts whether this project would ever be completed. There was a do or die situation attached to this project and the authorities at the helm of affairs really had to do something solid to restore the confidence of people that was lost from them in this project. Channel Tunnel’s fire of 1986 is one classic example of the handling of fire regime within the tunnel and how the same should be tackled in the wake of another fire instance within the mega structure. When it became quite evident that this project was in serious jeopardy, Eurotunnel called upon the resources of Bechtel to play a bigger role in the accomplishment of what was left at that moment of time, a sheer dream. Bechtel’s involvement began in 1987.

User Frustration Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

User Frustration - Assignment Example The other frustration is related to users’ emotional reaction to computing technology; in fact, studies have been conducted on analysis of the effects related to computer systems response time. On the other hand, the slow response time leads to increased frustration and impatient compared to fast response time. There are problem associated with mood disturbances and somatic discomfort, which raises linearity based on the amount of duration spent in the process of undertaking the procedure of data entry. Nevertheless, frustrations arising from the independence of system response duration can be solved through use of method involved in pay knowledge bases of fast web-based databases (Lazar, 2001). On the other hand, the users can consider using technical information for optimization of information collection, organization and retrieving of data. Besides, they can consider using alternative support mechanisms, which involve helpdesks service lines, which offer access to complete solutions. User Satisfaction and Frustration There are frustrations, which arise from use of lack user satisfaction; in fact, different studies have suggested that there are dependent variables that are applied for assessing the prosperity of technology. In this case, satisfaction is refers to accomplishment of an objective or a task, which is by directed behaviors that are aimed at achieving satisfaction associated with a form of need, desire or want (Jacko, Sears, & Borella, 2000). In this case, frustration emanates for interruptions, which hiders achievement of a given objective. Besides, this refers barriers that are in the path of achieving a given objective. There are both external and internal causes of frustrations through hindrances of achieving a given objective. Therefore, this can be expressed in terms of the frustration which arises when a user is prevented from achieving their anticipated result, which would have led to a satisfaction (Lazar & Norcio, 2002). Nevertheless, this is a problem that can be solved in fo cusing on ways to achieve satisfaction in the task involved despite presence of frustration. For instance, this is a problem that can be solved by seeking assistance from a help desk, which is a department that is established in a company or institution with an aim of responding to technical questions. In this case, they can handle problems, which are

Academic Discourse Community Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Academic Discourse Community Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example and they are promising three alternative choice design packages, each comprising â€Å"of a multi-faceted approach to slow precipitation runoff and enhance soil infiltration†. They have included the imminent challenges they predict and the appropriate design budget. The proposal outlines the entire project execution framework including a Gantt schedule and appendices defining the team profile and other miscellaneous project details. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). â€Å"New ultrastiff, ultralight material developed†. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily. 19 July 2014. Web. 15 July 2014. A group of researchers have applied the construction model of the Eiffel tower to create extremely light and stiff materials. The Eiffel tower achieves its strength from its geometric model. Researchers have managed top microscale this concept using 3-D printing in a process called projection microstereolithography. Normally stiffness and strength reduce as density reduces, but these researchers are claiming that by employing the â€Å"right mathematical ly determined structures to direct and distribute the load† light structures can maintain their strength. The researchers tested aerogel (glass foam) and found that its mechanical strength compared with that of solid rubber and increased by 400times while compared to objects of similar density. This means that this sample can support 160000 its weight. They have achieved similar results in other tests involving metal, ceramic and polymer. This development is useful for installations requiring light and strong materials like space structures. They can also be used for sound and elasticity solutions because they conduct sound. Shaikh, Asif, P., et al. Groundwater Recharge by Waste Water. Civil Engineering Portal. n. d.: 1-10. Web. 15 July 2014. A team of four civil engineering professors at the University of Pune presented this report on their research project regarding recharging of ground water by waste water. Using

Compare airline and railway in China Case Study

Compare airline and railway in China - Case Study Example The following economic analysis of China Railway transport and Aircraft Industry provides a detailed comparison of the two sectors (Zhang and Anming, 130). These coverage of analyses logically vary from HSR to China Aircraft Industry, these tends to wrap the construction costs of transport projects, maintenance and operation costs of related transport services, direct user benefits mostly time and cost savings, and a limited externalities such as congestions, overcrowding, transport safety impacts and emissions (Chou, Jui-Sheng, and Changwan, 6954). Regarding High-Speed Train locally the benefits related to the use of HSR outlays the cost thus it’s more convenient in China (Cheng and Yung-Hsiang, 56). Compared with China Airline Industry the High-Speed Train is more beneficial to the domestic market as compared to the international market (Cheng and Yung-Hsiang, 56). However, internationally China Airline Industry is benefits outlay the costs of using High-Speed Train, which is not implemented in many countries. It measures the intensity of market access that the various industries have at a particular location. It is because firms currently interact not only with domestic firms who happen to be immediate competitors, but also to an increasing degree with firms in more and more isolated locations, the economic mass of a city is given by the sum of the extent of market size (Cheng and Yung-Hsiang, 56). Therefore, economic mass is the extent of overall market access, or the efficient economic size of town or city. High-Speed Rail in China has a huge domestic market as compared to the China Airline Industry (Campos, Javier, and Gines, 22). It is contributed, by the large, middle-class citizens in who use rail compared to the wealthy who uses airline transport. These are by principle measured in terms of jobs created for every location. In addition, these jobs are related to the overall economic output at every location though

Project Risk Management Paper 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Risk Management Paper 1 - Essay Example It is important to clarify here that risks can be both positive and negative. Therefore, we can also define risk management as the act of reducing negative risks while trying to maximize positive risks. The process of risk management involves determining the outcome of the risk and using it to refine the objectives of the project, determining loose ends, and thus, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall project. We can define the process project risk management into several steps, however, organizations usually combine the steps according to ease of use and utility. One of the main objectives of project risk management is to identify the risks with the highest consequences and possibility of occurrence and then develop possible action plans in case any of risk actually occurs (). Progressive elaboration, which improves the management’s ability to handle details well also encompasses risk definition as part of its process. Organizations depict different behavior s when it comes to handling risk. Firms that are aggressive and are in a sustainable leading position in their industry would take up projects that are very risky. Similarly, in such firms project managers with creative, innovative ideas are welcome in spite of the project being risky. On the other hand, risk averse organization who are mostly followers in their industry would hesitate from taking on risky project and project managers who take on risk and are aggressive in their management approaches would not be welcome here (What is a project, pg14). The initiating, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing process groups consists of sub-processes that are used throughout the project lifecycle. These are the knowledge areas (Creating the project charter, pg 44). The monitoring and controlling and execution process groups are very high on the risk probability of occurrence whereas the other process groups have low probability (What is a project, pg 29). The nine knowledge areas of PMBOK have been divided in such a way that each one involves some amount of integration of the other. Project risk management is core to any project and this is why, it begins with the development of project charter. The project charter is a formal document that authorizes the project to begin working and commit the resources. The project charter involves project statement of work, business case, contract, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets. Each aspect of the project charters involves some form of risk assessment such as under the enterprise environmental factors, a project manager has to assess the risk tolerance of the stakeholders meaning the level of risk, the stakeholders of the project and the firm are willing to take for the execution of the project. (Creating the project charter, pg 68). Process of Risk Management We can also define risk as the product of expected consequences of an event or loss and the likelihood of occu rrence. Risk could be characterized into two categories: Macro-risk and Micro-risk. Macro-risk is consideration of risk for a large population of events, where as micro-risk deals with risks on an event-by-event basis. Both forms of risk managements are used depending on the situation (Why project risk Management?, pg 2). Macro-risk Management – In the insurance and finance industries, risk is calculated using statistical tools: data collection, sampling, and data analysis.

Afirmative Action and Black America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Afirmative Action and Black America - Essay Example Abolition of slavery became the bone of contention between the North and South. This resulted in the Civil War between the northern states termed the 'Union' and the seceded southern states forming the 'Confederacy'. Ultimately the resistance was overcome by the Union and the era of Reconstruction started to put back the ravaged economy of the southern states. The rebelled 11 Confederate states had to be restored to their positions in the Union and provided with loyal governments. The role of the emancipated slaves in southern society had to be defined and settled. With the end of Civil War slavery assumed a new form, viz segregation 1. New Black Codes that restricted the rights of the newly freed slaves were enacted in the South. White dominance was methodically resurrected through secret terror organizations like "Ku Klux Klan". The southern whites found it very difficult to adopt a social order devoid of slavery. This led to what is popularly known as "Jim Crow Laws" in the U.S. history. Enacted in the beginning of 1880s these statutes legalized segregation of blacks. The name of the enactments leads one to assume that a person named 'Jim Crow' was the architect of these laws where as it stems from a popular minstrel song 'Jump Jim Crow', a dance performed with blackface by the white comedian Thomas Dartmouth. Black codes enacted during 1865-66 restricted the fundamental rights of African Americans. They were prevented from voting by ridiculous 'poll tax' and unfair 'literacy tests' and intimidation. Blacks were required to attend separate s chools and colleges, railway cars and buses had separate sections earmarked for them. They were not even allowed to sit with the whites for public amusements and entertainments thus denied participation in mainstream community life. Even places of employment were segregated. Protagonists of these savage laws got a shot in the arm when the U S Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the so-called separate but equal accommodation in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). During 1900 to 1920 segregation extended to hospitals, jails and even churches entrenching a full-fledged apartheid regime. The Civil Rights Act 1964 The crusader of civil rights movement in the U S Dr. Martin Luther King said "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character". Before we delve into 1964 Civil Rights Act we must remember that it had a predecessor in "The Civil Rights Act of 1957", which was introduced during Eisenhower's presidency but never saw the light of the day. Eisenhower was not known for his support of the civil rights. He believed that one could not force people to change their beliefs; such changes had to come from the heart of the people involved and not as the result of legislation from Washington. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the brainchild of John F Kennedy who became President in 1960 (National, 1964) 2. He wanted to redress the discrimination that had persisted in spite of civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees. The new president was faced with some indisputable facts about the African Americans such as: 57 percent of African American housing settlements was categorized to be of unacceptable standard. Life expectancy of African American was 7 years less than that of whites. Their infant mortality was twice compared to that of whites. Blacks found it very difficult to get mortgages from mortgage lenders. Property values dropped

Ethnography on Middle Class American Male Essay Example for Free

Ethnography on Middle Class American Male Essay Two centuries ago leading white, middle-class families in the newly united American states spearheaded a family revolution that replaced the premodern gender order with a modern family system. But modern family was an oxymoronic label for this peculiar institution, which dispensed modernity to white, middle-class men only by withholding it from women. The former could enter the public sphere as breadwinners and citizens, because their wives were confirmed to the newly privatized family realm. Ruled by an increasingly absent patriarchal landlord, the modern, middle-class family, a woman’s domain, soon was sentimentalized as traditional. It took most of the subsequent two centuries for substantial numbers of white working-class men to achieve the rudimentary economic pass book to modern family life a male family wage. By the time they had done so, however, a second family revolution was well underway. Once again middle-class, white families appeared to be in the vanguard. This time women were claiming the benefits and burdens of modernity, a status they could achieve only at the expense of the modern family itself. Reviving a long-dormant feminist movement, frustrated middle class homemakers and their more militant daughters subjected modern domesticity to a sustained critique. At times this critique displayed scant sensitivity to the effects our antimodern family ideology might have on women for whom full-time domesticity had rarely been feasible. Thus, feminist family reform came to be regarded widely as a white, middle-class agenda, and white, working-class families it’s most resistant adversaries. African-American women and white, working-class women have been the genuine postmodern family pioneers, even though they also suffer most from its most negative effects. Long denied the mixed benefits that the modern family order offered middle-class women, less privileged women quietly forged alternative child rearing. Struggling creatively, often heroically, to sustain oppressed families and to escape the most oppressive ones, they drew on traditional premodern kinship resources and crafted untraditional ones, lurching backward and forward into the postmodern family. Rising divorce and cohabitation rates, working mothers, two-earner households, single and unwed parenthood, and matrilineal, extended, and fictive kin support networks appeared earlier and more extensively among poor and working-class people. Economic pressures more than political principles governed these departures from domesticity, but working women like Martha Porter and Dotty Lewison soon found additional reasons to appreciate paid employment. Popular images of working-class family life, like the Archie Bunker, rest on the iconography of unionized, blue-collar, male, industrial breadwinners and the history of their lengthy struggle for the family wage (Stacey 30). But the male family wage was a late and ephemeral achievement of only the most fortunate sections of the modern industrial working class. Most working-class men never secured its patriarchal domestic privileges. Postmodern conditions expose the gendered character of this social-class category, and they render it atavistic. As feminist have argued, only by disregarding women’s labor and learning was it ever plausible to designate a family unit as working class. In an era when most married mothers are employed, when women perform most working-class job, when most productive labor is unorganized and fails to pay a family wage, when marriage links are tenuous and transitory, and when more single women than married homemakers are rearing children, conventional notions of a normative working-class family fracture into incoherence. The life circumstances and mobility patterns of the members of Pamela’s kin set and of the Lewisons, for example, are so diverse and fluid that no single social-class category can adequately describe any of the family units among them. If the white, working-class family stereotype is inaccurate, it is also consequential. Stereotype is moral stories people tell to organize the complexity of social experience. Narrating the working class as profamily reactionaries suppresses the diversity and the innovative character of many working-class kin relationships. The Archie Bunker stereotype may have helped to contain feminism by estranging middle-class from working-class women. Barbara Ehrenreich argues that caricatures which portray the working-class as racist and reactionary are recent (Handel 655), self-serving inventions of professional, middleclass people eager to seek legitimating for their own more conservative impulses. In the early 1970s, ignoring rising labor militancy as well as racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among working-class people, the media effectively imaged them as the new conservative bedrock of middle America. Thus, All in the Family, the 1970s television sitcom series that immortalized racist, chauvinist, working-class hero-buffoon Archie Bunker, can best be read, Ehrenreich suggests, as the longest-running Polish joke, a projection of middle-class bad faith. Yet, if this bad faith served professional middle-class interest, it did so at the expense of feminism. The inverse logic of class prejudice construed the constituency of that enormously popular social movement as exclusively middleclass. By convincing middle-class feminists of our isolation, perhaps the last laugh of that Polish joke was on us. Even Ehrenreich, who sensitively debunks the Bunker myth, labels starting the findings of a 1986 Gallup poll that 56 percent of American women considered themselves to be feminists, and the degree of feminist identification, was, if anything, slightly higher as one descended the socioeconomic scale. Feminist must be attuned to the polyphony of family stories authored by working-class as well as middle-class people if they are ever to transform data like these into effective political alliances. While the ethnographic narratives in this research demonstrate the demise of the working-class family, in no way do they document the emergence of the classless society postindustrial theorists once anticipated. On the contrary, recent studies indicate that the middle classes are shrinking and the economic circumstances of Americans polarizing. African-American has borne the most devastating impact of economic restructuring and the subsequent decline of industrial and unionized occupations. But formerly privileged access to the American Dream in the 1960s and 1970s, now find their gains threatened and not easy to pass on to their children. While high-wage, blue-collar jobs decline, the window of postindustrial opportunity that admitted undereducated men and women, like Lou and Kristina Lewison and Don Frankin, to middle-class status is slamming shut. Young white families earned 20 percent less in 1986 than did comparable families in 1980, and their homeownership prospects plummeted. Real earnings for young men between the ages of twenty and twenty four dropped by 26 percent between 1980 and 1986, while the military route to upward mobility that many of their fathers traveled constricted. In the 1950s men like Lou Lewison, equipped with VA loans, could buy homes with token down payments and budget just 14 percent of their monthly wages for housing costs. By 1984, however, carrying a median-priced home would cost 44 percent of an average male’s monthly earnings. Few could manage this, and in 1986 the U. S government reported the first sustained drop in home ownership since the modern collection of data began in 1940. Thus, the proportion of American families in the middle-income range fell from 46 percent in 1970 to 39 percent in 1985. Two earners in a household now are necessary just to keep from losing ground. Data like these led social analysts to anxiously track the disappearing middle class, a phrase that Barbara Ehrenreich now believes in some ways missed the least from the middle range of comfort. Conclusion The major arena to which expert turned in their examination of postwar masculinity was the American family, placing a spotlight upon men’s roles as husbands, fathers, and family heads. It was commonly noted by social scientist and delineators of American character that men had lost much of their former authority within the family. Indeed, the typical American male, as described by the anthropologist Geoffrey Gorer, was seen as having so completely given up any claim to authority that the family would constantly risk disintegration and disaster if not for the efforts of his wife (Reumann 66). On the other hand, commentators diagnosed an assault on middle-class manliness and warned of its effects on the nation and its culture. Obsessively rehearsing a narrative of nationwide decline, social disarray, and familial and gender collapse, they pictured a country in which masculinity had become a besieged and precious resource. Works Cited Handel, Gerald. and Gail, Whtchurch, The Psychosocial Interior of the Family, Aldine, Transaction, 1994 Reumann, Miriam. American Sexual Character: Sex, Gender, and National Identity, Berkeley, California: London University of California Press, 2005 Stacey, Judith, In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Values in the Postmodern Age; U. S, Beacon Press, 1996

Practical Barriers to Healthcare Provisions in New Zealand

Practical Barriers to Healthcare Provisions in New Zealand 5. Write a comparative analysis about the practical barriers that exist in the healthcare provisions in New Zealand and in those of one overseas country of your choice through using the following determinants: a. Safety issue New Zealand According to the organization of GNS Science, as faults lines are running under New Zealand, more than 15,000 earthquakes happened per annum. Therefore, New Zealand is threatened by the risk of several magnitude 6 earthquakes once a year, which might cause a lot of damages to inhabited areas. J.K. Mclntosh et al (2012), reported the 22nd February 2011, Mw 6.3 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand caused major damage to not only infrastructures, but also to the healthcare system of Canterbury region. It is often said that big natural disasters will bring confusions and disorganizes to healthcare system, for example, damaging to facilities, shutting down of lifeline, running of medicine, shortage of human power, and increasing of patients, consequently, it is one of the major safety issue in New Zealand. India According to the website of Indian Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine, the lack of amenities, in particular, sanitation is a major public health issue in India. Inadequate sanitation system causes public health issue, for example, diarrhoeas and respiratory infections. Additionally, a person whose immune system is weak is easily to be infected by these diseases, and areas where are not urbanised are more lacking of infrastructures. Generally, once they are in sick, they tend to be in critical conditions, and take long time to be recovered. In India, some inhabitants suffer from unavoidable disease, because of lacking of sanitary conditions. b. Geographical barriers New Zealand In New Zealand, some regions, such as the Far North District and Southland District, a variety numbers of inhabitants need more than 30 minutes to visit GP. Therefore, it is possible to say that some remote rural areas have a difficulty to access to GP due to geographical isolation. This barrier is revealed to The New Zealand Health Survey, which is conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2011/12. According to this survey, 3.4% of New Zealanders did not visit GP, because of lacking of transportation, consequently, the distance to GP prevents from visiting GP. Furthermore, some people would visit GP after symptoms and the stage of illness become worse, and as a result, some of them might not be received effective treatments. India Looking at geographical feature of India, the safety of India is threatened by new clear weapons, which Pakistan and China posse, and to make the matter worse, the relationship between India and Pakistan is intense. Moreover, India has 19 nuclear plants, so it obtains a highly risk of nuclear power both inside and outside of country. Therefore, if there will be an explosion of nuclear weapons at outside of country or some damages to nuclear plats will occur accidentally in India, the land will be contaminated. Furthermore, not only inhabitants, but also healthcare providers will be exposed to radiation. When these situations will happen in the future, hospitals will be the frontline of treatment, and it will affect huge impact to provision of healthcare in India. c. Cultural barriers New Zealand According to the website of Ministry of Social Development, the ethnic diversity of New Zealand’s population will continue to increase, and, in particular Asian population is projected to have the largest growth, averaging 3.4 %, annually. Therefore, the number of people whose first language is not English is increasing in New Zealand. For non-English speakers, language is the biggest barrier to communicate when they have medical treatment. For international patients, it is difficult to tell details of symptoms and to use medical terminologies when they need to talk to healthcare providers. Therefore, for both patients and healthcare providers, language is the biggest barrier to receive effective treatments. India In India, people, particularly living in rural areas generally have their own beliefs and practices pertaining health, and some tribe groups still believe that disease comes from violation of taboos and breach of spirits. Furthermore, some of them follow treatment, which has no evidence and inherited mouth by mouth. Therefore, it might have difficulty to intervene for healthcare providers if people strongly follow their own thoughts and beliefs. d. Socioeconomic barriers New Zealand The New Zealand Health Survey, which is conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2011/12 revealed that 14% of New Zealanders did not use GP service, although they had medical issues. In addition, 7% of adults did not used after-hour services, and 8% of adult did not collect prescription items. The main reason of this is especially for people from low socioeconomic group, it is difficult to afford medical cost. However, medicines are subsidized for people only need to pay relatively small amount for each prescription. Moreover, to compare to the percentage of above percentages between Maori and non-Maori, Maori registered highly percentages in each category. The root of this result is because of lower income and highly unemployment rate of Maori compared with other ethnic groups, and it becomes obstacles of visiting GP and collecting necessary medicines. To sum up, financial issue is the biggest barrier for people who are necessary to visit hospital and to take medicines. India In India, there is a huge gap of the number of medical facilities between urban areas and rural areas. Aust. J. (2002) indicated that 69% of hospitals are located in urban areas, however, the population of rural areas are three times than that of urban areas, and in urban are the majority of inhabitants are people from low socioeconomic groups. Aust. J (2012) insisted that ‘the basic nature of rural health problems is attributed also to lack of health knowledge and awareness, poor maternal and child health services and occupational hazards.’ Additionally, the rural area, their living and working conditions are abysmal, so that they are relatively straightforward to become victims of pandemics of diseases. To make the matter worse, even if they become a sick, they are not able to afford medical cost. In India, the socioeconomic gap is the big barrier, which exists in healthcare practice, and some causes of death are preventable. e. Organizational barriers New Zealand In New Zealand, ambulance service is mainly operated by St John, which is not fully funded by the government. According to the article of The Press (2014), ‘St John is being forced to reshuffle its limited ambulance resources in an attempt to shoulder ballooning demand and multimillion-dollar funding shortfalls.’ The background of this issue is that New Zealand is an aging society, therefore, a lot of elderly people have conical illnesses, and, then, demands of ambulance has been increasing. However, St John is a charity organisation, their funds and resources are limited. Therefore, it might cause the slower response to arrival time of an ambulance, in particular, rural areas. It is often said that in case of emergency, how quickly patients are received medical services is vital to be rescued, so, slow response affects directly to city dwellers’ lives. India Dr. Mohammad Akram (2013) mentioned the situation of sanitation in India at the conference of Sociology of Sanitation National Conference. According to him, 55% of population has no access to toilet in India, and most of them are living in slums and rural areas. In many developed countries, the sanitation is the first priority that the authority organized. However, in India, the interest of public health system was weaker than to be grown up economically, and the policy makers of government were not attracted by sanitation. The government has a power to make policies but if members of the government are not aware of importance of it, it becomes obstruct to improve the satiation and condition. (1254 words) References: Website: GNS Science. (n.d.). Earthquakes and Faults. Retrieved from http://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Learning/Science-Topics/Earthquakes/Earthquakes-and-Faults Map of India. (n.d.) New Clear Plants in India. Retrieved from http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/nuclearpowerplants.htm Ministry of Social Development. (2010). Ethnic composition of the population. Retrieved fromhttp://www.socialreport.msd.govt.nz/people/ethnic-composition-population.html Sociology of Sanitation National Conference. (2013). Sanitation, Health and Development Deficit in India: A Sociological Perspective. http://www.sociologyofsanitation.com/honble-guests/sessionspeakers/sanitation-health-and-development-deficit-in-india-a-sociological-perspective/ The Press. (2014). Ambulance service short of millions. http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9627350/Ambulance-service-short-of-millions Books: Aust. J. (2002). Current Health Scenario in Rural India. http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~dludden/WaterborneDisease3.pdf Ganesh,S. K, Sitanshu Sekhar.K,andAnimesh.J. (2011). Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issue of prioritising control strategies. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299104/ Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issues for prioritizing control strategies Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issues for prioritizing control strategies Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issues for prioritizing control strategies Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issues for prioritizing control strategies J.K. McIntosh, C. Jacques, J. Mitrani-Reiser, T.D. Kirsch, S. Giovinazz, and T.M. Wilson. (2012). The Impact of the 22nd February 2011 Earthquake on Christchurch Hospital. Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury Ministry of Health. (2012). The Health of New Zealand Adults 2011/12: Key findings of the New Zealand Health Survey. Wellington, New Zealand Ministry of Health Lars Brabyn, Ross Barnett. (2004). THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL Vol 117 No 1199 ISSN 1175 8716. http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/2019/Brabyn%20population%20need.pdf?sequence=1 Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency. (2003). Pakistan India relationships. http://www.millat.com/democracy/Foreign%20Policy/brief3eng.pdf

Clothing in Constructions of Gender

Clothing in Constructions of Gender With the development of society, politics, economy and science, people have been looking for a kind of unconcealed individual beauty. Especially in modern society, the cultivation of highlight personality is highly regarded by people. So sex in garment design has never been the whole factor within the consideration of modern fashion designers. Instead, neutral garment between two sexes has become a kind of unique scenery on the street. In modern society that mens wear and womens wear are very much alike in pattern style and the choice of colours, even exactly the same. From the ancient times the standard of traditional clothing emphasized the roles of men and women played. Males need to show masculine beauty of steadiness, sobriety and strength; while females should be blessed with feminine beauty of being ladylike, kind and soft. From the end of the 1990s, neutral garment has become the most popular cosset. Especially with the rapid development of society and economy, as well as with the rapid promotion of womens rank in society, there is increasing no definite role confirmation for males and females in the society according to profession. At present, neutral garment can not only satisfy womens self-confidence in social competition with its simple pattern but also make males enjoy the joy of fashion. T-shirts, jeans and low-waist pants are considered as neutral garments; white, black and gray are neutral colours; dying hair Å’short hair are of neutral hairstyleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In a word, being neutral has become the popular trend in this century. Viewing from the formation and development of neutral garment, the influence of social institution, economic development, thinking culture and industry development on here, as well as the change of social status of relationship between men and women and the influence of pattern style produced by fashion designers on neutral garment, we can draw the conclusion that the existence of this neutral garment phenomenon is not occasional and single, but a result influenced by thinking culture, social thinking trend, individual consciousness, social and economic development. At the same time, this phenomenon also means the promotion of womens social status, the emergence of being neutral in positions, the inverted changes of design thinking of fashion designers in mens and womens wear, as well as a kind of development trend represented by individual performance and modern clothing psychological demands. Man, Woman and culture The birth of a man or a woman is not solely a biological fact in any society. Biological fact is assembled with social implications. The word Gender is currently diffusely used to relate to those ways in which a culture reforms what begins as a fact of nature. Convictions about what men and women are or should be are emerged in all cultures, though between cultures and over time the beliefs are different. For example, women are meant to be more interested in clothing and fashion and take care about their appearance, yet men should be less intent on these things. Women are also assumed to be more passive and men more aggressive. When we are elevated in a specifically culture we learn what we should be from our friends, parents and the media, we restructure our behavior to more closely meet with the expectancies. While we dont all rashly follow these socially constructed gender roles, for instance a lot of women dont care about fashion but many men do, many of these criterions become i nternalized by us as individuals, and become proportion of our identity. The definition of being a man or woman is tightly connected to appearance. Men wear clothing as our definition of skirt usually seen in West Africa, Indonesia and in Scottish dress. A tube form of cloth fitted at the waist is worn by both men and women in West Africa. The Scottish skirt still worn at many social events to create a social and cultural identity stands for the point of masculinity (Kidwell and Steele). Skirt is hard to be seen on men in American culture, except within the film, theater or in the context of couture or avant-garde fashion. For instance, the grunge style of the early 1990s had fashions for men designed to be worn with skirts. Whatever, there was nothing specifically feminine in these styles, and were just a fashion statement. Historically, dress and gender have not always been fixed and have enjoyed some latitude. Researching dress and gender from a historical viewpoint stimulates awareness of the shifts regarding appropriate dress for males and females. For example, the expectation of blue is for boy babies and pink for girl babies has not always been the case. Paoletti and Kregloh (1989) discussed how the colour rule in 1918 was pink for the boy and blue for the girl. Pink was interpreted then as a stronger and more assertive colour and blue as more dainty and delicate. Social construction of gender Social construction of gender is normally discussed in contrast to biological facts of differences between men and women. For example men are naturally more aggressive and women relatively more passive because of hormones like testosterone, and women are more interested in clothing on average because in the human species men are active in sexual partner selection where as women are passive, so women display themselves and wait. Social explanation for gender differences point to the variation in gender roles from culture to culture and across time, like men in France in the time of Louis XII wore high heels and makeup. So it can not be biology or it would be stable. Biological explanations point out that in all cultures and times women and men do differ, and the universality of this differentiation proves the biological underpinning of sex-role differences no matter how these are expressed in any given culture. Of course, most people think it is a bit of both, and also that people do get some choice neither biology nor socialization is destiny. Clothing and Gender The qualities and characteristics we perceive as specific to gender are inherent by nature. Physical strength is stereotyped to be masculine, while emotional behaviour is stereotyped as feminine in America. Any straying from these expectations is sufficient grounds for alienation. However, historian Howard Zinn has documented that gender roles are a part of a system constructed by the ruling class during the formation of our nation. The gender role structure in the US was created in order to maintain a centralized, wealthy ruling class. In order to keep wealthy, white men in control of the economy, women have been constructed as inferior to men physically, mentally and emotionally. Lorber explains that the definition of being a man or woman is comprised of more than apparent genetic information. Gender is a socially constructed status, which has the intention of choosing people for the different tasks of society(Lorber). Thus, ideas about how one should behave in order to fit into a gender category are learned, not intrinsic. As a society assigns people as men or women, this categorization denotes the accepted and preferred personality characteristics, feelings, motivations, and ambitions that create different classes and preferences for people (Lorber). That is, the genderization system produces men and women who tend to have a natural inclination toward ideas, behaviours, and careers that help them assimilate to anticipated gender stereotypes. Parents, constantly in fear that people will not be able to distinguish the sex of their new baby, instinctually encourage dress, styles, and behaviour that perpetuate the masculine and feminine labels from birth. The word woman itself was created by the masculine conception of what femininity should be. These criteria set up the dominant/subordinate relationship standard because women lacked the power to challenge the male point of view. Lorber suggests that as a process, gender creates social differences that define woman and man' through interactions and expectations of peers and family. As a stratification, gender ranks mens work superior to womens, regardless of skill or difficulty. As a social structure, gender organizes work habits both domestically and economically (Lorber). For the average girl in American society, adapting to gender roles is taught in every single facet of life. The media, entertainment, and school cooperatively exhibit and promote gender assimilation. Barbieà ¤ dolls are the first toys I can recall playing with as a young girl. Her long blond hair, short skirts, disproportionately long legs, and spike heels set the precedent for how I would view true femininity throughout adolescence. By age six, my life became infiltrated by gender specific, girly activities. I practiced ballet and avoided sports, painted fingernails, nearly always wore dresses with nylons, experimented with my mothers make-up (rather unsuccessfully), joined Girl Scouts, grew out my hair to mid-back, and wished for everything to be pink or lavender. Fashion trends and clothing styles, in particular, significantly aid the social construction of gender. The mere presence of a standard for the judgment of beauty automatically designates some group to be in control of the other. That is, individuals are constantly judging one another to make certain that they fit into the correct gender classification. Trendy, hip clothing are made for a very specific, minority group of women- narrow-hipped, small-breasted, tall, and skinny. The pressure to fit into these styles of clothes is unrelenting and produces insecurities and a poor body-image. These adolescent anxieties are not uncommon and can produce eating disorders, depression, and suicide. Joanne Finkelstein, in After a Fashion, explains that fashion can be seen as a device for confining women to an inferior social order. Throughout history women have been isolated from men by their fashion dues to society women would risk spinal disorders from corsets, chronic foot pain and arch trauma from high-heels, and submit to a constant preoccupation of worry over mens approval of clothing appropriateness. Fashions play such an integral role in how we judge one another how much money we have, what music we listen to, how much education we have received that any gender-bending fashions exhibited by women are at best taboo, and at worst, unattractive to men (the alleged Ultimate Womans Worry). In many societies, gender is not considered a part of nature, but rather learned, acquired, or earned as a rite of passage. In some tribal communities, acquiring gender status represents maturity and responsibility. There is an unspoken agreement between American men and women that women will fashion their clothing and styles as part of a system that favours men. In part this system favours men simply by distinguishing a class apart from men, requiring someone to exist on the outside of an established social norm. John Lorber puts it best: Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at (Lorber). In a society where many women still do not recognize the inequalities of genderization, the pervasiveness of gender roles in America remains perpetuated and profound. Conclusion Clearly, gender as a social and cultural construction needs demands; the appropriate sustains to successfully convince the audience that ones gender presentation is authentic. The dress we wear is layered with many meanings, such as culturally appropriate gender behaviour, gender socialization via dress, codes of dress and gender, historical perspectives of dress and gender, dressing parts of the self, social resistance, and gender markers.

Feminism in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Feminism in Jane Eyre      Ã‚  Ã‚   Feminism has been a prominent and controversial topic in writings for some time.   In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre the main character, Jane Eyre, explores the depth at which women may act in society and finds her own boundaries in Victorian England.   As well, along with the notions of feminism often follow the subjects of class distinctions and boundaries.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is an ample amount of evidence to suggest that the tone of Jane Eyre is in fact a very feminist one and may well be thought as relevant to the women of today who feel they have been discriminated against because of there gender.   At the beginning of the 19th century, little opportunity existed for women, and thus many of them felt uncomfortable when attempting to enter many parts of society.   The absence of advanced educational opportunities for women and their alienation from almost all fields of work gave them little option in life: either become a house wife or a governess.   Although today a tutor may be considered a fairly high class and intellectual job, in the Victorian era a governess was little more than a servant who was paid to share her scarce amount of knowledge in limited fields to a child.   With little respect, security, or class one may certainly feel that an intelligent, passionate and opinionated young woman such as Jane Eyre should deserve and be capable of so much more.   The insecurity of this position, being tossed around with complete disregard for her feelings or preferences, is only one of many grueling characteristics of this occupation.   However for Jane to even emerge into society, becoming a governess seemed the only reasonable path for her.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The women of the Victorian Era can be regarded as the first group to do battle for the equality of the sexes.   They lead all women to follow after them, and though their progression may not have been as vivid as the women of the 70's, they did have an effect.   Feminism was not outright spoken of in this time, rather passed through literature, such as this very novel.   Stories and novels were the primary means in which to communicate information and ideas in that time.   Without mass communication systems

Shakespeares Macbeth - The Tragic Hero Essay -- Macbeth essays

Macbeth - The Tragic Hero      Ã‚  Ã‚   Every true Elizabethan Tragedy comes complete with a tragic hero.   The tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, has a perfect example of a tragic hero, otherwise known as Macbeth.   A tragic hero must be a man who is great and admirable in various ways.   He should be placed in society in such a way that everything he does affects all of the members of his society.   A tragic hero should at some point reach the top of Fortune’s Wheel, but land up at the bottom by the end of the tragedy due to the continual change of fate.   Macbeth fits the description of being a tragic hero, displaying his strengths, his weaknesses, his tragic flaw, and how influential outside influences are on him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth definitely has a number of strengths that are prevalent throughout the entire play.   At the beginning of the play, Macbeth seems quite noble.   He fights in the battle against Norway, proving his honor (Lowe).   Ambition is another one of these strengths.   Macbeth is so determined that it enables him to become King of Scotland (Lowe).   It facilitates him to be strong, to overcome his hindrances, and to attain goals (Lowe).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weaknesses are another characteristic of a tragic hero, and Macbeth displays these quite evidently.   Although ambition was one of the aforementioned strengths obtained by Macbeth, it is a weakness of his, as well   (â€Å"Macbeth – Tragic Hero†).   In fact, it is such a substantial weakness that it constitutes as Macbeth’s tragic flaw.   Being so motivated can cause someone to do horrible things to get their way, as one can see by noting that â€Å"ruthless† is a synonym of â€Å"ambitious.†Ã‚   Through the course of the play, Macbeth kills several people in order... ...gic Hero†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many traits that make up a tragic hero, and Macbeth displays each of these.   Macbeth definitely completes a cycle in Fortune’s Wheel, starting off as a highly venerable man at the play’s beginning and being the exact opposite by the end.   His actions affect everyone in his society.   He displays strengths, weaknesses, a tragic flaw, and the fact that he is vulnerable to outside persuasions, thus making him a perfect example of a tragic hero. Works Cited Lowe, Lawrence.   â€Å"Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw.†Ã‚   http://server44.hypermart.net/homeworkdatabase/essays/essay11lit.html (10 January 2005). â€Å"Macbeth – Tragic Hero.†Ã‚   http://www.digitalessays.com/essays/eng_plays/eng_plays_0013.html (10 January 2005). Shakespeare, William.   Macbeth.   Ed Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar.   New York:   Washington Square Press, 1959.

The Way Up to Heaven

apprehension : anixiety bland : showing no strong emotions foible : little weekness or strange habit bustling : very busy butler : main,male servant yearing : strong desire diminutive : small and thin dapper : man dressed nicely hazy : not clear flabby : unattrective,soft,loose cable : telegraf shrill : very high and unpleasant sound tinkling : a light ringing sound pantry: a small room in a house where foods is kept appressive : a situation that makes you unhappy,worried glimmer: a small sign of sth trifle : modas? gecmis onemsiz CHARACTERS Mrs. Foster: she is the main character. ut she has no giving name or age. She is just her husband’s wife. She is modest,faithful ,neurotic,disiplined,suffuring. She changes,when she arrives Paris,she feels wonderful,strong,purposeful,cool and calm. And when she arrives back to New York she feels satisfied. Mr. Foster: he is 70 years old,rich,insensitive,diminutive but quite dapper,and he shows no love for his family and he has a few friend s. He is a static,flat character. CLIMAX The main turning point is he moment when Mrs. Foster freezes in front door to listen to a sound which is coming from the house. CONFLICTS External conflict: between the mrs.Foster and mr foster. Although she knows that her husban torments her on purpose,she does say anything about it. Internal conflict: between the mrs. foster and herself. Although she wants tol ive with her grandchildren she also thinks that it is wrong because her husband is still alive and she is a loyal wife. *** Mrs. Foster has an almost pathological fear of being late. And her husband knows she will be hysterical if he is late. So he always late on purpose. And he watch her to see if the tiny muscle by her eye starts twitching. She is begining to realize that her husbant is tormenting her.

Market Segmentation

Division of marketing for Kit Kat – chocolate bar, into geographic , demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Geographic segmentation The market is broadly divided into Urban (cities and towns) and Rural (villages). Kit Kat caters the high urban need by making products available that too with a variety with the help of which the rural crowd can be kept attracted. Rural needs are also kept in mind and there is nothing even required for Kit Kat to make an effort to attract rural crowd because of the price.Kit Kat’s price is very reasonable that attracts rural crowd and gives them proper quantity of chocolate as well be it the two-finger Kit Kat or the four-finger. Since Kit Kat has its price stable and has a very minor change in its price, it can still target the rural crowd by making them aware that compared to their competitors Cadbury their product is cheaper and much affordable. Demographic segmentation With the youth population getting larger, Kit Kat looks to take an advantage of that.They have also segmented the market for children, adults and aged people. Kit Kat is a type of a chocolate that is light and can be consumed by every age group. Majority of the customer base in market comprises of middle class and upper middle class. But income groups have never been a concern for Kit Kat, the prices of Kit Kat have been stable for decades and the prices are such that any income group can afford it. Psychographic segmentation Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003). Market Segmentation Division of marketing for Kit Kat – chocolate bar, into geographic , demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Geographic segmentation The market is broadly divided into Urban (cities and towns) and Rural (villages). Kit Kat caters the high urban need by making products available that too with a variety with the help of which the rural crowd can be kept attracted. Rural needs are also kept in mind and there is nothing even required for Kit Kat to make an effort to attract rural crowd because of the price.Kit Kat’s price is very reasonable that attracts rural crowd and gives them proper quantity of chocolate as well be it the two-finger Kit Kat or the four-finger. Since Kit Kat has its price stable and has a very minor change in its price, it can still target the rural crowd by making them aware that compared to their competitors Cadbury their product is cheaper and much affordable. Demographic segmentation With the youth population getting larger, Kit Kat looks to take an advantage of that.They have also segmented the market for children, adults and aged people. Kit Kat is a type of a chocolate that is light and can be consumed by every age group. Majority of the customer base in market comprises of middle class and upper middle class. But income groups have never been a concern for Kit Kat, the prices of Kit Kat have been stable for decades and the prices are such that any income group can afford it. Psychographic segmentation Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003). Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003).