Criminal justice Mini study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal justice Mini study - Research Paper Example The research problem in this context can be recognized as the conduct of graffiti by gangs in community such as in schools. Conceptually, graffiti refers to certain writings or drawings made on the walls of the communities asserting messages of threat. In various cities of the nations like in the case of New York, the police officers have been assigned to look after this issue. Thus, in this regard, graffiti in the community is the research problem to be identified (Maxfiled and Babbie 237-238). Reviewing the prior research. Prior research refers to the study of the current situation of the problem of graffiti with reference to the available data. This step of planning gives more attention on the selection of data collection method and also gives a clear view of the measures to be taken for solving the problem. Relating to this aspect, the notion of units of analysis specifies on the identification of the problem through the conduct of researches based upon primary along with secondary data (Maxfiled and Babbie 237-238). Research findings of content analysis of graffiti in community. Research findings will contain the implications of the problem i.e. conduct of graffiti in the community. This provides much attention on the goals and the rationales of the study conducted on graffiti in the community. The other aspect concerning the formation of content analysis require to be taken into concern is that the study must not be too limited towards manifest content and also not much extended towards latent analysis. Manifest analysis gives more importance to the goal of the study, whereas latent analysis focuses upon seeking independent evidences. With regards to the problem of graffiti, it can be affirmed that this problem must not only be identified, rather proper solutions to eradicate this must be found out and implemented (Maxfiled and Babbie 237-238). Planning of coding system for the study. This planning step focuses upon the establishment of

19th Century Theories in Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Essay Example for Free

19th Century Theories in Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Essay 19th Century Theories in Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment I teach you the Superman. Man is something that has to be surpassed. What have you done to surpass him? These words said by Friedrich Nietzsche encompass the theories present in Dostoevskys nineteenth century novel, Crime and Punishment. Fyodor Dostoevsky, living a life of suffering himself, created the character of Raskolnikov with the preconceptions of his own sorrowful and struggling life. Throughout his exile in Siberia from 1849-1859, his sentiments of suffering, sorrow, and the common man surfaced and heightened, inspiring him to begin writing Crime and Punishment in 1859. The main motif in this novel is that of suffering. It is apparent that all characters, major and minor, experience some sort of internal or external affliction. The overall theme of the work is that all mortal men suffer, and that salvation can not be obtained unless this anguish is present. Dostoevskys protagonist, Raskolnikov, must evolve and realize this fact to overcome his conflicts and reach the salvation of peace and tranquillity. Volumes and volumes of critique can be written on where this suffering originated, but Dostoevskys main concentration and focus is not where, but why suffering must exist and how this suffering can be overcome. See more:Â  First Poem for You Essay This is seen from the fact that throughout the six sections of the novel, only one section is focused on the origin of the torment the Crime, and the remaining five sections are concentrated on Raskolnikovs path to overcoming this anguish the Punishment. By focusing solely on the punishment, the internal and external conflicts that arise within the novel do not only provide Raskolnikovs own philosophy of the path toward salvation, but encompasses that of the German philosopher Nietzsche, as well as his contemporaries. Raskolnikovs justifications for his actions are relayed in his own Extraordinary Man Theory, which states that there are two classifications of men in the world: ordinary, and extraordinary. He wanted prove that he was extraordinary, that he could commit a crime as horrid as murder, but because he did it for the betterment of society, he would feel no sympathy or regret for his justified actions. In following Raskolnikovs theory, it becomes apparent from where his conceptions originate. Though the whole work encompasses the philosophies of all the nineteenth century theorists, Raskolnikovs ideas spawn from that of Friedrich Nietzsche and Georg Wilhelm Hegel. Since it has already been established that the entire novel contains theories of its era, to begin an analysis in regard to the novels main ideas evolving from the concepts of merely Nietzsche or Hegel would, in a way, belittle the importance of the remaining non-Hegelian nineteenth century philosophers. By analyzing the ideologies of the major theorists from Father to Fruitcake (Kierkegaard to Freud) with respect to Crime and Punishment, Dostoevskys intentions, motifs, and ideas can be interpreted with ease. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) believed that truth is both power and suffering. He is often noted as the Father of Existentialism, an innovated modern belief that life has no meaning, and that we must live life just for the sake of living, and nothing else. To know the truth about life and the individuals living it would be a form of powerful knowledge incomprehensible to man. The truth is Life is suffering. Kierkegaard believed that man was blessed with the greatest gift of all free will, but this free will creates decisions, and decisions generate emotions. Emotions are the key to the suffering of man. Happiness creates a fear in losing prosperity, fear leads to anger toward lifes unjust ways, anger leads to hatred of life in general, and hatred leads to the suffering of the individual mind. This is the path of the common man, the man who thinks that life can be blissful. The existential man believes that life has no meaning, no substance, and no path for happiness. He is the man who knows and accepts that all things, good and evil, exist, including suffering. This is why the existential man is indifferent toward the benefits and consequences of life. Raskolnikov believes that The Extraordinary Man feels no suffering and no pain. He is the man who can break the laws, transgress the laws, and make the laws. Raskolnikov believed that if he were extraordinary, he could commit any crime, even the crime of murder, and walk away from it indifferent, apathetic, and without emotion. What he did not realize was the main point of Kierkegaards philosophy, that no matter what man suffers. Raskolnikov thought that he could avoid the truth and avoid suffering. It is not until he confesses to both Porfiry and Sonia, which coincidentally is the same instant that his own pain begins to vanquish, that he fully understands and believes in the suffering of man. Georg Wilhelm Hegel (1770-1831), another prominent philosopher of the nineteenth century, hypothesized a dialectic method for the analysis and comprehension of history. He believed that all events in time move in a teleological fashion contrary to the popular belief of a circular path. Hegel stated that history, rather than repeating itself, learns and moves forward toward a purpose. In his theory this purpose is the freedom of all men in a rational state, and moving toward such a beneficial purpose justifies all good and evil events in history. The dialectic method also consisted of a diagram regarding this teleological path. Hegel believed that history is made up of a series of events all corresponding to a thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. The thesis and antithesis serve as the conflict in history, while the synthesis becomes the result. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov is the thesis, the symbol of good intentions, while Svidrigailov is the antithesis, the epitome and reality of evil and suffering. With the battle of good and evil comes salvation, or the synthesis, in this case Sonia, the representation and key to Raskolnikovs salvation. This method can also be viewed in the perspective of Dostoevskys primary concentrations. With that respect the crime can be viewed as the symbol of good intentions. Raskolnikov killed Alyona because she represented the evil in society. Because her death would be a blessing and benefit to the world he believed his crime would be justified. The punishment can be viewed as the reality of suffering. It is not until after he commits the crime that Raskolnikov realizes that all men in fact do suffer. The key is to overcome this suffering instead of avoiding it. The salvation can be viewed as the redemption and end to suffering the result of the crime and of the punishment. This analysis also maps Hegels teleological perspective because the novel moves in a linear fashion. The Crime (thesis) encompasses Part I of the novel, the Punishment (antithesis) is demonstrated in Parts II-VI, and the salvation (synthesis) is introduced in the epilogue. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844- 1900) did not believe in the suffering of all men. He believed that there existed a superman, a powerful individual that lived for self-gratification and nothing else. The Nietzschean superman asserts his own power to situations while he watches the common and ordinary man suffer because of lifes imperfections. This man needs no justification in his actions, because as long as he has satisfied himself, then his dominance over others requires no reason. Nietzsche also believed that in order to become a superman, an individual must surpass the common man. He must have no qualms or regrets in his actions, and above all, he must not fear his actions or consequences. Fear is the mother of morality, it is an emotion only known to ordinary men. A superman has no fear. Perhaps the character of Svidrigailov emits the best example of a Nietzschean superman in the novel. He is the epitome of evil and lives only for self-gratification. His downfall to his superman visage is suicide. Death is the escape to suffering. Svidrigailov feared its company, and in turn, took his own life to avoid it. Raskolnikov on the other hand, did not avoid suffering he conquered it. Though before his crime he did ask the Hegelian question of Will this crime serve a noble purpose, he also asks the Nietzschean question of Do I dare commit this murder and therefore prove myself to be a man by proving that my will is strong? It is after this that he commits the crime and begins to endure this suffering. Unlike his rival, Svidrigailov, Raskolnikov overcomes his pain through salvation with the help of Sonia, ends his isolation, and returns to the humanity of society. Karl Marx (1818-1883) believed that society was the root of suffering. His common man, the proletarian, struggled because of the capitalistic bourgeoisie. He believed that the proletariat goes through various stages of development. The first stage is the struggle against the bourgeois, which later turns to suffering. Through the growth of the masses, the final stages of the common man of strength and victory evolve. The goal and path of the Marxist man is to emerge from being a mere commodity of society into being a creative and active member of it. The strength that allows him to do this is the realization that he is suffering because he lives for others, and his victory is obtained by overcoming this anguish through the bond of the proletariat. Though Raskolnikov does not face the same pain of worthlessness as the proletariat, he develops in the same fashion. He struggles against his inner emotions of reason and morality, and suffers because of it. Though Sonia and Porfiry contribute to his salvation, it is Raskolnikov himself that overcomes his emotions. He does not need the bond of the masses to aid him in his survival and path toward salvation; he only needs the bond of his inner rational and emotion states. This is why Raskolnikov survives. In 1859 the theorist Charles Darwin (1809-1882) published a controversial book of survival entitled The Origin of Species. In this work Darwin established that an organisms evolution or devolution in life is representative of their ability to conform, adjust, and survive within the harshness of its environment. This theory of survival of the fittest, later became the coined theme of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism believes that man survives and prospers in nature because he is the organism that is fit enough to do so. In a battle between man verses nature, and even man versus society, only the strong shall survive, while the weak will parish. Faith and belief no longer have any bearing on the members of tomorrows society, only strength. Â  his theory is presented many times in Crime and Punishment. Alyona and Lizaveta both perish because they are not capable of defeating Raskolnikov. Alyona also did not survive because Raskolnikovs beliefs were stronger than her will and intentions. Svidrigailov cannot conquer the constraints society has placed upon him, and in turn, he commits suicide. The only exception to this theory is Raskolnikov. His inner strength of intelligence may be strong, but his physical and emotional abilities do not coincide with Darwins notion of fit. Raskolnikovs survival is from his redemption. He reaches salvation because he chooses to, and therefore he survives because he chooses to. He does this through his own realization and rationalization. The psychologist and theorist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed that an individuals decisions are not always determined by the rational state of mind. He believed that all humans possess three distinct decision making chambers of human behavior. He refers to the first of these as the id. The id is the childhood and instinctual need of the individual. This is the sector that satisfies an individuals wants and desires, accomplishing them at no fear of risk. The second portion of human behavior is referred to as the ego. The ego is the rationalist, the sector that makes decisions that benefit the individual and society. Freud believed that the majority of all individuals make decisions based on their ego. The final and third division of an individuals behavior is called the superego. The superego is the ideal individual. This individual makes decisions that should be made; he does things the way they should be done in his opinion, and no matter what the results may be, has no reason for regret. Though most of the characters in the novel make decisions based upon their ego, it is evident and apparent that Raskolnikov does not. He knows what he believes to be right and wrong, and tries to right the wrongs in society with his superego. Though he is the only one to use his superego, all of the other Freudian sections of human decisions exist in the work. Throughout the novel, Svidrigailov uses his id. His encounters with women, prosperity, and fortune are not prolific because he deserves them, but because he wants them. It is his id that leads him to his desire for an end to suffering, and his death near the end of the novel. Sonia and Dounia both rationalize their actions through their ego. Though Sonia does not and should not be a prostitute, she knows that it is the only way for her family to survive. Dounia is in a similar predicament. She did not wish to marry Luzhin, but his wealth and proposal to help Raskolnikov rationalized her to stay. Later, her ego permits her to marry Razumihin for his compassion, admiration, and companionship. This use of the id, ego, and superego supply a Freudian element to Dostoevskys work. With all of these theories analyzed, computed, and settled, we can end this critique where we began: I teach you the Superman. Man is something that has to be surpassed. What have you done to surpass him? Is Raskolnikov a Superman? Well, he follows Kierkegaards existential statement of I believe, therefore I am, which means that he surpasses the common man who merely thinks. Through the ideas of Hegel, his teleological movements from crime to punishment all serve a justified purpose in benefiting his moral and rational states. He overcomes the common man through the salvation he obtains from this linear evolution of trials. He suffers not from Marxist classes, but from internal struggle, excluding him as a member of the proletariat, or common man. Though not physically or emotionally fit to survive, his confession becomes his salvation, his survival, and his disclaimer in the Darwin theory of surviving. The common man may survive because he is fit to survive, but Raskolnikov survives because he chooses to survive. Unlike Freuds theory that the everyday man lives his life through his ego, Raskolnikov makes his decisions based on his superego, doing things not just because it would be rational, but because that it the way it should be done. So then, Is Raskolnikov a Superman? Yes.

Merchant of Venice: The Effects of Cross-Dressing Essay -- Masculinity

Shakespeare challenges the assumption that men hold more power than women do. He subtly hints that the power men posses is superficial when Jessica dresses like a boy, and later when Nerissa and Portia disguise themselves as men in The Merchant of Venice. Masculinity is merely a costume that can be donned or doffed at will; therefore its associated power can be removed and redistributed as well. Shakespeare emphasizes gender barriers, yet also challenges them to show their inconsistencies. In court, the Duke articulates the common assumption that men represent the educated and professional members of society. As he anticipates the arrival of the "young learned doctor" (IV i143), he asks, "Where is he?" (IVi 144). The Duke has not yet read the letter from Bellario; therefore he infers that the doctor is a man based on a preconceived prejudice that doctors usually are male. Nerissa and Portia are well aware of this discrimination, so they take on the roles of men rather than disguise themselves as other women when they appear in court. They succeed in fooling everyone at Shylock’s trial that they are men, not women, thus dispute the gender barrier that presumes women are not sophisticated enough to be experts. Gratiano suggests that no barriers lie between the sexes when he refers to Jessica as a "gentle" (II vi 51). He puns on the word, which can mean a refined lady or a gentleman, implying that the two can be indistinguishable. In the final scene when Portia questions Bassanio about his ring, he declares, "No woman had it, but a civil doctor"(V i210). He suggests that the two could not represent the same person. As he continues to speak, he reinforces gender differences; he describes Portia as "sweet" and "good" then refers t... ... influence that Nerissa now has over him. Shakespeare subtly addresses gender disputes and overwhelmingly proves them erroneous. He allows Jessica, Portia, and Nerissa to cross gender lines and disguise themselves as men. While they are transformed, their actions exemplify masculine deceit. Portia makes Balthasar seem excellent, therefore proves that women can surpass men in intellect. The women ultimately challenge male power and honor with their reluctance to act as men. After proving that men do not always posses more power than women do, Shakespeare concludes the play with a scene that physically shows females with the upper hand. The women use masculinity merely as a costume, and when they "remove it" they retain power, thus prove that the two are not always coupled. Works Cited Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice. New York: Viking Penguin, 1965. Â  

Domestic Violence in Canada Essay -- Violence Against Women Essays new

Violence has become prevalent within society; it is something the western world has learned to accept. With every minute that passes Canadians come face to face with certain acts of violence they may not have previously encountered (citation). Although, violence is not a subject that one can escape, women and children have unfortunately become the prime victims of violent acts. The media glorifies violence in other countries around the world it fails to address the presence of violence within Canada. Although violence is usually associated with gangs and guns, Canada experiences more violence related to bullying, sexual, verbal, cyber and domestic abuse (citation). Amidst the changing societal views towards treating women equally and eliminating objectification, of all these types of violence and abuse in our society, the most common still happens to be domestic abuse, which is mainly targeted at women and affects children. Domestic abuse is described as a form of abuse that takes pl ace in the confines of the household (Citation). Though 51% of Canadians have said to have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse only 20% of those cases related to domestic violence are ever reported (citation). Domestic abuse has become more prevalent in modern society; however, it is an issue that is left un-noticed simply because its effects are invisible outside the walls of ones home. In reality the effects of domestic violence have severe negative effects on women, children and the social structure of today’s society. Without any notification of domestic violence the re precautions of this abuse can be dire. When an individual thinks of domestic abuse, their ideas quickly relate back to women, simply because women are the usual and most common victims of domestic violence. And therefore is an issue that must be resolved rather than ignored. An abused woman is always faced with a number of different choices from which she may consider, with regards to seeking help or ending the relationship with a variety of alternatives, the woman knows each decision involves a variety of risks. Time after time, the common question arises, â€Å"why doesn’t she just leave?† This question can be answered by analyzing the psychological effects domestic abuse has on women. Many women are unable to cope with the emotional and psychological stress of domestic abuse and resort to violence and extre... ...mestic violence become homeless, their social economic status begins to decline. Going from a potentially middle class lifestyle they must resort to living in a shelter or on the street, simply because they are mentally or physically unable to find work due to the abuse they have experienced. As individuals lose their social economic status the social gap between the rich and the poor grows inevitably. The widening social gap can lead to discrimination and disparities such as growing food insecurities which can be described as the struggle for poor and homeless minorities to obtain food. The result of homelessness due to domestic violence will, negatively affect interaction between individuals, consequent to the social gap that will detach the victims of violence from their desired social economic status. In conclusion, the invisibility of domestic violence has caused numerous negative effects on women, children and the overall structure of modern day society. Women have been affected psychologically as well as socially. Children have been disadvantaged by the effects of domestic abuse within the school environment and in the latter parts of their lives. (worldly statement).

Coffee Shop Essay

The global spread of coffee growing and drinking all started with a curious goat and that’s what legends say. 9th century Ethiopian goat herder Kaldi drank a concoction made from the beans after seeing his energetic goats eat them. The Sufi monks of Yemen in the 15th century were said to drink it as well. During the 17th century when coffee was introduced to Europe, the popularity of cafes followed the same pattern as most coffee houses around the world. It quickly became a venue for people to congregate, exchange views, write poems, plays, and political testaments, conduct business transactions, participate in cultural exchange and often relax with a good book. The popularity of coffee shop had served as a mailing address, because many people were regulars. When you want to go to exchange news, share ideas and get advice, you go to a coffee shop. It has been that way for quite some time. Coffee shops had been places of learning; of making business deals; scientific, literary, political, philosophical, and economic discussions; and even the typical gossip. At the beginning of the nineteenth century nearly all coffee exported on the world market was produced by European colonies. Two-thirds came from French colonies. But despite the fact that the following century would witness what Eric Hobsbawm called â€Å"The Age of Empire† and Lance Davis termed â€Å"high imperialism†, colonialism would cease being important in coffee production. (Though colonies certainly continued to be vital to the production of tea and sugar. ) This occurred precisely at the same time that coffee consumption rose vertiginously in most European colonial powers. Coffee was treated differently than sugar and rubber in the nineteenth century Age of Empire because its low technological demands meant that an independent country richly endowed with the factors of production, Brazil, could begin producing on an unprecedented scale. Cheap fertile land and slave labor allowed coffee prices to plummet after 1820 and remain low until the last quarter of the century creating supply-induced demand. Brazil’s exports jumped 75 fold between independence in 1822 and 1899. World consumption grew more than 15 fold in the nineteenth century. Consumers were not very price conscious because they were long buffered from recognizing the price. If they drank in cafes, they were unaware of the type of coffee they were drinking. As the price of one sort rose, cafe owners often blended in cheaper substitute grades rather than raise their price. he same seems to have been true for grocers. Rather than risk losing their clientele, they competed on blends, not on price. They also sought to keep prices constant. Price rises were often not passed on to the consumer. Instead, cheaper blends were used or grocers reduced their profit margin. Moreover, as coffee sipping became customary and even habit-forming, it was transformed into a necessity for many. As a result, coffee in the twentieth century became price and income inelastic. Thus we are presented with the irony that the international coffee market at the turn of the twentieth century, one of the world’s largest commodity markets, was relatively price inelastic (within in a reasonably large range) at both the production and the consumption end, though profit-driven commercial and industrial intermediaries were extremely conscious of price. In other words, it was quite imperfect. The Philippine Coffee Company (PCC) says the first coffee tree was introduced in Lipa, Batangas, in 1740 by a Spanish Franciscan monk and soon spread to neighboring towns of Ibaan, Lemery, San Jose, Taal, and Tanauan. â€Å"Batangas owed much of its wealth to the coffee plantations in these areas and Lipa eventually became the coffee capital of the Philippines. We are one of the few countries that produces the four varieties of commercially viable coffee: Arabica, Liberica (Barako), Excelsa, and Robusta. This is attributed to the country’s climate and soil ranging from the lowlands of southern Luzon to the mountain ranges of the Cordillera and Mindanao. â€Å"In 1880, the Philippines was the fourth largest exporter of coffee beans, and when the coffee rust hit Brazil, Africa, and Java, it became the only source of coffee beans worldwide,† PCC says. Our glory days as one of the world’s coffee centers lasted until 1889 when coffee rust hit the Philippine shores, coupled with an insect infestation. Production plunged to 1/6th its original amount. By then, Brazil had regained its position as the world’s leading producer of coffee. A few of the surviving coffee seedlings were transferred from Batangas to Cavite, where they flourished. Our ranking fell because many of the coffee growing areas – like rice fields and salt beds of Las Pinas – were eaten by housing and commercial developments. Less area was allotted to coffee because farmers had shifted to other cash crops. Today’s Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Some claim it is the most widely consumed liquid in the world aside from water. Coffee’s success as a beverage undoubtedly owes both to the caffeine it harbors and to its sensory pleasure. Coffee lovers come to associate the energizing lift of the caffeine with the richness and aroma of the beverage that delivers it. In our culture, bookstores are also seen as social, intellectual and downright hip. Many bookstores are a place of community where people gather and know one another and talk. The atmosphere in a bookstore typically invites customers to relax and browse the shelves. The concept of a bookstore and coffee house is a good combination that will perfectly gives the bookworm persons and a coffee lover the opportunity to purchase their favorite titles and discover new books while relaxing and enjoying a cup of coffee. The Company is then formed because of the said conceptualized idea and inspiration. COMPANY PROFILE The name of the company will be CTB that stands for COFFEE, TABLE, BOOK. The company’s name was originated from the idea of coffee table book which means a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for portability. The Company CTB will be a combination of piles of books ready for reading and a comfortable cafe that provides place for bookworms to sip coffee and talk with their friends while enjoying their books. It is a modern type of library and a much more public place for reading with a twist for having a cafe in it. It is a very interesting place for a person who wants to meet new people who are also interested in reading, studying and exploring new things and ideas through books. The cafe is really just an addition to the whole idea. It gives new impression to reading. Reading with a cup of coffee or tea with you is a lot better than reading without anything to drink or eat. It’s a higher level of coming into a public place to look for interesting books and a cafe with it. TAGLINE â€Å"Cool your coffee and bring it closer to your heart and mind. † Our tagline represents our business in the most promising way. We decided to state it as cool your coffee, â€Å"cool† meaning call your coffee. Cool because we want it to be mind-teasing and catchy so that customers will notice the line and think. Call your coffee and order it in the CTB shop to relax while reading your favorite novels and bring it closer to your heart and mind. Customers will definitely bring it closer to their heart because the coffee goes to the heart and down to the veins of an individual. The heart and the mind as we all know, is really Like Coffee, Table, Books shop, customers will hold our business close to their hearts and mind, remembering every moment they’ve had with us. Every learning they will earn with what they have read, we are assuring them that they will treasure everything we have shared with them forever. LOCATION The CTB store is located in 1199 unit 5 ground flr. Lemon Square Building, Edsa, Munoz Quezon City with the size of 102. 50 square meters. There are adequate parking space and have reasonably priced per square meter. Rental payments as well additional payment will be stated within the leasing terms including the registration of utilities and amenities. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION VISION To become the foremost Coffee shop in the local and international industry providing the best products and high quality experience. MISSION. To create a unique, comfortable and relaxing environment while enjoying the best hot and cold coffee drinks at an affordable price making it perfect. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES †¢ To increase the frequency of customers’ visitations. †¢ To maintain positive sales growth and increase market share. †¢ Increase brand awareness †¢ To open new branches of stores nationwide every year. †¢ To ensure that equipments used for cold and hot coffee drinks are well-maintained and in good condition. †¢ Develop new products and innovate services yearly. †¢ Develop an increase in sales while achieving a status quo state and decrease in marketing expenses. †¢ To create a cozy and relaxing ambiance. †¢ To give seminars and trainings to employees and retain their Standard Operating Procedures. †¢ To improve promotional activities and advertisements quarterly †¢ To listen and implement feedbacks, suggestions and opinions of customers for the improvement and betterment of the business. COMPANY’S FORM OF ORGANIZATION The company CTB is a sole proprietor type of business because the owner’s primary purpose is to generate profit. A sole proprietorship is a business owned by a single individual. This sole owner is responsible for the entire business and accepts complete responsibility for the business’s liabilities, as well as its income. Unlike other legal structures, the sole proprietorship requires less paperwork and is subject to few business restrictions and regulations. ? Characteristics of Sole Proprietor Management and Control A sole proprietorship is operated by a single individual; thus, the sole proprietor has exclusive management and control of the business. Personal Liability A sole proprietor is personally liable for all obligations and debts of the business. Thus, the business assets and personal assets of the sole proprietor are subject to the risks of the business. Moreover, in California, if the owner is married, the martial community property is at risk and subject to attachment by creditors. If the business is conducted under a name which does not show the owner’s surname or implies the existence of additional owners, the owner is required to file a fictitious name certificate and publish a notice in the newspapers. Capitalization There are no rules governing capitalization of a sole proprietorship. Continuity of Existence The sole proprietorship continues as long as the sole proprietor desires to operate the business and is legally competent. If the business owner is adjudged legally incompetent, becomes incapacitated, or dies, the sole proprietorship ceases to exist. An owner may sell the business as he or she chooses. Taxation A sole proprietor is taxed on business income and may deduct allowable business expenses on his or her personal income tax return. ? Advantages of Sole Proprietor Easy formation: The formation of sole proprietorship business is very easy and simple. No legal formalities are involved for setting up the business excepting a license or permission in certain cases. The entrepreneur with initiative and certain amount of capital can set up such form of business. Direct motivation: The entrepreneur owns all and risks all. The entire profit goes to his pocket. This motivates the proprietor to put his heart and soul in the business to earn more profit. Thus, the direct relationship between effort and reward motivates the entrepreneur to manage the business more efficiently and effectively. Better control: The entrepreneur takes all decisions affecting the business. He chalks out the plan and executes the same. His eyes are on everything and everyone. There is no scope for laxity. This results in better control of the business and ultimately leads to efficiency. Promptness in decision-making: When the decision is to be taken by one person, it is sure to be quick. Thus, the entrepreneur as sole proprietor can arrive at quick decisions concerning the business by which he can take the advantage of any better opportunities. Secrecy: Each and every aspect of the business is looked after by the proprietor and the business secrets are known to him only. He has no legal obligation to publish his accounts. Thus, the maintenance of adequate secrecy leaves no scope to his competitors to be aware of the business secrets. Flexibility in operations: The sole proprietorship business is undertaken on a small scale. If any change is required in business operations, it is easy and quick to bring the changes. Scope for personal touch: There is scope for personal relationship with the entrepreneur and customers in sole proprietorship business. Since the scale of operations is small and the employees work under his direct supervision, the proprietor maintains a harmonious relationship with the employees. Similarly, the proprietor can know the tastes, likes and dislikes of the customers because of his personal rapport with the customers. Inexpensive formation and management: The cost of formation of a sole proprietorship is the minimum because no cost is involved in its formation excepting the license fee in certain cases. The management of the business is also inexpensive as no specialists are normally appointed in various functional areas of the business which is the added advantages. Free from Government control: Sole proprietorship is the least regulated form of business. Regulated laws are almost negligible in its formation, day-to-day operation and dissolution. Easy dissolution: Like that of formation, the dissolution of the sole proprietorship is also very easy. Since the proprietor is the supreme authority and no regulations are applicable for closure of the business he can dissolve his business any time he likes. Socially desirable: New and small entrepreneurs can take up business on small- scale basis. There will be no scope for concentration of wealth in few hands. Sole proprietorship continues its operation in almost each and every area of business activity and caters to the need of the society. Further, it provides ample opportunities for large-scale self-employment for rural and less skilled personnel. Thus, it is socially desirable. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CTB will offer its customers the best tasting coffee beverages in the area. This will be achieved by using high-quality ingredients and strictly following preparation guidelines. The store layout, menu listings and marketing activities will be focused on maximizing the sales of higher margin espresso drinks. Along with the espresso drinks, brewed coffee, as well as some refreshment beverages will be sold in the coffee shop. CTB will also offer its clients, cookies, muffins, sandwiches and bread. On the other hand, the store offerings will be supplemented by small range of books, magazine and other references that customers can read while drinking coffee. PRODUCTS: COFFEE AND ESPRESSO Regular Coffee Americano Cappucino Macchiato *Caramel & Hazenut Caffe Latte Caffe Mocha ICED COFFEE Iced Americano Iced Cappucino Iced Macchiato *Caramel & Hazelnut Iced Latte Iced Mocha Latte NON COFFEE HOT DRINKS Hot Chocolate Hot Vanilla NON COFFEE FROZEN DRINKS Chocolate Mocha Vanilla Cookies and Cream Hazelnut BAKED GOODIES Sandwiches and Breads Muffins Cookies Croissants Donuts PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT The Product Research and Development Plan of CTB will provide a clear framework of challenging targets for the consumer over the next years. Strategic view of the needs and opportunities to achieve outcomes that meet the expectations of industry will be the key to the success of this plan. Within the next two years, the company was expected to branch out in different areas of Metro Manila and other provinces. As seasons change, CTB will be offering products that will enhance sales and satisfy its customers’ desires. During summer months, CTB will subsidize lower hot beverage sales with frozen coffee drinks, as well as soft drinks, and other cold beverages. CTB will also have special beverages during holiday seasons. The CTB will carry a variety of quality products that will enable to provide full service delivery to espresso stands and coffee houses that will be offered 1 year after the store was established. The company’s underlying philosophy in selecting products is to choose lines that will bring consistent quality, competitive prices, and product satisfaction to our customers. TARGET MARKET CHARACTERICTICS |CHARACTERISTICS |PRIMARY |SECONDARY | |LOCATION |Nearby school/offices and establishments |Nearby residents of District 1 and 2 of Quezon | | | |City | |AGE |16-35 |36-59 | |GENDER |Male and Female |Male and Female | |OCCUPATION |Students/ Company employees |Entrepreneurs | |STATUS |Middle Class |Upper Class | |TYPE OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT |Schools/ Company offices |Commercial Buildings and Banks | SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. Age_________ Gender _________ Occupation _________ 2. How often do you visit a coffee shop within a month? o 1-2 o 3-4 o 5-6 o 7-more 3. How many cups of coffee do you consume in a day? | | |1 cup per day | |2-3 cups per day | |Greater than 3 cups per day (How many? ) | | | | | |4. What kind of coffee do you usually buy/order? | |Regular coffee | |Espresso | |Latte | |Iced Coffee | |Other____ (specify) | | | |5. Which snacks do you regular purchase? | |Donut | |Muffin | |Cookies | |Sandwiches | |Cake slices | |Pastries | |Other________(specify) | | | | | |6. How much do you spend in each month in coffee shop? | | | |Maximum 1000 | |Minimum 100 | |Average 350 | |Sum 1,400 | | | |7. What is the reason why do you want to go to a coffee shop? | |To release stress | |To study/read | |Social gathering | |Drinking habit | |Others_______(specify) | MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS Coffee is the drink of choice for many people across the world which is the reason why coffee shops are so popular. People love coffee, so many small business people capitalize on this by opening up coffee shops. Some coffee shops provide Internet access so that people can use their laptops while they enjoy their coffee. This is especially helpful for busy students on the go. The coffee shop trend continues because there is a huge demand for it. If you took a road trip across America, you would find coffee shops on just about every corner. While the biggest and most well-known chain is Starbucks, you will also see many mom-and-pop coffee shops or small coffee shop stands. Even gas stations sell coffee to truckers and other travelers on the road. Brazil has by far the most coffee drinkers worldwide, so you will certainly notice that the coffee shop trends are very popular in Brazil. Some people even say that they can smell the aroma of coffee in the air. Coffee with no sugar or added creamers has no calories, and coffee shops have come up with the trend of offering many coffee drinks and treats that are low-fat. Our generation grew up thinking of coffee as a morning pick-me-up and after dinner drink for adults only. The 18-24 year old group has a different view of coffee, thanks to the coffee shop culture. Where older generations gathered at the local soda shop, these kids made the local coffee shop their afternoon hangout. Starbucks and other local chains improved their coffees with flavors, sugar and many creams. This makes their coffee more appealing to the younger crowd. As those kids graduate from high school and move on to college, they’re finding that their love of coffee moves along with them. MARKETING STRATEGY CTB’s marketing strategy will be focused at getting new customers, retaining the existing customers, getting customers to spend more and come back more often. Establishing a loyal customer base is of a paramount importance since such customer core will not only generate most of the sales but also will provide favorable referrals. †¢ PRODUCT LINE. | | | | | |COFFEE |NON COFFEE HOT DRINKS |NON COFFEE FROZEN DRINKS |FOOD | |Iced Coffee |Hot Chocolate |Chocolate |Sandwiches and Breads | |Latte |Hot Vanilla |Mocha |Muffins | |Frap | |Vanilla |Cookies | |Espresso | |Cookies and Cream |Croissants | | | |Hazelnut |Donuts | †¢ POSITIONING The company will be positioned as a brand providing high quality products at reasonable prices for busy, mobile people whose time is already at a premium, but desires refreshing beverages in a welcoming space that fosters a warm, comfortable and professional environment. †¢ DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL Distribution channels move products and services from businesses to consumers and to other businesses. Given the importance of distribution channels along with the limited resources generally available to small businesses it is particularly important for entrepreneurs to make a careful assessment of their channel alternatives, because an effective channel of distribution strategy is also a major contributing factor for the success of any business entity to be established. Raw materials will be purchased from the suppliers and then delivered to the house of the sole proprietor for storage. The ingredients needed for the production of the final product are made available at the food stall processed into a final product to be served to the customers. The proposed business can offer and acquire sales directly from the market because it has the advantage of having the direct contact with the consumer. †¢ ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS We would adopt the following promotion strategies: o Loyalty Cards. o Coffee Feedback Cards o Refills only half the price o Coffee tasting event promotion o Seasonal product promotion o Meal-Focused Promotions o Provide Complementary Services and Products o Print Advertisements in different designated locations o Social Networking (engage fans in twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other photo sharing sites. ) MANAGEMENT PLAN Background and primary responsibilities of the management team In any business, employees have important roles in an organization towards achieving the business’s goal. The management aspect of COFFEE,TABLE,BOOK or CTB is composed of proposed techniques and strategies that will be used for the improvement of its employees. These can be done through proper hiring and training of workers. Every employee have their specific duties and responsibilities in building up a business. There will be a designated work and section for each of them in a period of time. The shuffling of assigned tasks are expected for the employees’ versatility and for them to be an effective, efficient and knowledgeable about their jobs. With proper utilization of its resources, it would be sure that the company will yield its expected return of income. The success of this project lies on the efficient and effective use of human resources in the following functions of management such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The top management of the business shall carry out its responsibilities by governing its employees and being responsible in taking in to actions the policies of the company. Also, they will be in charge of monitoring and supervising the trainees and former employees as well. It is very substantial to know the capacity and capability of the people working inside the organization and their manner of interrelationship with other employees as well as with the management. A manager will look after the employees and will assure that every employee are working and striving for the business standards. Overall, every person shall work effectively and contribute skills in order to achieve success of the organization. CTB Coffee,Table,Book [pic] by: Busita, Lorica R. Dionco, Criselda Marie A. Dumencel, Roshell B. Reyes, Jenny Lyn M. Rivera, Juvia Katte M.

Vertical Integration in Starbucks Essay Example

Vertical Integration in Starbucks Essay Example Vertical Integration in Starbucks Paper Vertical Integration in Starbucks Paper Starbucks Vertical Integration Ques 1. Starbuck’s value chain is farmers, roasting, distribution, and retail. Raw Materials (Coffee Beans): Coffee bean farming is not vertically integrated into Starbucks; the company purchases coffee beans from farmers. Starbucks choose to outsource farming due to the low potential hold-up problem. For its coffee, Starbucks uses only high-quality Arabica beans, instead of regular commodity and lower quality robusta beans. Since there are a lot of market participants trading Arabica beans (i. e. farmers Arabica beans buyers), there is an established market price. Moreover, farm land has a low degree of asset specificity, and therefore farmers’ investments do not depend only on Starbucks as their buyer. Both of these allow both parties to contract without high transaction/bargaining cost. Furthermore, Starbucks is able to outsource farming because the company is able to reduce the moral hazard problem. Since Starbucks is able to contract with the farmers and is willing to pay more for premium beans , the company can create high powered incentives within the contract to ensure that it will receive high quality beans from the farmers. Roasting: Roasting is vertically integrated into Starbucks, such that the company roasts the beans itself . Due to a potential hold-up and moral hazard problem that leads to high transaction cost, it is inefficient for Starbucks to outsource bean roasting. Since Starbucks values the quality of their product at the highest priority and â€Å"considers the roasting of its coffee beans to be an art form† , they have strict and high standards for their quality checks. More specifically, they use a blood-cell analyzer to test color of the beans. This requires a high degree of asset specificity such that other companies do not require this equipment to check the quality of their roasted beans and leads to a potential hold-up problem. Moreover, as evidenced by the fact that the Senior Vice President, on a daily basis, checks the quality of coffee samples, Starbucks prefers tight control over quality inspection. Since company’s quality standard is so controlled and strict, it would be very costly to negotiate a contract that would be enough to provide type of maintenance Starbucks requires and prevent a moral hazard problem. Distribution Warehouses: Starbucks is not vertically integrated in distribution and warehouses. It outsources to distribution and warehouses specialists , because there is low risk of a hold problem and low transaction cost for contracting. Market price for distribution and warehousing is established because there are many distributers and many buyers who need their service. Additionally, warehouses and transportation used for distribution (i. e. trucks) are not specifically tied to coffee beans and have really low degree of asset specificity. Retail: Retail is vertically integrated into Starbucks. Instead of franchising, it has company-owned stores. Starbuck choose to vertically integrate due to its main strategy of selling a unique â€Å"Starbucks experience. † More specifically, Starbucks stores aim to create a â€Å"consistent, inviting, stimulating environment that evoked the romance of coffee, that signaled the company’s passion for coffee, and that rewarded customers with ceremony, stories, and surprise. For this strategy to be successful, the company needs to â€Å"replicate precisely† this experience in all of its stores. But the amount of control required to maintain this much consistency is too costly to negotiate in order to create a contract, and therefore inefficient to outsource. Ques 2. Roasting: The integration of roasting is a source of competitive advantage because this capability is both valuable and rare. Starbucks’ full control of the roasting process allows the company to ensure that the beans are roasted at a high quality. Consequently, Starbucks is able to offer a product that satisfies the demand for premium coffee. Moreover, the resulting difference in quality between Starbucks’ coffee and their competitors’ allows Starbucks to differentiate itself and gain market share. Retail: The integration of retail is also a source of competitive advantage because this capability is also valuable and rare. Through Starbucks full control and consistent management of the distinctive Starbucks experience, the company is able to create a strong brand equity. Establishing a strong brand equity allows the company maintain market presence. Additionally, considering that there are many coffee producers competing against Starbucks, having a strong brand equity allows the company to differentiate themselves. Ques. 3 Roasting: The integration of roasting is only a temporary competitive advantage for the Starbucks because this capability is imitable. Although Starbucks has its own method of roasting and a high quality inspection process, there is no evidence that the process is a protected secret. Hence, competitors are able to copy the process as long as they have the financial resource, equipment, trained employees. However, if the roasting and inspection process is indeed a protected secret, then integration of roasting is a sustainable competitive advantage. As a protected secret, competitors will not be able to imitate it. Furthermore, this capability is firm specific to Starbucks considering that the company has been roasting their own coffee beans since the beginning. Retail: The integration of roasting is a sustained competitive advantage for the Starbucks. Through full control of retail and consistent management of the distinct â€Å"Starbucks experience† over time, Starbucks has created a strong brand equity that can be sustained. The Starbucks brand is now synonymous with premium coffee. However, if Starbucks fails to maintain consistency in the management of its retail and â€Å"Starbucks experience,† opportunities will become available for competitors to produce similar retail experiences to Starbucks and steal market share. Bibliography 1. ) Starbucks Coffee Company, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, p. -9, http://mba. tuck. dartmouth. edu/pdf/2002-1-0023. pdf 2. ) Starbucks Corporation, the McGraw-Hill Companies, mhhe. com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/starbucks-2. html 3. ) Starbucks Corporation: Competing in a Global Market, UW Business School, p. 3, http://bschool. washington. edu/gbc/documents/starbucks_final. pdf 4. )Starbucks Coffee Company, p. 15. 5. )Starbucks Corporation, mhhe. com/business/ma nagement/thompson/11e/case/starbucks-2. html 6. ) Ibid.

Man and Aviation essays

Man and Aviation essays Mans dream of flying has been apparent almost as long as mankind himself. However, the concept of an aircraft has only been around for approximately two hundred years. Before this time, man tried to fulfill this dream by mimicking the birds. They first built machines called ornithopters to utilize mans own power to propel himself through the air. It did not take long for the inventors to realize that this concept was not practical for human flight. It took about twenty more years for technology to catch up. Beginning around 1783, a few aeronauts, as they were known, made daring uncontrolled flights in lighter-than-air balloons, but it was soon realized that this was not a practical way to fly either. It wasnt until the early nineteenth century that Sir George Cayley designed the first true fixed wing flying machine. His design used a kite mounted to a stick with a moveable tail and rows of flappers under the wings for thrust. Cayleys craft however, still did not utilize the principle of engine propulsion. In 1900, a man named of Gustave Whitehead had been building and flying gliders for the Boston Aeronautical Society when he decided to start experimenting with a flying machine of his own. His design, which had foldable wings and a motor, took roughly a year and a half to construct. Although highly controversial, Whitehead claimed that on August 14, 1901 he piloted the worlds first motorized flight, which was approximately two years before the Wright Brothers infamous flight in Kitty Hawk. On this day, Whitehead had a series of four flights the longest was said to cover one and a half miles at an altitude of two hundred feet. These notable claims remain in question to this day due to fact that Whitehead failed to record flight attempts and successes throughout his experiments. The only data for any of his experiments are estimates of witnesses who were present at the flights. (Gustave White...

The Alchemist Summary Part One Essays

The Alchemist Summary Part One Essays The Alchemist Summary Part One Essay The Alchemist Summary Part One Essay Mabel Medina July 1, 2012 English 513 Kelly Understand The Alchemist Summary In â€Å"Part One† of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, is so far about a boy named Santiago starting out his quest in the search of his Personal Legend. Santiago is a shepherd who likes to travel and enjoys being around his sheep. Although he travels all over, there was a certain village the shepherd boy enjoyed going to sell his sheep’s wool because he liked the merchant’s daughter. The author describes Santiago recall why he decided to become a shepherd and how his father helped him by giving him three gold coins to buy his flock of sheep. The boy was happy being a shepherd; he had his sheep, a jacket and book. One day, Santiago went to a Gypsy where he tells her about a recurrent dream he has had about finding treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. The Gypsy does not give him a lot of information about his dream, but does tell him that if he finds the treasure, to give her one-tenth. Later on that day, the boy is reading his book, when an old man came by him and tried to start a conversation. When the old man finally got the boy’s attention, he tells him he is the King of Salem, and how he can find the hidden treasure, but wants one-tenth of his sheep in return. The old man also tells the boy to not give up and to go forth and search for the treasure before it is too late and he gives up. The next day, Santiago met up with the old man and gives him one-tenth of his sheep. In return, the old man gave the boy advice that would be helpful throughout his journey, and two rocks, Urim and Thummim (one black meaning yes, and the other white, meaning no), to help him read omens better. Santiago began his journey and went to Africa. While in Africa, as the author describes, the boy feels insecure because of the language barrier, but quickly entrusts in a boy who speaks the same language as he and invites him along his journey. The two boys go into the plaza, and Santiago’s new friend is suddenly out of sight, with all of his money, and he later realizes that his â€Å"friend† has robbed him. The following day, the boy observes a candy seller, and as he is doing so, he realizes that he needs to have patience on his journey. A crystal merchant notices Santiago in the plaza and watches him. Santiago offers to clean his glass windows in exchange for food. As Santiago was working, two customers went in the shop, and the crystal merchant offers him a job, taking the customers as a good omen. The boy accepts, telling him that he will work for him until he has enough money to buy some sheep.

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

Crunchs Management - Essay Example However, in spite of this the Crunch management should ensure that their name is not affected by the expansion. Already people had gained so much confidence in the services that Crunch offered thus changing the brand name may cost the company some of its customers. Levine asserts that he knows exactly what needs to be done to promote the brand but all he needs is assistance. Crunch has insightful leaders who are very dedicated and all that they required was to draw a well strategic plan of all the activities they will engage in before they acquire SportsLife. Crunch’s Los Angeles position had really favored its operations and above all this positioning and expansion had been funded by a donor. At this position they were able to collect a substantial amount of revenue. Generally, the overall revenue for Crunch combined with other external collections, was enough for reinvestment. Crunch’s top management had so far proven to be very innovative for instance, the coming up with the idea of fitness clubs as tenants of real estate was great (Harvard Business School 5). They always came up with new ideas which upon exploiting proved to be very profitable for the company. The experience that the company already had on the expansion as it had started as a small business venture, would aid it to pursue the SportsLife acquisition. However, a lot needs to be put in place before doing this considering that if they acquired SportsLife, they would increase their size by 60%. This implies that what they were going to acquire was more than what they had in place already. Crunch should strive to expand its operations at this critical moment when they enjoyed a good brand name. The move to acquire SportsLife was perfect as the company would increase its club mass on a very pleasing market Harvard Business School (6). An expansion strategic plan needed to be put in place on how the activities would be executed. Firstly, flagship facilities were needed be put in place in every market in order for the company to acquire a greater coverage. Furthermore, intensive advertising activities should be pursued to inform their potential customers of the changes they had undertaken. Though expenditures would rise, they were going to be got from many clubs as well as a larger membership base. Although the acquisition was worthwhile, it would take Crunch quite some time to merge it completely into its brand. Fortunately, looking at the performance of the company it is confident that if they acquire the new facilities they will be able to generate more revenue than what the clubs currently generated. The clubs generated about $17 million revenue annually which meant they were not doing badly (Harvard Business School 8). At the time SportsLife clubs had approximately 70,000 members who had a relatively renewal rate as compared to Crunch. From such a scenario, it implies that by giving this clubs the Crunch reputation, the renewal rates are likely to go up boos ting the revenue base. In addition, the clubs’ current condition was not comparable to the Crunch clubs, thus it meant upon upgrading the clubs, they will attract more membership. Crunch should view the differences that exist between SportsLife’s clubs and its own as a stepping stone to differentiation and diversification. Since Crunch had exploited all the opportunities at their disposal successfully, they needed to explore new ideas and personalize them. Harvard Business School (9) explains that two of the SportsLife clubs were strategically positioned to Crunch’s advantage. What Crunch needed to do was to concentrate all their efforts into

Midterm 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Midterm 2 - Essay Example There are certainly more preferences that he can keep track of. Develop a problem definition for Steve, as discussed in the Session Five lecture notes and readings. The problem definition for Steve would consist of a list of the problems which he wants to address. In this case it the behavior of the customers and their preferences. He needs to keep track of the customer’s behavior, what they order, what they like, type of customers that walk in and the timings at which they prefer to be served. The objective for Steve in this case is to get as much information as possible about the customers so he can match his service to their requirements. The objective in this case is the enhancement of services based on customer needs. The issue is important for Steve since he is spending on his business to make it better. At present the most critical objectives are to gather relevant and accurate information regarding customer behavior and interpreting it so that the quality of service can be improved based on customer needs. B. You are going to interview the local manager of LDI, a national tire retailer, who has asked you to work as a system analyst on a management information system to provide inventory information. Here are five questions you wrote to prepare for the meeting: C. You are a project manager at L & D Inc., specialized in information technology and network engineering. One of your junior systems analyst came to you for an advice of a technology to capture user information requirements. He described to you that he had talked with his client several times in the past week to define user information requirements. Each time he thought he had captured user information requirements, they’ve already changed. Finally, he thinks his clients do not even know what they want for their system. Give your junior systems analyst an advice of a technology that he could use to capture user information requirements and

Water for Profit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Water for Profit - Essay Example Sometimes a sense of urgency of solving this problem is lacking until it is too late to do anything and then suffer its adverse consequences causing untold misery and numerous unnecessary deaths. It used to be that water from any source is clean and safe to drink, whether from the spring, river, lake or artesian well. Prior to the advent of the Industrial Revolution, this was a case usually in most rural areas. But the rise of factories and urban centers occasioned by the Industrial Revolution forced many people to live in congested and confined areas with little or no regard to sanitation. Before Western medicine and scientific research took hold, epidemics were fairly common, most of them caused by dirty water that had water-borne diseases in it. A new paradigm must be pursued regarding water resources, that although it is renewable, it is a not inexhaustible resource. There are many instances and situations where there is plenty of water but none of it is drinkable due to pollution. This paper examines a modern phenomenon of water being sold for profit, an unthinkable situation even just a few decades ago. People no longer trust their tap water and resort to drinking supp osedly purified water in plastic bottles. Nobody can dispense with drinking water. The rise of big cities and urban centers is a sign of progress and development. These areas require modern methods of sewerage and the sewage system, together with piping potable water into homes and offices. In his book, author Peter H. Glieck lamented the war on tap water in favor of profits and big business to the utter detriment of ordinary people. Good public governance requires those in power to provide all the basic necessities in life, through utilities such as municipal water and electricity to power homes and businesses. Suddenly, public water fountains disappeared from most public areas and bottled water is

Challenging Homeostatic Interpersonal Process Essay

Challenging Homeostatic Interpersonal Process - Essay Example Another key issue is the increasing economic challenges in today's society. According to Shulman (1996) there should be realization that economic pressures have highlighted the need for individual and support groups to provide emotional and psychological support for those that are most challenged. Coupled with globalization, people are not only having to deal with the social changes but also have to deal with the accelerated pace of these developments. Gitterman and Shulman (2005) that this issue had served to highlight competencies and deficiencies of sectors in the society that calls for a review of previous standards and approaches for social services. This opinion was also given by Blank (2002) and has prompted him to call for the evaluation of perspectives in welfare and social care not only as a service but also with regard to the factors that drive needs. The reaction has been not just in health and social service reforms but also in the involvement of the community. In the UK, in an effort to improve channels of services, the government has established community based programs to deliver or provide for social services (Lalor et al, 2005). ... As the demand for social services increase, so will the cost of providing and accessing social services increase: a development that has limited access to social and health services particularly in less affluent communities and further aggravates disparities in socio-economics levels. Thus, service partnerships and collaborating between the sectors of education, social and health services have increased in significance. The efforts also are an indication of greater awareness in the community regarding the urgency of social issues particularly those that affect children and the marginalized. The School Social Work and Attendance Department The School Social Work and Attendance Department in the Broward County School is a local effort that is committed to positively impacting student achievement by addressing and removing barriers to learning (SSWAD, 2007a). The programs include the assignment of social workers to each school, abuse and truancy interventions, counseling, health education, psychological services and programs for exceptional students. SSWAD wants to accomplish its objectives by ensuring that all students have access to the wide array of services provided the department assigns a school social worker assigned to every school. The initiative echoes Broward County School's campaign of "transforming education one student at a time" (Broward County Public Schools [BCPS], 2007) The school social worker intervenes as part of the schools' Collaborative Problem-Solving Team, the Crisis Team, and additionally, provides training and teachers' consultation regarding child abuse, homelessness, teenage pregnancy, mental health concerns, dependency, and

Which Markets AIBO Can Look for as Alternatives to US and Japan Essay

Which Markets AIBO Can Look for as Alternatives to US and Japan Markets - Essay Example Consolidating information from all the above sources, following are the features of AIBO which can be built in addition to the present features – 1. AIBO Facial Recognition – it would be very useful if AIBO is able to recognize its owner’s face. As of the date of the case, AIBO did not have facial recognition features. Users would find it more delightful if AIBO would recognize its owners face and express delight just as the actual dogs or puppies do. 2. AIBO Voice Recognition – similar to face recognition, AIBO owners would also find it very delightful if their robopet would recognize their voice and respond accordingly. This would really delight the users. 3. AIBO Self Battery Recharge – there have been questions raised by AIBO owners (AIBO FAQs www.aibosite.com) if AIBO can detect by itself if its battery needs recharge and would go and plug itself in order to recharge itself. This would remove the last bit of dependency of AIBO on its owner. Possibly this can be done by having the battery recharge through its legs which could connect to a docking station and connect itself for recharge. 4. AIBO Newspaper Collection – AIBO can try to make its habits as close to the actual pet dogs as possible. Many US dog owners have a habit of their pets fetching the morning newspapers. As an added â€Å"utility† expected by US consumers, this can be a very relevant functionality. There can be specially designed AIBO newspaper port where the newspapers would be dropped by the newspaper vendor. This can trigger an automatic detection by AIBO who can go to the port and fetch the newspaper for its owner. 5. AIBO Object Transportation – similar to AIBO newspaper collection, an additional utility can be added for AIBO where AIBO can pick small objects and drop it at the place in the house as suggested by the owner. 6. AIBO Intrusion Detection – as an actual dog many times serves as a watch dog at night and alerts the owners by barking, AIBO should be programmed as an intrusion detection system and if there is a housebreak, then it can detect movement and sound off a siren as well as give the burglar an electric shock or so, thereby preventing theft.

Challenging Homeostatic Interpersonal Process Essay

Challenging Homeostatic Interpersonal Process - Essay Example Another key issue is the increasing economic challenges in today's society. According to Shulman (1996) there should be realization that economic pressures have highlighted the need for individual and support groups to provide emotional and psychological support for those that are most challenged. Coupled with globalization, people are not only having to deal with the social changes but also have to deal with the accelerated pace of these developments. Gitterman and Shulman (2005) that this issue had served to highlight competencies and deficiencies of sectors in the society that calls for a review of previous standards and approaches for social services. This opinion was also given by Blank (2002) and has prompted him to call for the evaluation of perspectives in welfare and social care not only as a service but also with regard to the factors that drive needs. The reaction has been not just in health and social service reforms but also in the involvement of the community. In the UK, in an effort to improve channels of services, the government has established community based programs to deliver or provide for social services (Lalor et al, 2005). ... As the demand for social services increase, so will the cost of providing and accessing social services increase: a development that has limited access to social and health services particularly in less affluent communities and further aggravates disparities in socio-economics levels. Thus, service partnerships and collaborating between the sectors of education, social and health services have increased in significance. The efforts also are an indication of greater awareness in the community regarding the urgency of social issues particularly those that affect children and the marginalized. The School Social Work and Attendance Department The School Social Work and Attendance Department in the Broward County School is a local effort that is committed to positively impacting student achievement by addressing and removing barriers to learning (SSWAD, 2007a). The programs include the assignment of social workers to each school, abuse and truancy interventions, counseling, health education, psychological services and programs for exceptional students. SSWAD wants to accomplish its objectives by ensuring that all students have access to the wide array of services provided the department assigns a school social worker assigned to every school. The initiative echoes Broward County School's campaign of "transforming education one student at a time" (Broward County Public Schools [BCPS], 2007) The school social worker intervenes as part of the schools' Collaborative Problem-Solving Team, the Crisis Team, and additionally, provides training and teachers' consultation regarding child abuse, homelessness, teenage pregnancy, mental health concerns, dependency, and

What is the Purpose of Criminal Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is the Purpose of Criminal Laws - Essay Example he adverse mention of public order, it literally means the wellbeing of the society and interference in its normal functioning by causing chaos or violating rights and privileges of others. In this light, criminal law serves to provide for the protection of the rights of the public by banning certain events and creating guidelines for the punishment. Such events include banning of processions in a bid to protect public interests. This is particularly so for protests that are likely to end up in disorder and public unrest. The above condition puts the authorities in a position to exercise their power to preserve public peace by implementing criminal law, banning the said events (Home Office, n.d.). In protecting public order, criminal law covers sex-related crimes and substance related crimes. This division marks the different crimes that affect members of the public and the society. Of these include prostitution, deviant sex, alcoholism, liquor law violation, pornography and driving under the influence among others (Bundy, 2011). The crimes are labelled so in spite of lack of physical aggression, but due to the dehumanizing nature in them and lowered quality of life associated with them. The other role of criminal law is to deter the occurrence of crime and preventing individuals from engaging in any activities deemed to irresponsible by the society (Bundy, 2011). Criminal law deters criminal behaviour through the sanctions put in place by the laws in regard to their enforcement and other means. This is evident by the use of police statistics showing by how much the crime rates go down after the implementation of effective capture methods (Robinson $ Darley, 2004). In addition, for criminal law to work as a deterrent, there are three factors to be considered. These are the knowledge of the consequences of committing a crime, the influence of the knowledge on the choices the individual makes and the likelihood to weigh the consequences logically (Robinson $

DNA, mRNA, and Protein Essay Example for Free

DNA, mRNA, and Protein Essay Complete the two questions below. Each question has four parts. This assignment is two pages long. Question 1: For the following double-stranded DNA sequence, -CATTGACCGTAA- -GTAACTGGCATT- Answer the following questions: a) Assume that RNA polymerase will read the top strand of DNA as the â€Å"template† to synthesize mRNA. What will be the sequence of the mRNA synthesized? (3 points) The new mrna sequence will be GUAACUGGCAUU b) Based upon the mRNA sequence above, what is the peptide sequence? (4 points) The peptide swquence will be GUA-ACU-GGC-AUU If there was a mutation in the DNA sequence above resulting in the following DNA sequence, -GATTGACCGTAA- -CTAACTGGCATT- c) What would be the resulting mRNA, assuming RNA polymerase will use the DNA sequence, -GATTGACCGTAA- ? (4 points) Thw new mena sequence will be CUAACUGGCAUU d) Based upon the mRNA sequence above, what is the peptide sequence? (4 points) The peptide sequence will be CUA-ACU-GGC-AUU which will translate to Leu-Thr-Gly-lle Question 2: For the following DNA sequence, -CCCTTAGATGGA- -GGGAATCTACCT- Answer the following questions: a) Assume that RNA polymerase will read the top strand of DNA as the â€Å"template† to synthesize mRNA. What will be the sequence of the mRNA synthesized? (3 points) GGGAAUCUACCU b) Based upon the mRNA sequence above, what is the peptide sequence? (4 points) GGG-AAU-CUA-CCU which will translate to alanine-asparagine-leucine-proline If there was a mutation in the DNA sequence above resulting in the following DNA sequence, -CTCTTAGATGGA- -GAGAATCTACCT- c) What would be the resulting mRNA, assuming RNA polymerase will use the DNA sequence, CTCTTAGATGGA ? (4 points) GAGAAUCUACCU d) Based upon the mRNA sequence above, what is the peptide sequence? (4 points) GAG-AAU-CUA-CCU which translates to glutamate-asparagine-leucine-proline.

Overcome Barriers That Prevent Parents Involvement In Childrens Education

Overcome Barriers That Prevent Parents Involvement In Childrens Education Parental Involvement is critically important in a childs education. Research has shown that parents positive involvement with their childrens schooling is associated with many encouraging outcomes. There are many parents who want to be involved in their childs day to day activities, but many circumstances enable this opportunity. Despite their best intentions to support their children, there are many barriers that prohibit the support. John Wherry (2009) discusses ways to overcome barriers that effectively prevent so many parents from getting involved. In addition, Gregory Flynn (2007) explains in order for schools to increase parental involvement, they need to promote critical behaviors and provide teacher training. Whereas, Cecily Mitchell (2008) believes by figuring out what parent involvement actually entails and how to effectively achieve it, remain challenges for schools and districts across the nation even as they work to build strong partnerships between schools and families. This paper identifies barriers that are prohibiting parents from becoming more involved in their childs education and strategies to overcome these barriers that are preventing parental involvement. Literature Review There is an abundance of literature which introduces many to the importance of parent involvement and a vast variety of reasons are present to support the view of how parents and teachers can make the involvement work. Parental involvement involves a partnership between the teachers and parents. This partnership bridges a gap between parents and teachers to enhance a childs education. In this partnership between parents and teachers, they encounter barriers that prevent the partnership from working together; which lead them to find strategies that will help them overcome the barriers. Parental involvement is an issue that has been around for centuries and is one of the key components of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (Mitchell, 2008). This literature review explains that parental involvement plays an important part in a childs education and in order for parental involvement to be a success; teachers and parents have to overcome barriers that prevent this partnership from being s uccessful. Wherry (2009) provided a candid description on ways schools can prevent barriers of parental involvement. He developed strategies that will make the up and coming school year be the best ever for parental involvement for some teachers and parents. He goes on to state, there is a way for parent support to boost student learning available to any school, that makes the modest effort to overcome barriers that distinctively prevent parents from being involved in their childs education. Parental involvement has generally been defined as diverse activities in the home or at the school that permit parents to share in the education process (Wright). It is reasonable to assume with such attention given to the importance of parental involvement both in the literature and by the government, that there has been a significant increase in parent participation in our schools (Flynn, 2007); however, according to the National PTA, there are 50 million children enrolled in schools and one i n four parents is actively involved in their childs education (Griffiths-Prince, 2008). Parental involvement is when parents and teachers participate in a regular, two-way conversation involving student educational learning. This includes parents being involved in their childrens education in various ways, both at home and at school. When parents feel good about their school involvement and the schools instructional efforts, they tend to hold high expectations for their childrens interests, aspirations, and learningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Risko, Dalhouse, 2009); consequently, parents who are in touch with the childrens education can better observe classroom activities and improve their communication with the teacher. Many parents seek out the opportunity to share in their childrens experiences, as well as communicate with their children. Although parent involvement is revealed to have a big impact on the student achievement and success, it could be led to be seen as a vital ingredient to education form, for example, findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 suggest that parental involvement does not independently improve childrens learning, but some involvement activities do prevent behavioral problems (Domina, 2005). Because of unfortunate circumstances, there are some parents who are not able to be involved with their child education. While parental involvement is important to public education, there are barriers that prevent parents from being involved with their childs education. Identifying Barriers of Parental Involvement Education is the key to many children having a good future. In order for a child to reach this milestone in their lives, they need not only their parents, but also the teachers. Even though parents know their children better than anyone else and can be virtually important school partners if allowed to be (Wherry, 2009); however, there are some parents who tend to be less involved in their childs education (LaBahn, 1995). Could this be on purpose or do they have legitimate reasons? When educators learn what barriers exist in their schools, it could be an important step to increasing parent involvement (PSEA, 2007) because; schools play a strong role in determining the level and nature of parent involvement (B W, 2008). Parents may be doing the best they can (LaBahn, 1995) and it is still not enough, because parental involvement is a challenge to some parents. Many of them have to deal with various barriers, such as lack of communication, lack of time, and language differences. Lack of Communication Lack of communication is one barrier that prevents parental involvement. Differences in expectations and misunderstandings about each other goals can lead to uncertain and tenuous, and contentious relationships (Risko Walker-Dalhouse, 2009). Parents who receive negative communication or no communication from schools tend to have trust issues. The trust issue leads parents to believe the school has an unfriendly climate. Also, if a parent had a bad experience as a young child with teachers, that experience could leave a parent fearful of speaking to their own children teachers. These negative perceptions of schools held by many parents should be replaced with some positive perceptions of the school. Many parents are not aware that help is needed because the school has not advertised the opportunities. Although some schools send out information pertaining to parental involvement with different types of activities, this does not happen at every school. Many parents would feel eager to come to the school to volunteer their services, if they were invited into the schools. Parents are most likely to agree to partake in a classroom activity if they are asked directly by the teacher to do a specific task. Schools should work to build and maintain a welcoming and responsive school atmosphere (Wherry, 2009). Lack of Time Lack of time is also a barrier that prevents parental involvement. Parents often cite time as the single greatest barrier to volunteering, attending meetings, and joining decision making committees at their childrens school (PTA, 2009). Parents, who work in low-paying jobs that do not offer time off for illness or family emergencies, do not have a lot of time for parental involvement and they cannot risk their jobs to take time out to visit their childs school. There just simply are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything (LaBahn, 1995).In todays society there are more single family households that require the parent to work long hours. With the increase in single-parent households and the dramatic change in the work force, with mothers of school-aged children entering in great numbers, time has become a valuable commodity for parents who struggle to make ends meet (Patrikakou, 2008). For example, many mothers do not have equipment or the skill to plan science fair experiments or construct woodworking projects, and fathers may not be able to help design and sew costumes for the school play (LaBahn, 1995). Parents also feel that when the children are not in school, time should be spent with the family and not attending meetings at the school. Some parents feel that too much involvement in their childs education could have a harmful effect, either by making their child uncomfortable or making the child dependent upon them. Teachers and parents know that time is often one of the greatest challenges and that is why it should be spent on building up the child education. Principals of K-8 Title I schools report that time is a barrier to parent involvement more often than any other factor. 87% of Title I principals report that lack of time on the part of parents is a significant barrier to parent involvement, and 56% report that lack of time on the part of school staff is a barrier (find reference). Since many parents think there is not enough time for work, cleaning, cooking, and parent meetings, they do not bother attending school meetings. Language Differences Another barrier that prevents parental involvement is language differences. Approximately 20% of U.S. students are learning English as a second or other language, of these students over 40% are immigrants (Wright). Non-English speaking parents may find that it is difficult communicating with their childs teachers. Nancy Hyslop (2000) stated many Non-English parents experience low self-esteem, culture shock, and misconceptions. Many of these parents are confused about their roles in education and how to help their children. They lack knowledge on how local systems operate and very often they do not know where to go for information pertaining to their childs education. In recent years with the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of families, the home and school environments may hold different and sometimes diverging beliefs about the appropriate degree and nature of parent involvement (Patrikakaou, 2008). Hispanics sometimes encounter discrimination by the larger society which discourages them from getting involved in events at their childs school. Parents who do not speak English may not understand newsletters, fliers, or speakers at meetings (PTA, 2009). Even if one has not experienced discrimination, there is a fear that discrimination could happen. Non-English speaking parents want the same end result as many English speaking parents, which is for their child to receive an education that will allow them have a better future. Even when language differences occur, a teachers willingness or attempt to speak the home language can convey care about the students and parents, and this willingness can encourage parents to feel comfortable enough to speak in English and can enhance possibilities for communication and rapport. (Risko Walker-Dalhouse, 2009). In order for the schools to reach beyond these barriers, there needs to be parental involvement implemented into the education program . Strategies to Overcome Barriers If barriers are preventing parents and teachers from sharing ideas or exchanging information pertaining to the child, then everyone involved needs to find strategies to overcome these barriers. They can reach the partnership needed if they figure out strategies to deal with barriers such as, lack of communication, lack of time, and language differences. Mitchell (2008) examines parent involvement in public education. She explains in her article that parent involvement has to happen on all levels. Even though the parents and teachers tend to have barriers that prevent parent involvement, Mitchell state everyone involved in the childs education, including teachers, parents, principals, communities and even the school district have to find strategies to overcome these barriers. There are many ways that a school can improve communication (LaBahn, 2007) such as, informing families about routines and providing them with specific ways they can help at home provides parents with structured opportunities to participate in their childs education (Patrikakou, 2008). The most important thing a parent can do for their child education is stay in contact with the teacher. The teacher can keep parents regularly informed about student progress, school requirements, and school events (Wherry, 2009). The teacher is the bridge between the parent and the child education; therefore, parents look to the school for answers about learning issues (Wherry, 2009). That bridge will help parents stay connected with the childs teacher, enable them access to monitor classroom activities, and correspond with the efforts of the teachers. A study conducted by Berthelsen Walker (2008) explained that five items were used to assess parents contact with their childs school program. A number of activities in which parents may have participated at their childs school were identified to which parents could give a yes/no response: During this school term, have you à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦-contacted childs teacher; visited childs class; talked to parents of other children at the school; attended a school event in which your child participated; and volunteered in the classroom or helped with a class excursion. Engagement in three or more activities was indicated by 76% of parents. Parents were most likely to have talked with other parents at the school (92%) or visited the childs classroom (87%), and least likely to have volunteered in the classroom or helped with a class excursion (48%). A parent-teacher conference is one way for parents to keep in contact with the teachers. The parent is able to sit and have a two-way conversation with the teacher and tell the teacher what they expect from the child and the teacher. The teacher can also speak to the parent and find out what are their expectations of them as educators. When parents and teachers learn how to communicate with each other, they can become stronger and knowledgeable by working together. Unfortunately many parents are not able to attend parent-teacher conference, because they do not have the time: however, many schools are working around parents schedule for that one on one. Teachers are encouraging parents to drop by the schools when classes are dismissed or call their homes after work hours. Schools can set aside time during the school day for teachers to meet with parents at school or at home or free teachers from routine chores, such as lunchroom supervision, so that they can work with parents (Moles). Students need more than their parents, they also need the people who want to see all children make it in this world. Parents who are have language barriers need strategies to help them feel better about being a part of their childs education. By creating culturally aware school-family partnerships, school systems can reduce cultural, discontinues, create diverse learning opportunities, improve racial perceptions and attitudes, and foster interethnic friendships (Patrikakou, 2008). For example, when parents enroll their children in the Early Head Start program, the program managers makes sure a translator is there to help ease the Hispanic family discomfort and make their first experience with the program a rewarding experience. There are comprehensive program that can provide a model for empowering immigrant parents and changing teacher perceptions of immigrant parents school interest and involvement. The program titled the Immigrant Parent Partnership Program supported parent engagement through leadership classes, multiple-language programs, teacher action research to increase teacher understandin g of immigrant parents, and the creation of a parent resource center (Risko Walker-Dalhouse, 2009). The often heard statement, It takes a village to raise a child, is very true. Parental involvement plays a key role in the Early Head Start work setting. Our program is based solely on parent involvement. We have to find ways to encourage parents to become better involved in their childs education. Something as simple as coming in and helping the child take their shoes off and placing them in the correct cubby, helps the teachers in achieving some of the goals for the students. We also include parents in the decision making at the center. Parents are asked to complete an application to be a member of the policy council; in which, the parents names are placed on a ballot to be voted on. The policy council consists of community leaders and parents. The community leaders assist the parents in making vital decisions regarding the children at the centers. Politically we are a non-profit program financed by the government with certain stipulation. We are expected to work with the community by building up the parents with children who attend the centers. In order for the program to qualify for federal and state grants, we have to incorporate In-kind that involves the parents and community members. Arkansas Better Chance and Arkansas Better Chance for school success require the program to receive a 40% in-kind match of the grant amount. We achieve this goal by encouraging parents and community workers donating goods, providing services, and performing jobs at the centers. Parent involvement also plays a key role in the education process. It has been shown that children whose parents are involved in early childhood programs, such as, Head Start, have higher cognitive and language skills than do children whose families are not involved or part of such programs (Patrikakou, 2008). Children at a young age, needs that extra help and encouragement. We are expected to allow the children to play and socialize with each other, but they still need to learn what is expected of them when they enter into the public school system. We encourage our parents by providing them people to speak to with concerns regarding their children developmental skills. We share educational information to the parents that will provide their children learning environments which will help them grow into well adjusted students. As an Early Head Start teacher, the job involves working closely with the parents concerning their childrens education and needs. When a parent comes into the ce nter and volunteers to wash clothes, dishes, or help feed the children, this take a big load off the teachers. We encourage parents to come in and rock, not only their children, but the other children in the center. When we work with the parents, we develop a bond that helps make all transitions easier. Working with the parents allow us to learn more about the children and about the parent, in return, they learn who we are as people and not teachers. Parental involvement is a necessity in the school systems. When parents are involved, children are more acceptable to learn and behave, because they learn, their parents are only a phone call away. Conclusion After viewing the literature on parent involvement, brings the research to the conclusion that parental involvement matters in the school systems. Bringing teachers and parents together as one, sometimes means going around, over, and under barriers for solutions to a parent involvement program that works for everyone. To get to this point in a childs life, many parents and teachers have to discover strategies that will work for them. Although factors such as lack of communication, lack of time, and language barriers can prevent parent involvement, there are many ways to triumph over the barriers. Encouraging and involving parents in decisions pertaining to their child can make a big difference. Children will have better attendance, higher grades, test scores and graduation rates. Parents will have a better understanding of how the school operates. Teachers can increase community support with parents and students. Parents are the key to their children future. When parents and teachers come together as one, a child is able to leap over bounds and conquer the world. Barriers are just stepping stones to great outcomes.

Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essays: Allegory :: Sir Gawain Green Knight Essays

Allegory in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight  Ã‚   Discuss the allegorical significance of the following words of the Green Knight,   You are so fully confessed, your failings made known,/ And bear the plain penance of the point of my blade,/ I hold you polished as a pearl, as pure and as bright/ As you had lived free of fault since first you were born  . These words are uttered by the Green Knight almost immediately after he delivered the third blow on Gawain  s neck (l 2391-2394). They should be understood as referring to events which began with Gawain  s arrival at the Lord  s castle. The words   confessed   and   penance   appearing in the Green Knight  s utterance may lead one to connect them not only with events of the narrative, but also with the Christian idea of sin. According to Christian ideology all human beings are sinners, though- owing to God  s grace and kindness- sins may be forgiven. But before this happens there is need for confession and penance. Absolution is the final stage which may be reached only by those who pass the former ones. When Sir Gawain is looked at closely, the events of the story correspond to the sequence: temptation -sin - confession - penance - absolution. The sin committed by Gawain was not being loyal to the lord by concealing the green girdle. This weakness of character resulted from the love of life - the girdle was to protect anyone who wore it. What happens at the Green Chapel are the later parts of the cycle: confession - penance - absolution. The penance is the fight with the Green Knight during which Gawain receives a cut on the neck and absolution (granted by the Green Knight) is attained through blood, which makes it even more meaningful. On the other hand, a nick on the neck is not an extremely painful experience (although the way in which it was attained was definitely very stressful) and shows that Gawain  s sin was only a minor one. He did not sin against chastity as he did not give in to the lady  s wishes. But still, in this interpretation Gawain  s character turned out to be faulty. There is a different possibility of interpretation - one which broadens the allegory even more. It may be said that Gawain  s primary fault was sinning against courtesy. If courtesy was in reality what he had been tested on, Gawain did not stand a chance of passing this test.