Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The management of art organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The management of art organisations - Essay Example Consequently, it will be a useful company to the whole community. Further, the company acknowledges the family event, forums, and other events all in the effort of portraying the importance of artwork. It will also give chance to children who have art interest to pursue their dreams by offering them maximum support (Crosby, 2008, p. 5). Being a company known to deal in presenting the Australia’s most contemporary and largest visual arts, our mission is to get the recognition of the whole nation is terms of being a non-profit firm, yet helpful in selling the best talents in the country. Moreover, this company will ensure that productivity is translated into prosperity as well as growth for all the members who participates in our team. With this, the organization is determined to be a revelation to the larger community in the worldwide arena (Heijden, 2006, p. 4). The inaugural Biennale of Sydney was formed in 1973, with the aim of providing a showcase that could attract international community for contemporary art. The country is rich with traditional thinking. Therefore, the main aim of the organization was to challenge the traditional thinking by encouraging enthusiasm on a new level of thinking. For the above to work properly, it should be noted that the organization has to have attraction power. So far, this can be traced since the company now is witnessing an increased level of visitation, to the extent that it has doubled that of the year 2012. Its 18th Biennale of Sydney achieved a record of 665, 488 visitors witnessed across all revenues. This is somewhat encouraging, however, the fact remains that the country has to move forward, and pursue or perceive artwork on the level of the organization. This will change all the thinking of the Sydney’s residents, hence giving them a chance to explore the world to its furthest with rega rd to

Monday, October 28, 2019

Land Pollution Essay Example for Free

Land Pollution Essay Causes of Land Pollution 1. Degenerative Actions Degenerative Actions encompass a lot of human actions, including deforestation, overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, desertification, mining, inefficient and / or inadequate waste treatment, landfill, litter, etc. 2. Misuse of Land Misuse of Land mainly refers to felling of trees to clear land for agriculture, as well as processes like desertification and land conversion. Desertification is when anthropogenic effects of human development or other actions convert a piece of (essentially) fertile land into desert-land or dry land. Land once converted to desert-land can never be reclaimed by any amount of corrective measures. This is also a serious issue because t does not only affect the land, but also the overall biodiversity of a place, especially when land is cleared for agriculture. A lot of indigenous flora and fauna is lost in the process. 3. Soil Pollution Soil Pollution is when the top-most soil layer of land is destroyed or polluted. Soil pollution is again another cause of land pollution that affects not only the land, but also a lot of other things such as forest cover of a region, productivity of land in terms of agriculture, grazing etc. Soil pollution is also caused by wrong agricultural practices, such as overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This causes non-biodegradable chemicals to enter and accumulate in the food-chain a process often referred to as biomagnification of a pollutant. 4. Land Conversion Land Conversion is the process whereby a piece of land is converted from its indigenous form to a form used for either agriculture or infrastructure. Land conversion is especially a growing problem that we possibly do not have a good or a good enough solution for. The best way to avoid land conversion is to make efficient use of the available land. Using a piece of land to its maximum potential is the key to eliminate many of the causes of land pollution. Effects of Land Pollution 1. Effects on Climate Land pollution can affect the general environment of the Earth. Land pollutions leads to loss in the forest cover of Earth. This is in turn going to affect the amount of rain. Less rains mean lesser vegetation. The effect of all different kinds of pollution will eventually lead to problems like acid rains, greenhouse effect, global warming. All of these problems have already initiated and need to be curbed before the situation runs out of control. 2. Extinction of Species One of the major causes of concern is the extinction of species. Species are pushed towards endangerment and extinction primarily by two processes. Habitat fragmentation is the fragmentation of the natural habitat of an organism; cause primarily by urban sprawl. Habitat destruction, on the other hand, is when land clearing adversely affects animals special such that their natural habitat is lost. Both the actions can cause some species to go extinct and others to become invasive. 3. Biomagnification Biomagnification is the process in which certain non-biodegradable substances go on accumulating in the food-chain (in one or more species). The most common example is of methylmercury in fish and mercury in eagles. Not only does biomagnification put the particular species at risk, it puts all the species above and below it at risk, and ultimately affects the food pyramid. 4. Effects on Biodiversity Species extinction and biomagnification is going to overthrow the balance of nature very significantly. The main reason for this is disturbance created in the food chain. To give you a very simple example on account of biomagnification of mercury in eagles, they might go extinct in the subsequent years. However, we know eagles prey on snakes. Less (or no) eagles will then result in more number of snakes! Ways to Reduce Land Pollution 1. Reduce toxic materials. Waste materials that are disposed of should have minimal toxic materials. This can be done by treating the waste materials with various chemicals to make them less toxic. Once the waste is treated, it can be disposed of using responsible methods. Harmful chemicals can also be replaced with less toxic, biodegradable materials. 2. Recycle waste materials. As explained by the Stanford Recycling Center, each American throws away 7 1/2 lbs. of garbage. Garbage requires landfills, which takes up large amounts of land. 3. Buy organics products, especially organic cleaners, pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers. The advantage of using organic products is that they are biodegradable and friendly to the environment. 4. Avoid littering. Excessive littering is one of most common reasons for land pollution. 5. Take initiative to inform others about the harmful effects of littering. Organic wastes must be disposed off in areas that are far from human or animal habitation. Waste like plastic, metals, glass and paper must be recycled and reused. 6. Improve fertility of the land by reforesting. Soils in forested lands are far more fertile than soil without trees, suggesting that trees have the ability to fertilize land.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The History Of White-tailed Deer In Kentucky :: essays research papers

The History of White-Tailed Deer in Kentucky   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When our ancestors first reached Kentucky they found a great abundance of game, including deer. Early settlers utilized deer for food and clothing. Due to all the killing of the white-tail deer, around 1925 they were virtually eliminated in Kentucky. A few survived in areas such as, between the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers in western Kentucky, and a few survived in eastern Kentucky. In most places, though deer simply no longer occurred.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the deer was on the verge of extension in Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources stepped in. They tried to save the deer in Kentucky and they succeeded. They regulated the hunting seasons and the amount of game allowed to kill. Today we have an abundance of deer in Kentucky, we have about 450,000 deer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The white-tailed deer breeding season in Kentucky runs from October through mid January, reaching its peak in November. Most fawns are born in June, following a seven month gestation period. Newborn fawns will weigh about four pounds at birth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deer offspring are cared for and may remain with the mother until the next spring. Fawns retain their spots until mid September and nurse until mid October. About 40 percent of female fawns breed during their first autumn, but usually bear only one fawn. Does breeding at age 1 1/2 or older generally have twins, and sometimes triplets. By November, Kentucky's deer population typical increases slightly more than one fawn per doe. Although many more fawns are born than one per doe, some will die before the hunting season arrives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A deer's home range averages about 500 acres. In mountains, the home range may exceed 1,000 acres. Even though this size area can support about 40 deer, these animals will not always stay just within their home range. Many will travel on and off that amount of land different times of the year looking for the best food and cover available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One important key in improving deer numbers is helping provide ample amounts of the right foods. Healthier deer produce more offspring. White-tails eat a variety of vegetation, depending on what is available during different seasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In late winter, deer live mainly on woody twig ends and buds called browse. They will also eat acorns, corn and winter wheat if available. Spring foods include tender grasses, clovers and leaves of woody plants such as ragweed, native and cultivated grasses and clovers. During the fall, deer will use fruits and nuts such as acorns, persimmons, dogwood berries, corn and browse for a food supply.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Protection from severe weather, predators and illegal hunting is

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Myths about the sun and the moon :: essays research papers

Myths about the Sun and Moon The sun and the moon are powerful beings that bring life and death to all living creatures. They control when it is day or night, which season it is, and the weather. They fascinate humans and a considerable amount of mythology has been dedicated to the creation of the sun and moon and why or how they travel across the sky during the day and night. This paper will discuss and compare some of these myths and the gods attributed to their care and existence. The sun and the moon are such influential powers that the creation of them is right along with the creation of the world and humans in some of the better-known mythology. The story of creation in Christian Bible tells of God’s creation of the sun and the moon. On the fourth day â€Å"God made two great lights - the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night... God set them in the dome of sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.† (Genesis 1.16-18). A similar myth of the creation of the sun and the moon is found in the Qur’an, "It is Allah Who hath created the heavens and the earth and sendeth down rain from the skies... He has made subject to you, the night and the day; the sun and the moon; and the stars in subjection by His command." (Qur’an 14:32-33). These two myths are from monotheist religions in which the sun is just created out of nothing, they describe the creation but they lack explanation as to how and why the sun and the moon where put in the sky and have no detail about the orbits or movement or them. â€Å"The Creation of the Sun and the Moon† by Michelangelo is a large fresco of God creating the sun and the moon. In the foreground he has one hand pointing towards a large yellow ball, the sun, and in the background he is pointing towards a large bluish ball, the moon. He is looking forcefully at the sun in the foreground. This fresco is just one person’s take on the creation of the sun and the moon as the bible explains it. The Egyptian sun god was Re. His name meant sun and he represented strength.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Unman Wittering and Zigo by Giles Cooper Analysis

We have been studying the play Unman Wittering and Zigo, which was written by Giles Cooper in the 1960's. Giles Cooper was born in Dublin in 1918 into a privileged home. His father was a naval officer, who later became a judge. Giles Cooper's father wanted him to become a diplomat or a lawyer but Giles chose to go to drama school rather than university. He was educated in a public school, subsequently the story is based on his own experiences of authoritarian teaching while he was a student. Giles Cooper was concerned about the effects of authoritarian teaching and as a result wrote this play. The play is about a teacher, John Ebony, in his first job who wants to make a good impression. He finds that the boys he is teaching are fractious and have a nasty habit of gambling. His life as a teacher rapidly descends in to a nightmare, and as the story goes on he begins to uncover the mystery surrounding the death of the previous school master. It goes on to reveal something dark and unpleasant about the nature of the boys who killed their form teacher. The play was written for radio so there aren't any visuals. The audience therefore had to imagine what the characters and scenarios were like. As it is a radio play the tone and pitch of the voice are very important because this is the medium through which effective understanding is conveyed. The scenes in the play are very short because audiences cannot listen for a long time without visuals. Therefore the director must entertain the audience by providing a gripping thriller. John is used in the story to expose the hidden secrets of Chantery and the corruption of the boys. Giles Cooper does this through a vulnerable and in experienced teacher. John is trying to be more like Mr Winstanly but this does not work for John because he is far too inexperienced. In the first scene John is appointed as a temporary teacher at Chantery. When the Head is talking to him he makes sure John knows about the reputation of the school, as if the headmaster is showing off. Surprisingly the headmaster ignores John's questions and instead of answering he interrupts or changes the subject. ‘Was he my predecessor? Er, Yes. That brick building†¦.' This makes the reader wonder why? He does it because he is hiding something about Mr Pelham The headmaster tells John that Lower 5 B are a little mischievous but he does not reveal the full truth about the class but holds it back. The Head then leaves him with Cary, by doing this the headmaster comes across as an irresponsible character. He also undermines John's confidence because he feels he is not important enough to be shown around the classroom. This is not the case. The headmaster is scared that John will find out about the corruption of the school if he is shown too much. This shows the Headmaster is hiding the inner secrets of the school and is only showing the ‘sugar coated topping' of an apparently successful public school. In scene 3 the boys take control very quickly. From the beginning the boys start mocking John and giving random and futile comments, as though they are mocking the way teachers teach. ‘Jamaica's in the Caribbean, sir' They use a derisive tone by giving useless information as though they are teasing John. John loses his temper and responds to this in an authoritarian way. As a diversion they then poke Wittering, who cries out loud. This delays the lesson again. When his attempt to quiet them down fails he resorts to using his authority. â€Å"Now I don't wish to crack the whip on our first morning but I will if you make me† The pupils respond to this by giving a fake confession to him of Mr Pelham's murder but they use this confession as an attempt to intimidate John throughout scene 3, John raises his voice constantly i.e. using authoritarian teaching to gain control of the class but this does not work and he fails to regain control of the class. The students take advantage of John's inexperience and in doing so gain an advantage over John When the Head walks in, the boys carry on with the lesson and by doing this makes us think that they have done this before. This is the chance John has to tell the Headmaster about what they had said, but foolishly he doesn't. This shows that John's confidence has diminished. Furthermore John presumably does not want to tell the Head because it could create the impression that he cannot handle the class. In scene 8, convinced that the boys have committed some sort of crime, John takes Mr Pelham's wallet to the headmaster and suggests that it should be given to the police. However, (contrary to John expectations) the headmaster tells him off for leaving the class and ignores his concerns. â€Å"‘It was in his pocket when he was killed' ‘It is a practice which is always discouraged here. Every period should be worked through whatever happens'† The headmaster then changes the subject, suggesting he doesn't want to discuss John's concerns, by saying he wanted to invite him for dinner. This shows that the headmaster does not give John any support but more importantly does not want the secrets of what happens in the school to be exposed. He is extremely sensitive about the reputation of the school. The Headmaster then seems to order him to return to Lower 5 B, â€Å"‘ Lower 5 B have been left to their own devices for long enough, Miss Gammel' ‘But sir' ‘Discourage any discussion of the matter'† By doing this the headmaster is discarding any of his suggestions and is not helping out John when he is inexperienced and unsure of what to do. The situation would affect John greatly because he knows he doesn't have any one to turn to and cannot do anything even if the boys intimidate and taunt him. When John returns the pupils seem to know what the Headmaster has said. ‘On the whole Ebony. The less said the better. Perhaps you better return to Lower 5 B. They have been left to their own devices for too long.' This suggests it has been said before. Teachers have gone to the headmaster but he has been very dismissive. The pupils seeing John's lack of confidence take advantage of the invitation and make a proposal. â€Å"‘You don't want to be sacked from your first job do you sir†¦.' ‘No he wants us to be a credit to him.'† The tone of the pupils her would be very calm, slightly intimidating as though they know they are in control but also very persuasive but this time they spoke in more of a friendly manner. On the other hand John would be speaking in an uncertain tone and seems to agree to the modus vivendi although he doesn't actually say anything which emphasises his powerlessness. The modus vivendi creates a vague sense of stability in the classroom as it brings about a situation in which the constant battle for power is ended for the time being. This is because it seems John has finally been defeated and the students have gained control. John admits defeat at this point and it is now that he is finally sees the truth in their confessions and begins to develop an idea of how cunning and clever the students are and how much the system has corrupted them. As a result of this he sees no point of arguing with them as they obviously don't lack determination. The situation changes once again when the Headmaster more or less sacks John. ‘†¦.that's the last thing I'd want you to think, but we always like to have Old Chantovians on the staff and as Grimwits available for the Easter term we really think we ought to take this opportunity to secure his services†¦.' The headmaster not only puts John out of a job, but crushes his high hopes of raising his teaching status by starting in a well known and supposedly successful public school. One characteristic that John does not lack is ambition. It is this that causes him to be irresolute at a time when discipline is needed as he doesn't want to spoil his chances of a permanent job. Getting sacked in turn brings about a new feeling of anger. In this new frame of mind it now seems to John that he has nothing to lose and this creates new possibilities for John. In scene 24 the tables turn, as John gains power and the students lose it. The students begin to realise that they can't hold anything against John and moreover the fact that he doesn't seem to care anymore. Now it is the students that begin to panic. When John refuses to teach the lesson, the students retaliate by trying to show that they don't need him and haven't lost anything. They try to prove how little his withdrawal affects them so attempt to continue with the lesson themselves. â€Å"‘And he's taking it out on us' ‘It's not fair' ‘Are we going to let him?' ‘No. We'll go on ahead without him. Cuthbun, you're the best at history you take us'† This attempt fails as their independent learning skills have not been developed, and soon there is chaos when they begin to bully Wittering, taking all their frustration out on him. This is where the writer shows that, although too much authority has disturbing consequences, totally removing it would be just as harmful because anarchy would be the result. The confession and revelation of Mr. Pelham's death plays an essential role throughout the play. Not only does it disclose what characters authoritarian teaching can create. It also shows the extent of Cooper's passionate views regarding authoritarian teaching. The play is about violence and authority, the questions posed by the play are- Does authority prevent violence, or does authority cause violence?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

What Are the 7 Principles of Design

What Are the 7 Principles of Design SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re taking any of AP Art courses, like 2-D or 3-D studio art, you absolutely have to understand the core principles of design. That’s because the elements and principles of design are a foundational element of great art! In this article, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about the seven principles of design, including: An overview of the principles of design An introduction to key concepts An in-depth look at each of the principles one-by-one Three top tips for incorporating these principles into your own work Let’s get started! What Are the Principles of Design? If you’ve ever played a sport, then you know that there are some fundamental rules that you have to follow if you want to be successful. For example, if you play soccer, then you know that one of the rules is that you have to kick the ball into the opposing team’s goal in order to score a point! While you don’t have to follow this rule- your team could just kick the ball to one another for 90 minutes- you’ll have a much better chance of winning if you do. The principles of design are a lot like the rules of a sport. That’s because the principles of design are the rules and principles that artists and designers use to create visual compositions. Artists use these principles to make sure whatever they’re making accurately and effectively delivers their intended message to their audience. 2Key Concepts: Visual Language and Design In order to understand the principles of design, you first have to have a handle on two key concepts: visual language and design in general. Visual language is the idea that we communicate through visual symbols. For example, take a look at the clothes you’re wearing. Do they have a logo on them, like the Nike â€Å"swoosh† or the Ralph Lauren â€Å"polo pony†? If they do, you’re participating in visual language! Visual language is the way that designers and artists communicate messages and meaning through their work. They can use things like colors, lines, and shapes to make you feel or think a certain way. And since this is the ultimate goal of design, it’s important to understand how visual language works! The second key concept is the definition of design itself. You probably hear the term thrown around a lot, whether it’s about the design of the newest Tesla car or the launch of a new designer clothing label. But when it comes to principles of design, the term â€Å"design† has a very specific definition. In this case, design is the process of selecting and organizing elements or components in order to fulfill a specific purpose. This purpose may be functional, aesthetic, or both! So when we talk about design in this article, we’re specifically talking about how design elements are used to support the artist’s ultimate goal, whether that’s marketing a product, telling a story, or creating the next great artistic masterpiece. What Are the Principles of Design Used For? Artists use the principles of design to make sure that the work they’re creating...well, works. For instance, let’s say a graphic designer is supposed to create a poster for a presidential candidate. It’s going to be really important for the designer to use the principles of design during their design process to ensure the finished poster is visually communicating the right message to potential voters. The same holds true for fine art, too. Artists paint, sculpt, and create in order to communicate with their viewers. Let’s say an artist is worried about how much Americans consume on a daily basis. That may become the subject of their work, and they’ll pay close attention to how their finished piece speaks to viewers about issues of capitalism. (A good example of how opinions on topics like consumerism and capitalism can be expressed through fine art is the painting â€Å"Landscape,† by American painter Mark Tansey.) On the flip side, these principles are also used to determine whether a piece of art is a success or failure. When a visual composition uses the principles of design well, it will succeed in fulfilling its purpose (whatever that purpose might be). But just because a work is successful doesn’t mean you have to like it. That’s because liking or disliking a visual piece involves your personal taste. The difference between the principles of design and taste is important. As an artist, it's important to separate your work from taste. This is true for many commercial artists, where their clients’ tastes might not reflect their own. Even fine artists need to be able to do this so that they aren’t conforming their art to others’ tastes. For a critic, the separation helps them make better judgements. While there’s no real objective way to critique art, the principles of design provide a kind of rubric for assessing whether a piece of art functions. It might make more sense to think of this in terms of baking. Let’s say you’re judging a cookie baking contest, and when you go to taste one cookie, it’s actually a small, round pizza. The baker argues that you should consider it a cookie: it’s small, flat, round, and baked in an oven. But just because the pizza lines up with the qualifications of a cookie in some ways, it’s missing some other important criteria: it’s not sweet, it’s not cake-like, and it’s certainly not dessert. At the end of the day, a pizza just isn’t a cookie. The seven principles of design work the same way. Critics can use them as a measuring stick for art. If the goal of art is to communicate a message, then the fundamentals of design give critics a way of checking whether an art piece does so effectively. For critics, the seven principles of design also help ensure they aren’t labeling works as â€Å"bad† just because they don’t suit their personal tastes, too. The 7 Principles of Design: Explained Now that you’re familiar with the ideas behind the principles of design, let's take a closer look at each of the seven principles. How an artist uses these elements is important to the overall quality and effectiveness of their work. One quick note: if you Google the principles of design, you’ll find lists that feature five, six, or even eleven principles! That’s because there’s not 100 percent consensus on what the fundamental principles of design are. So to create our list, we picked the principles that appeared the most often across the widest variety of sources. Ginevra de'Benci by Leonardo da Vinci Principle 1: Contrast Just like in literature, visual contrast happens when different elements of a piece are noticeably different from one another. When contrasting elements are juxtaposed, or place next to one another, it draws the viewer’s attention. One of the common ways artists do this is by using contrasting colors close to one another. (These are colors that appear on opposite sides of the color wheel from one another.) But this can also be done through the size or types of objects, too. Take a look at Leonardo da Vinci’s work, Ginevra de’ Benci, pictured above. Notice the contrast of the woman’s skin against the dark background of the trees. Da Vinci uses contrast to draw your eye to what he considers to be the most important part of the piece- the woman’s face. Jurassic Park/Universal Pictures Principle 2: Emphasis Emphasis is important for helping viewers see the most important part of a visual design. Oftentimes, we don’t notice emphasis when it’s done well...but it definitely stands out when it’s done poorly! For example, think about the billboards you see when you drive down the highway. The best ones put the most important information in big, bold letters, or use a related image to capture your attention. But when the type is too small or the images are too cluttered, the advertisement doesn’t work as well. The movie poster for Jurassic Park is a great example of emphasis. It puts the most important information front-and-center: from a glance, you know that title and opening date of the movie. But the prominent outline of a skeleton also gives you a pretty good idea of what the movie is going to be about. (Spoiler alert: it’s about dinosaurs!) It’s important to note that emphasis is closely linked to other principles of design. For example, the Jurassic Park poster uses contrast and space to create emphasis. Other posters, like this one for Gravity, use movement, space, and contrast to do the same thing. Principle 3: Pattern Pattern happens when an object, image, or symbol is uniformly repeated throughout a visual composition. Anything can be turned into a pattern, though some classic examples include intersecting lines, shapes, and spirals. Patterns can do many things for a design. It can set the tone for the piece, like if the background features a 70s mod pattern or a repeating image, like an animal. A pattern can also set the stage for other design elements, like contrast or emphasis. In the image above, you can see how the star pattern combines with contrast to reveal a patriotic star, which becomes the emphasis of the advertisement. Principle 4: Repetition In design, repetition is used to unify and strengthen a design. Unlike a pattern, where one thing is repeated consistently throughout a design, repetition is the repeated use of certain elements, like color, shape, or font. When repetition is used correctly, it creates consistency in a design. As a brand, Target Stores are famous for their use of repetition. They use color repetition to help viewers immediately associate an advertisement with their store. A good example of this is the advertisement above, which uses the repetition of colors and shapes (the concentric circles of the Target logo) to reiterate their brand. Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh Principle 5: Movement It can seem strange to talk about movement when some visual compositions are still images. But movement as a principle of design is about the movement of a viewer’s eye across a work. Good art leads the viewer from one important element to the next. If a viewer’s eye tends to get stuck in one place, it’s a sign that some of the principles of design aren’t working quite right! Using movement as a part of your design process has an added benefit: it helps viewers feel connected to what they’re seeing. Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh is an excellent example of movement in action. In this painting, the swirls of color in the sky carry the viewer’s gaze from left to right, which makes you feel like you’re experiencing the night breeze. But on a mechanical level, Van Gogh’s brush strokes create movement, too. The sweeping lines on the mountains, for example, help[ bring your eye to the village, and following the vertical lines on the plant in the foreground return your gaze back to the sky. Steve Jobs Tribute by Jonathan Mak Principle 6: Space In design, space refers to the area around different visual elements. There are two types of space: positive space and negative space. Positive space is the area that the subject of the composition occupies. If you go back to da Vinci’s portrait above, you’ll see that the woman occupies a lot of the portrait’s positive space. As a designer, you use positive space to display the most important elements of your design. On the other hand, negative space- which is sometimes called â€Å"white space†- is the space around objects! If you look back at the Jurassic Park poster, all of the black surrounding the central image and the other copy is a textbook example of negative space. Negative space can be tricky for designers since it seems empty, but it’s actually helping to create emphasis. It helps viewers quickly discern what’s important while also giving a design â€Å"room to breathe.† Positive and negative space work together to create emphasis and visual appeal. Check out the piece above by graphic designer Jonathan Mak, which he made as a memorial to Steve Jobs after his death. He plays with the negative space of the Apple logo, turning the normal bite mark into the profile of the company’s late founder. Principle 7: Balance Now it’s time to talk about the last (but perhaps most important) principle of design: balance. Every element in a visual composition carries weight. The more an element is emphasized, the heavier it is. A designer’s goal is to balance the weight of each object on the canvas in order to create a feeling of balance for the viewer. There are two ways to do this: through symmetrical balance and through asymmetrical balance. Symmetrical balance adds objects to both sides of the center of a work to create symmetry. You can think of this as balancing a set of old-timey scales. You have to add the same amount of weight to each side to keep them level! Asymmetrical balance happens when objects and elements aren’t spread evenly across the composition, but how they’re placed creates a sense of balance anyway. Oftentimes, asymmetrical balance helps create a sense of movement and draws your eye from one element to another. In the photo above, you can see asymmetrical balance at work. The hand and donut are in the bottom of the image, and there’s no identical image at the top! The balance here comes from the amount of negative space in the photo. By limiting the emphasized image to a small part of the picture, the photo maintains its balance. The 3 Best Tips for Using the Principles of Design So how can you use the principles of design in your own work? Here are our three top tips for using principles of design to take your art to the next level. Tip 1: Embrace Negative Space Like we mentioned earlier, it’s tempting to fill up every corner of a composition with something. After all, we often think of space as â€Å"wasted,† right? But remember: negative space is incredibly important to helping the more important elements of a work shine. A good way to do this is to follow the advice of Coco Chanel, the famous French fashion designer, who famously said: â€Å"Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.† Take a step back and look at your composition. Is there something you can take off, shrink, or move that will help create more balance and space in your work? Tip 2: Rethink the Axis of Symmetrical Balance When it comes to symmetrical balance, we sometimes think about it like a Rorschach test where the balance of an image is either left/right or top/bottom. But in fact, the axis of balance for a visual composition can bisect the image at any angle. Take a look at the picture above. The line of symmetry is on a diagonal from bottom right to top left. The image is still balanced, but the axis is tilted, which gives the image a lot more visual interest. It also comes across as more modern, too! Tip 3: Take a Step Back When you’re working on a composition, you’re normally pretty up close and personal with it. But that can sometimes skew your perspective of the piece as a whole. That’s why one of the best ways to see if a composition works is to view it from a distance. (This is especially true if your composition is meant to be viewed from a distance, like with a large painting or advertisement.) Backing away from the screen or canvas will blur the elements together and help you get a better sense of whether the contrast, movement, and balance of a piece communicates your message. What's Next? Are you looking for more AP classes to take before applying for college? Here’s a list of every AP class (and test!) But be careful: AP classes can be more challenging than their general education counterparts. Get the inside information on how hard AP classes really are so you can make sure you’re balancing a challenging schedule with making good grades. So what’s the benefit to taking AP courses? Well, most high schools in the United States add points to your final grade to create a weighted average. Learn more about weighted averages and how they affect things like your graduation rank and college admissions chances here.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to avoid procrastinating and get writing - Emphasis

How to avoid procrastinating and get writing How to avoid procrastinating and get writing Remember last year: the pain of putting off that report day after day, finally bashing it out in a blind panic the night before it was due? Not only does this leave you a stress-addled mess, but it means your cobbled-together work wont represent the best you can actually do. It could even mean you miss out on business you really should have won. Why do we procrastinate? We procrastinate for several reasons. Feeling overwhelmed by the size of a project; feeling out of your depth; fear of failure (or even of success); perfectionism; other tasks distracting you: these may all be to blame. Ultimately, as Mark Forster points out in Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management, each of these reasons stems from our reactive mind viewing whatever it is we have to do as a threat (risking failure etc). By avoiding the work, we avoid the danger. Only temporarily of course. In reality, we all know that eventually we will be in a worse position. Stop the putting-off cycle These tricks can help you start as you mean to go on (willpower required): Lie to yourself. Procrastinators are practised self-deceivers (Ill just spend five minutes on Facebook; Ill get up at 5am tomorrow to get started; Im sure I can write the whole thing in one day). Put this skill to good use. Mark Forster recommends lying to ones own reactive brain to stop it from feeling threatened. Tell yourself: I wont start the proposal now; Ill just get out the brief. With the reactive mind thus comforted, you may find yourself carrying on without even realising. If not, just keep adjusting the lie to take you a bit further each time: I wont start writing yet; Ill just make a few notes Ill just make a spidergram of ideas and so on. Little and often. Set a time to start and stick to it. Then work in timed chunks start small if need be (say, ten or fifteen minutes) and work up. Youll find an amount of time thats best for you, but dont exceed an hour. Again, to break through panic, try telling yourself youll just work for five or ten minutes. Once those minutes have passed, youll probably be in your stride already. If not, take two or three minutes off, and start again. Increase each work session by a few minutes. Take breaks. When the time is up for one session, stop even if you are mid-sentence. Knowing a break is coming can perk you up; taking the break allows you to re-focus, letting you come back refreshed and more productive than if you drag on for hours at a time. A quick change of scene even a good stretch can do wonders here. Set goals, but keep them realistic. A daily to-do list is best theres nothing like ticking off completed items (however seemingly small) for keeping you motivated to carry on. Of course, most resolutions are fated to be thrown out after a single slip-up. But to give in to discouragement after one lost day and start procrastinating all over again would be the equivalent of giving in to one slice of cheesecake, then despairingly deciding you may as well eat everything in the fridge. Youre left feeling queasy, angry and with considerably less to show for it. You deserve better.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Social Environment essays

Social Environment essays Social Environment and Its Effect On One's Life Social environment is influenced by one's power and wealth. This, in turn, determines success or failure in peoples' lives. If one were born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth, he would easily be able to attend a fancy school no matter how intelligent he is or have any luxury he wants just because of power and wealth. On the flip side, if one were born to a poor family in a bad neighborhood infested with violence and drugs, he would have a much smaller chance of succeeding in life, more especially, going to an upper-class school. It is hard for many poor to go to college because of such high tuition costs. Scholarships are available; but, even though one shows financial need, one still has to have a high grade point average and test scores. Even if one has a good mind, trying to study in a gang-ridden neighborhood with constant gunfire isn't easy. With both parents working two jobs, there isn't any parental guidance. Whereas, the affluent, even if busy or working, have the means to insure that their children are supervised and well taken care of. The rich also have the luxury of affording special tutors to help their children while other For example, there are three students, one from a clean, upper-class community, another from a small, middle-class suburb and the other from a graffiti-ridden slum. All three of these students have exceptional GPA's and scored very well on standardized testing. The student from the upper-class community will have the best chance of succeeding. Tuition will never be a problem and chances are that those parents have some pull because of who they are. The middle-class student won't have a great problem but there is still the fact of paying tuition, which would limit the options quite a bit. One may be smart enough to get grants but the family makes too much money. Also, if he ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Comparison of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace and A Prisoner in the Essay

Comparison of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace and A Prisoner in the Caucasus - Essay Example In general and on a whole, it can be stated that there are more differences than similarities between the two. War and Peace provides ample background as to the war that is taking place, describing in detail the events leading up to the war, the reason for it, the points of view and particularities of both sides involved, and the historical context surrounding the characters and occurrences that are significant to the story. It is a standalone piece that a reader can approach without the need to be versed or even familiar with the history of the time period in which it unfolds, given the fact that all of this information is provided therein, whereas in "A Prisoner in the Caucasus", the only piece of information given as to historical context is that it is taking place amidst the war between the Russians and the Tartars, forcing the discerning and curious reader to research the circumstances of, and time in history when, said war was waged if he/she wishes to obtain some temporal refe rence or detailed contextual information that would serve as a basis for better understanding the tale's time and place. Another general and very important difference between the novel and the short story consists of the fact that the latter was written by Tolstoy based on actual experiences. "A Prisoner in the Caucasus" fictionalizes Tolstoy's first-hand experience as a soldier in 1852 fighting in the war against the Chechenians, Tartars who rebelled against Russian rule. Evidence of actual occurrences that Tolstoy lived during his military career, which he either described in detail to instill realism into certain passages of his story or embellished upon to create memorable scenes, abounds in scholarly biographical works on the author. One such event is beautifully narrated in A Cadet in the Caucasus (Simmons, p. 23): [Tolstoy] and Sado were in a convoy of stores from Fort Vozdvizhenskoe to Fort Groznoe. Although regulations strictly forbade anyone detaching himself from the convoy, because of the danger of being cut off by roving mountaineers, he, Sado and three mounted officers, impatient with the slow pace of the infantry, rode on ahead. Tolstoy and Sado ascended a ridge to see if any of the enemy were in sight. A large band suddenly appeared a short distance away. Shouting a warning to their three comrades below, Tolstoy and Sado galloped for the fort, less than three miles away. The Chechen band divided, seven taking up the pursuit of Tolstoy and Sado and the rest dashing after the other officers. These men had been slow to take the warning and two of them were severely wounded before reaching the convoy. Meanwhile Tolstoy, who had been trying out Sado's spirited new horse and hence might easily have escaped, refused to desert his friend, who was mounted on Tolstoy's slow ambler. The Chechens drew nearer and nearer, while Sado tried to keep them at a distance by threatening them with an unloaded gun. The enemy could have shot them down, but apparently they desired to take them alive, especially the renegade Sado, whom they no doubt wished to torture. Fortunately, a Cossack guard at the post saw their plight. A rescue party at once galloped out and the Chechens fled. This close encounter

Friday, October 18, 2019

Critical Review C Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Review C - Essay Example would have agreed that Johnson controlled the environment efficiently through his description of what makes a house a house and avoiding too much control of the outside environment, as he discussed in the article, â€Å"The Jacobs House.† Banham is right to argue that the glass house is not a controlled environment, but an un-house, but Wright would have stressed that Johnson controlled the environment to some extent when he made a house that serves as a house without rejecting the outside environment’s presence altogether. The glass house is an un-house because it has two basic elements, â€Å"a heated brick floor slab and standing unit which is a chimney/fireplace on one side and a bathroom on the other† (Banham 79). The house becomes a â€Å"service core set† (Banham 79). Banham means to say that this an un-house because it defies the traditional need for a visual enclosure and other gadgetries. The emphasis is not on control, but on living outside the European model of a monumental structure (Banham 79). Wright would note, nevertheless, that Johnson did control the house in terms of functionality and did not control it through its openness. The glass house is simple and cost-efficient in its design and remarkable for its openness. Wright would appreciate that nonexistence of windows, and that the glass walls are the windows. Wright says that: â€Å"The way windows are used is naturally the most useful resource to achieve the new characteristic sense of space† (262). Indeed, the glass house looks out to the space, which Banham calls the â€Å"Great Out There† (79). The effect is the absence of division between the inside and the outside. The un-houseness of the glass house removes many obstacles that separate it from its natural environment. The irony of the controlled environment is having less control of the visible space through the nearly seamless interaction between the outside space and the inside space. A house should serve its main purpose of sheltering

E-commerce managent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-commerce managent - Essay Example Now, â€Å"E-commerce is the function of creating exchange i.e., buying and selling over digital media† (Kalakota and Robinson 1999). Once it was interchangeable in meaning with e-business. Now, the term e-commerce has come of age by not just exchanging business but beyond that – comprising e-marketing, e-franchising, e-mailing and much more. Corporate success has to be essentially a strategic application based on entrepreneurial principles. Traditionally, strategy was formulated and implemented on Solution-Based Logic. Senior members of companies used to spend days in suggesting strategies to increase profits. Strategies suggested by board members served personal interest more than real work, questioning and ridiculing others’ ideas. All members had different perspectives of evaluating the proposed strategy. It was an amalgam of conflicting strategies, where finding a consensus was just a formality. Politics played a major role in zeroing on a strategy. Customer satisfaction on adopting a strategy based on traditional method was not beyond 5% to 15% better than earlier solutions. (Anthony, 1999) Advanced strategy, on the other hand, involves thinking process applied at senior level, called Outcome-Based Logic. It provides solutions, satisfying 80% more customers than the earlier solutions, performing ten times better than traditional strategies. Due to the fast changing IT environment, advanced business strategy needs to be formulated to convert new opportunities and add value to turn corporate investment into appealing propositions, remaining in the competition by providing durable benefits to business units. The fast pace of technological development has changed the ways of doing business on the global platform. The World Wide Web has changed the strategic mindset of companies to exploit the vast market potential, earlier unavailable. The major challenge of this dynamic business world is to run durable profit-earning

Thursday, October 17, 2019

ROI social commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ROI social commerce - Essay Example In the modern business environment, social media provides a great opportunity for commerce because of the large audiences that this media draws. But business organizations grapple with how to determine the returns from investing in social media given that it does not give direct returns like the other known forms of investment. Indeed, the benefits accrued from investing in social media could be determined and this paper seeks to elaborate on how to make this achievement. The Big Five – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest - as referred to as by Marsden and Chaney (2012) provide sales opportunities in the emerging social economy. Social commerce has increasingly been adopted by organizations to reach out to wider market coverage more effectively. Griffin (2009) refers to such a strategy as social commerce which the scholar defines as harnessing the wisdom of many from the Internet to assist shoppers in finding and buying products and services. The driving force b ehind this is the social media, which can no longer be considered as a fad but a part of today’s consumers’ daily lives. ... The commerce aspect appreciates the need for human intervention for a sale to take place (Clapperton, 2012). Increasingly adopted by organizations’ sales arms, social commerce provides a critical online sales strategy for firms as customers seek for fast product search tools. How to Use Social Media in Social Commerce Having the social media as the business tool and the great audience that comes with it would not be adequate in entirety. There has to be effective strategies in which organizations engage this audience through social media so as to convert the normal activities on the media into opportunities for sale. This is an aspect that organizations need to be well versed in as in the near future, social media would be so enshrined in regular business communication and would only be beneficial to those with effective conversion strategies. The first way in which social media would be used in social commerce involves sharing. According to Marsden and Chaney (2012), organiza tions now create sharable content allowing customers to easily share links on their products or important website pages by placing buttons that would enable the ‘like’ function for Facebook, ‘share by email’ or ‘Tweet’. Social sharing gives the ability for users to share content posted on the organization’s website to their social profiles. Additionally, it allows for inclusion of comments on the item that has been shared. Therefore, social sharing provides an effective way of driving traffic back to the organization’s site. Secondly, social media could be used as an effective tool to collect feedback through the ratings and reviews on products. While social sharing by word of mouth

The Lady Eve review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Lady Eve review - Essay Example In this film, Rowans father is willing to do anything for his sick son. He is seen traveling a long journey to seek treatment for his son who was discovered with Autism disease. The father has played a parenting role as he overcomes all the challenges along the way without giving up. A society has a power to determine how children grow and their future character. It is imperative for parents to give and offer the right morals and guidance to their children for better molding in a society. One of the major differences between Ai Wei-Wei and Banksy is that Ai Wei-Wei used graffiti art while Bankysy used street art. Bankysy was a filmmaker who used art to deliver his message. He was voted as one of the most influential persons in the world. He is put in the same category with the alike of Obama and lady gaga. He mainly displaces his art on publically visible places such as walls. On the other hand, Wei-Wei was a filmmaker and activist in China. His use of art was considered as destructive. He uses Scarecrow to deliver his message in the street of China. Art is a variety of human activities and the resulting product of those activities that usually involve technical and imaginative skills. These activities include criticism of work, work of art production, the study of art, and dissemination of art. Art focuses on the production of visual art that includes the creation of object or image, painting, printmaking, and photography. Art can be mainly be used for educating a s ociety. One of the place where you can display art include on public streets and roads. A good example where you can use art is when you want to challenge a governments decision to ignore public opinion. One can decide to use art to educate people about the serious consequences of the governments choice of action or decision. Art is very effective way of communication and educating a society. The book of Kells is sometimes known as

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

ROI social commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ROI social commerce - Essay Example In the modern business environment, social media provides a great opportunity for commerce because of the large audiences that this media draws. But business organizations grapple with how to determine the returns from investing in social media given that it does not give direct returns like the other known forms of investment. Indeed, the benefits accrued from investing in social media could be determined and this paper seeks to elaborate on how to make this achievement. The Big Five – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest - as referred to as by Marsden and Chaney (2012) provide sales opportunities in the emerging social economy. Social commerce has increasingly been adopted by organizations to reach out to wider market coverage more effectively. Griffin (2009) refers to such a strategy as social commerce which the scholar defines as harnessing the wisdom of many from the Internet to assist shoppers in finding and buying products and services. The driving force b ehind this is the social media, which can no longer be considered as a fad but a part of today’s consumers’ daily lives. ... The commerce aspect appreciates the need for human intervention for a sale to take place (Clapperton, 2012). Increasingly adopted by organizations’ sales arms, social commerce provides a critical online sales strategy for firms as customers seek for fast product search tools. How to Use Social Media in Social Commerce Having the social media as the business tool and the great audience that comes with it would not be adequate in entirety. There has to be effective strategies in which organizations engage this audience through social media so as to convert the normal activities on the media into opportunities for sale. This is an aspect that organizations need to be well versed in as in the near future, social media would be so enshrined in regular business communication and would only be beneficial to those with effective conversion strategies. The first way in which social media would be used in social commerce involves sharing. According to Marsden and Chaney (2012), organiza tions now create sharable content allowing customers to easily share links on their products or important website pages by placing buttons that would enable the ‘like’ function for Facebook, ‘share by email’ or ‘Tweet’. Social sharing gives the ability for users to share content posted on the organization’s website to their social profiles. Additionally, it allows for inclusion of comments on the item that has been shared. Therefore, social sharing provides an effective way of driving traffic back to the organization’s site. Secondly, social media could be used as an effective tool to collect feedback through the ratings and reviews on products. While social sharing by word of mouth

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Policy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Policy Analysis - Essay Example Such statements are suppressed because they violate the Fifth Amendment and they are subject to the Miranda exclusionary rule. A waiver, in this regard, occurs when the suspect logically, knowingly and voluntarily waives his right. In order to determine the validity of the waiver, it is important to look at the circumstances and events resulting in the waiver. Where the suspect makes a spontaneous or voluntary statement before the rights are read, such statements can be admitted provided the statements were not prompted by interrogations. This position clearly shows that Miranda rights are only necessary when law enforcement intends to interrogate a suspect (Burgan, 2006). Miranda rights, policies and procedures, therefore, greatly affect the operations and decision making process within law enforcement. The rights give the suspect protection against self-incrimination as well as providing appropriate guidelines for law enforcement in the manner they interrogate suspects. Miranda policies and procedures assist in determining whether suspects’ statements can be admitted or suppressed in a court of

Assessing Importance of School Factors Such as Racism Essay Example for Free

Assessing Importance of School Factors Such as Racism Essay A variety of material disadvantages that may confront ethnic minorities coming from working class backgrounds are they do not achieve the same level of education. The main achievers are Indian, Chinese and African students, but the lowest achievers are Turkish, Bangladeshi And Afro Caribbean students. The white working class students are the lowest achieving, which is peculiar because most sociologists are white who stereotype and label other students from different backgrounds. The main cause of underachievement in schools are cultural and language factors which sociologists clarify and focus on and are thought to be main cause of everything. Previously the spotlight has been put on what happens in school and racism in common As shown by Cecile Wright, which explains that, Asian students can also be the victims of teachers Cecile found out that regardless of the schools evident promise to equal opportunities, teachers still hold ethnocentric views they believe that British culture and English are greater. This prepared teachers to assume that they would have a poor pronunciation of English and left them out of class debates or used basic, childlike speech when speaking to them. Asian pupils also felt cut off when teachers spoken dissatisfaction of their behaviour or misread their names. Teachers saw them not as a risk but as a difficulty they could take no notice of. This resulted in that Asian pupils in particular the girls were hard-pressed to the limits and disallowed from play a part fully. Close at hand is proof of teacher racial discrimination and harmful labelling. Nevertheless study shows that pupils can take action in variety of ways. They may take action by becoming unsettling or withdrawn but pupils may decline to agree to the label and even choose to prove it incorrect by putting in hard work. Off-putting labels do not repeatedly twist into self-fulfilling prophecy Working class white pupils attain below standards and have lesser desires. There isn’t much parental support at home, which means there is low achievement and goals. Reports show that teachers have to deal with low level of behaviour and discipline in white working class schools. Nevertheless they had fewer kids on benefit programs teachers blame this on inadequate parental support at home and negative attitude that white working class parents have towards their children and their education. The life in the street for white working class can be tough for pupils which means they get used to getting intimidating and intimidate other which they pick up and use in school to cause disruptions and make it hard for other students to succeed at school. Underachievement of student of different is blamed on cultural deprivation. Few sociologists say that Afro-Caribbean families lack a close relationship to their family and therefore are extremely violent towards everything they do. Arguments explain that families aren’t very supportive towards their children and they don’t offer enough cultural capital for their children. Stereotypical views suggest those students are not deprived because of their class or because of their backgrounds. Factors like social class are important to certain ethnic minorities like Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and a considerable amount of Afro-Caribbean students, which are all working class backgrounds in which material deprivation play a main role because to find out why they achieve below the national standards. Sociologists say schools and curriculums made just for one specific group of ethnic minority gives priority to one particular ethnic minority while disregarding other ethnic groups. Some schools have curriculums, which are ethnocentric because they only give priority to English languages. The British curriculum has been described as exclusively British. In history Britain is thought to bring civilisation to ancient people are colonised. Black people as inferior weakens black children’s self esteem and Leads to them to underachieving and failing. It isn’t for sure what effects the ethnocentric study shows that black don’t really suffer from low self esteem. Wright’s study found some ethnic minority groups received poorer interaction from staff. Teachers perceptions were seem as stereotypical although Asian students were seen as good and black students were seen disruptive and disobedient. Study show that schools in cities which contain ethnic minority students were not benefitting in terms of O Levels entries because of being in low set and having to achieve high grade in order to get good results and become successful. Overall taking into consideration we can not split or label ethnicity from social classes and gender since this is really difficult matter as some of the main achieving students are from ethnic minorities so for that reason there isn’t a connection here so we can’t make statements or come to conclusions as to what the association among ethnic groups and schools actually are. Pupils can refuse to accept negative classing and teacher expectations. Sociologists can’t come to a conclusion to explain what occurs between teacher and students or what takes place in different ethnic groups related to education. Students live up to roles they are given but can try to resist the labels and getting put behind by carrying out what is thought of them to do or do what they want to do and achieve good education and become successful.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Introduction to Santander and its market plan

Introduction to Santander and its market plan Santander is one of the largest financial institutes in the world with a consumer base of 66 million people worldwide functioning in 40 countries with 150 years of experience making it the 5th largest bank in the world by profit and the 7th largest by market capitalization (Santander Home Page). The success of a business lies with its collaboration and communication strategies with its customers and clients (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). Santander has enhanced and developed its business by emphasizing the need to communicate and collaborate with consumer and customer demands prior to financial profit and organizational benefits; this is the biggest secret to its success. Marketing has evolved a great deal in the past decade and Kotler describes marketing as the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong relationships in order to capture value from customers in return (Kotler, 1999). 1.1.1 Marketing plan and mission the mission of Santander is dedicated to being a resilient financial institute while embracing a culture of market orientation and making customers priority and forefront of every strategy or plan formulated. The marketing plan for Santander hence stands to endeavor and to seek out and conserve the buoyancy of its customers and offer generous services aligned with consumer expectations and demands (Santander Home Page). 1.1.2 Marketing plan and vision- the vision henceforth is aptly aligned with the mission of the organization by unremittingly creating value products for customers offering a sense of belonging and a family environment where services are beneficial according to their requirements (Santander Home Page). 2.1 Marketing plan in terms of changing market trends Marketing has evolved a great deal and Kotler defined these changes in three stages (1) marketing 1.0 (2) marketing 2.0 and (3) marketing 3.0 (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). The 1.0 marketing strategy is epitomized by Henry Fords marketing strategy with respect to his T automobile Model stating any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black; illustrating that marketing is about selling a single product on a large mass scale bearing in mind feasibility and low cost (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). Henceforth marketing 2.0 signifies technological trends of marketing epitomized as age of participation where collaborative marketing strategies i.e. news, advertisements and online marketing approaches like Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter etc are used for marketing products and services. Most of the organizations functioning in the business world follow and adhere to marketing 2.0 strategies but with the changing trends corporations like Santander have altered th eir marketing strategies by collaborating marketing 2.0 and marketing 3.0 strategy where information technology is collaborated with global marketing approaches as 3.0 is an approach that addresses concerns and desires of global citizens (Kotler Setiawan, 2007). Santander has improved and enhanced its marketing products and service by offering online banking to its customers. However as the competitive market has evolved fiercely the organization has realized a need for change with reference to their services. The rapidly advancing technological trends and consumer demands in accordance to it Santander has aimed to leverage its consumer base to escalate its revenue stream while offering extended services in banking to its customers. Taking all these factors into consideration a marketing plan for Santander thus formulated was to introduce a much more advanced and improved version of online banking ensuing releases supplements new features and functionalities to make it truly state-of-the-art (Santander Home Page). A brief outline of its marketing plan thus follows: 2.1.1 E-Services The corporation with the changing trends aims at the best quality services that are beneficial and according to customer demands and requirements. Santander has launched an online direct savings for Family Planning and Education and is offering the following:  · Childrens savings accounts  · Education savings accounts  · Holiday savings accounts  · Retirement savings accounts While offering these Santander offers the following additional services to its best eminence (Santander Home Page):  · Accepting deposits  · Lending loans  · Transfer of money  · Trustee business  · Safekeeping  · Government business  · Venture capital offering loan for initiation of a risky business  · ATM  · Phone and internet banking  · Deposit insurance schemes 2.2 Marketing plan and product analysis in terms of marketing environment and competitors Family planning and educational savings account is offered by every bank in the world. Santanders marketing environment is highly competitive and rapidly evolving with institutions adapting to advance and current marketing trends in order to enhance consumer base. What makes Santander different and unique in its marketing strategy and service offers is their cost effective and consumer reliable savings accounts and services that prove to be beneficial to their customers in the long and short term. Following is a comparison of its competitors to the e-savings services it offers: Source: www.comparethemarket.com Analyzing the market environment and market trends, Nationwide offers award winning savings accounts with their e-saver account acknowledged by Money-facts as one of the most consistently high-paying internet savings account between 2005 and 2008. The service however is limited and targets a particular set of customers those who can afford it activating it by depositing  £5,000 in their accounts. Their cost-effective and premier services are limited to a particular class in society which is also evident in their limited advertising strategies. The services they offer are (www.natwest.co.uk):  · 2.00% gross p.a./AER with no more than 3 withdrawals annually otherwise it may result in low interest rate  · Savings from  £1 to  £500,000  · Customers holding a Nationwide Flex Account is offered to set up a high interest internet savings account  · Customer not a Nationwide Flex Account members are obligated to open a Flex account online alongside an e-savings Plus Abbey is a collaborative of Santander and is ranked as one of the 10 largest banks worldwide. On the other hand Abbeys marketing strategies and services seem more business oriented with the aim of enhancing revenue stream while offering customer satisfactory services and products. Abbeys allow its customer to open a savings account with a minimum deposit of  £1 while offering them an interest rate of 2.50%. Although a lot of other banks provide the same service i.e. opening a savings account for the amount of  £1 the difference is highlighted in their interest rates which are less then Abbeys. Abbey offers interest rates and savings accounts which helps customers in achieving their saving targets for short and long term. Their advertisement and marketing strategy invokes customers stating whether youre saving up for a new car or just for a rainy day you can get their quicker with an Abbey savings account (www.abbey.co.uk). Abbeys savings account are designed and formulated to suit variety of needs of customers i.e. whether customers are planning to save up annually with the purpose of benefitting from higher interest rates or in need of savings accounts which does not limit withdrawals on the cost of interest rates. The bank offers savings accounts all suited to a variety of customers and a universal mass target. Their product and services are as (Abbeys home page):  · Offers a grand return of 2.50% gross/AER with a bonus of 2.00% gross/AER for the first year while opening a savings account  · Savings from  £1  · Offers round the clock money withdrawals without limitations or penalties  · Calculation of interest on a daily basis with final payment on a monthly basis  · Provision of Financial Services Compensation Scheme Services where savings is cosseted up to  £50,000 The market environment after analyzing both of these financial institutes seems to be fiercely competitive. The comparison of both distinguishes the aims and objectives of both on different yet same plane e.g. Nat-west targets a particular class with limited services with no compromise on quality or performance; hence confining a major part of its services to business customers and their investment securities. In simple words the services of Nat-west are beneficial and reserved for the elite. Abbey, conversely, appeals to the needs and demands to a variety of investors big or small and their services and products are designed for all classes. Evaluating products and services of these two competitors Santander aims to offer services that are not reserved or confined to just one class or a particular set of targeted customers. To establish a strong market plan and marketing approach Santander has launched branches in various destinations nationwide emphasizing that location is significant in marketing strategies. The location of the branches is vigilantly planned out i.e. on high streets and malls etc which are easily accessible by customers. Santander has also invested in promoting branches in the rural area by carefully evaluating the saving rates in both rural and urban areas; and after careful evaluation it seems that people in the rural area tend to save up more as compared to urban areas. Apart from this Santander has launched an easily accessible e-savings family and educational accounts by enhancing its profit margin by 3% (Santander Home Page). The reason for this improvement in profit scale is beneficial with reference to organizational marketing benefits and customer requirements and demands e.g. this service is offered online making it more cost effective i.e. not investing in staff, branching or online advertisement and by offering online bank statements it saves up on cost of postal or printing. Hence it proves beneficial for both customer and the Bank. Santander offers the following services in a competitive market environment (Santander Home Page):  · Great return of 3% gross/AER including a bonus of a free laptop after one year on first commencement of the account  · Savings from  £1  · Customers with current accounts can set up savings accounts on high interest rates  · Withdrawal of money anytime with interest generating on an annual basis  · Customers with e-savings accounts are entitled to a 25% discount on travel 2.2.1 SWOT analysis of Santander Strengths v Introduction to e-savings interest account v Comparatively better interest rates v Ideally suited to a variety of needs v Provision of better discount offers v Being more cost-efficient through e-services Weaknesses v Increased costs associated with more benefits to attract customers Opportunities v Introduction of new branches in rural areas v Moving a product into a new market sector v Benefitting from new technological trends i.e. e-savings and online banking Threats v Increasing competition and threats to the Banking industry from other companies v Decreased investment in savings account due to the current financial climate 2.3 Marketing plan in terms of marketing environment and consumer behavior The marketing environment assessed and evaluated for a marketing plan is derived from two factors (1) motivational factors of consumer attitude (2) amendment of marketing strategies according to changing consumer attitudes and demands (Kotabe Helsen, 2010). Hence in this scenario the marketing environment thus assessed for apposite marketing management are derived from two factors (1) motivational factors or aspirations of people whether to having savings or not (2) amending interest rates with changing consumer attitudes and demands. While evaluating the marketing environment and consumer demands organizations should evaluate products that are in the market and are not appealing to consumers; the best way to overcome such a challenge for the marketer is either to find ways to change the product or change consumer perception (Elliot Roach, 1991). In the banking sector it is known fact that the amount of savings by a consumer escalates with the increase in their income and as econom y strengthens the volume of savings by individuals is likely to grow (Johnson 2004). It is for this reason that consumer attitudes and motivations must be evaluated and aptly assessed to better comprehend how and why flux in savings occurs. What motivates people to save? this aspect of consumer attitude has been researched by the Survey Research Center where it analyzes and evaluates consumer attitudes towards savings. Their findings demonstrate that consumer save for a variety of reasons different from the other and the two major reasons hence highlighted are of two kinds (1) the survey showed that 40 to 45% of individuals save for emergencies or for a rainy day to eliminate the chances of being broke if ever unfortunate turn of events may occur (2) 70% of the individuals surveyed gave a positive outlook to their savings stating that they would save for an early retirement or for family and educational needs or to purchase a house or start a small business (Spiegel Samuels 1984). Due to these factors Santander strives and seeks to preserve and attain consumer confidence by offering products that are aligned with their attitudes and demands and services that comply with their life aspirations and their needs for savings. The following critical path or marketing plan analysis has been established by the organization to follow the launch of e-services: 3.1 Marketing in terms of technological and media trends Kotler has described the enablers of new wave technology the rise of social media and has further classified it into two categories (1) expressice social media (2) collaborative media (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). In recent years the World Wide Web has become one blog and has evolved personal communication for availing economical benefits and gains. This has given rise to new technological trends and changing marketing strategies for organizations like Santander. Consumers products in quick access and easily managed are now rapidly becoming popular by means of e-services or the internet as business social media is low-cost and bias-free and it will be the future of marketing communications (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). Trend-watching becomes essential when it comes to promotion, pricing, positioning and executing a product into the market as it summarizes consumers motivation for product co-creation (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). 3.1.1 Promotion- online advertising a means of collaborative social media trend is rapidly evolving and developing in the business world. The Internet Advertising Bureau and Price water-house Coopers, surveyed a report with reference to online advertising and its growing consumer appeal stating that it grew 41.2.% to reach  £2.02 billion in 2003and it exceeded by 11.4% market share against 10.4% traditional and conventional advertising media i.e. newspapers and magazines. The traditional advertising market saw a 2.9% decline in their market share in 2008 against internet advertising (Shampine, 2003). The three principle categories in online advertising formats i.e. display advertising, paid-for-search and online classified advertising grew by 35%, 52% and 45% respectively generating revenues of  £453.7 million,  £1.2 billion and  £379 million annually, respectively (Shampine, 2003). Recent years have shown a thrust in technological trends particularly in E-services and it is anticipated that this impetus will escalate and advertisers feel prone towards experimenting and benefitting from these technological trends and creating more innovative and appealing advertisements to enhance consumer base. In response to this drastic technological change, Santander Bank is promoting its business through operating a very user attractive website and by using the social Medias such as facebook and twitter. Companys website is where promoting the business also the main aim is to facilitating the customers and management perceived the healthy impacts on customer base of the company. Hence, online advertisements are more beneficial for organizations like Santander. 3.1.2 Pricing- the pricing for the service offered by the Bank should be aligned with consumers motivation for product co-creation. The interest rates should be amended and modified with the changing consumer attitudes and their feasibility. Market evaluation hence for expressive social media becomes essential for Santander to understand and collaborate with consumers and their expectations associated with the organization. 3.1.3 Products- Santander management is continuously seeking the new ways to meet up the needs and demands of their customers by offering them the more competitive and versatile products. The e-savings offered by the Bank is offered to appeal consumers who are pursuing means to save up for a better tomorrow for their families and child well being. The services online offered by Santander include Childrens saving accounts, Education savings accounts, Holiday savings account and Retirement savings account. 3.1.4 Placement- Internet and web has become the fastest growing convenience in the past recent years. However, the bank is offering the combination of both services; online and offline services. Considering that there are areas where the branches have not been setup, e-services are ideal for the customers to access their account details, statements and deposits online. 4.1 Marketing in terms of future sustainability According to the projections released by the Office for National Statics, the population in the UK is anticipated to increase by 4 million to 65.6 million by 2018 highlighting a 1.2% incline per annum. The statistics illustrate that the working population defined as individuals between 16 and 59 is anticipated to increase by 14% i.e. from 38.1.million to 43.3 million in the span between 2008 to 2033. This also means a 1.2% increase per annum and since this is the target of Santanders e-savings services the market evaluation and product projection is carried out with reference to these statistics and information. (Source: www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pprojnr1009.pdf). According to a published report by Mintel Corporation Ltd. people investing in savings accounts average percentage stands at 40% and which is expected to rise to 42.1% by 2012; demonstrating a  £95.14 per head savings that is to increase to  £98.37 and  £101.29 in 2011 and 2012 respectively (www.statistics.gov.uk). Bearing in mind all these figures and statistics the future prospects of Santanders e-savings can be made hence: Net profit 4,685 5,109 5,538 For future prospects and the firms future reputation will be well managed by controlling launch product effectively and aptly by  · Calculated planning of the e-savings service after vigilant market environment and consumer behavior evaluation and assessment  · Conducting online surveys and creating blogs for feedback and evaluating possible opportunities for modifying product according to consumer needs  · Managing online project management by establishing monitoring and task management teams  · Viral circulation strategies i.e. advertising through expressive social media and collaborative social media  · Refining formats i.e. pricing, promotions, bonuses and discount rates, up-sells and continuous improvement programs for the services being offered  · Synchronizing efforts with in-house staff, outsources and vendors and deliverables from project principles  · Setting up a customer service online operating team available to consumer round the clock. 5.1 Conclusion When undertaking a sustainability initiative it is important to measure the costs, savings, and revenues and other benefits to get all stakeholders on board and the measures should be accurate and honest to evaluate the impact of initiative on financial return and intangible benefits (Cooperman Gifford, 2008).Santander is keen on adapting to the changing technological trends as due to globalization the world has become one block where exchange of ideas, thoughts, personal communication and information is carried out through the evolving internet trend. As the statistics show online advertising is rapidly becoming popular due to the vastly growing number of consumers approaching firms and organizations for their needs and requirements by e-services. The future for Santander stands bright and the high reputation is evident from its inclining market share and consumer base by adapting to the 3.0 marketing strategy in todays business world. This will also enable the organization in comm unicating and collaborating with its customers in a better way and better comprehend their needs and demands and modify their products accordingly.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

In a Grove :: essays research papers

Louis Andrei Zabala Litera2 10335625 07/11/05 In A Grove It is a story that provides the ultimate explanation of how two different people who are witnesses to a crime give completely different psychological recollections of the same event. The author reminds us that truth depends on the telling. Someone must step forward and tell that truth. I believe that no matter how many times you read "In A Grove," there's not enough information in the story to figure out the truth about what took place on the day of the samurai's death, but it's still fun to sort out what you think you know for sure, what seems highly probable, what seems highly improbable, and what doesn't fit into any of these three categories. But for me, "In A Grove" isn't about searching for some kind of absolute truth — it's about how differently people perceive the same external event. The best example in the story of what I mean by this is perhaps the sword fight between the bandit and the samurai. The bandit perceived it as a heroic duel between a pair of honorable, expert swordsmen while the woodsman saw two scared, clumsy men stumbling around with swords in their hands as each tried desperately to prevail over the other any way he could. When it's all said and done, you won't know who is telling the truth, who is lying and, mos t importantly, why. Yet the parable is more important, today, perhaps, as a lesson in how we construct the narratives upon which justice depends: What facts must we know to decide the truth? That question makes the author’s inquiry the concern of those who now seek justice in the GMA presidency, as well. And it doesn't matter one bit. The writer isn't interested in truth, lies or anything of the sort. He's interested in reality, and the reality of human truth is that no one will ever really know it.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Feminism and Equal Rights Essay -- Opportunities, Organized Activity, W

Feminism is the belief in equal rights and opportunities, in organized activity, in support of women’s rights and interests, and also in the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes (Merriam-Webster). Typically, the word â€Å"feminism† has a negative connotation associated with it and feminists are stereotyped as closed minded, man hating, ugly, and whiny, among many other things. However, these stereotypes are much exaggerated and while they may be true of some feminists, most are normal women who could not be picked out from a crowd. Modern day feminists are following in the footsteps of their ancestors who starting in the late 1800’s have participated in three major feminist movements (Stockton). The first of these movements occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The goal of the first wave was to open more opportunity doors for women with a main focus on suffrage. The wave officially began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 (Stockton). Here, over 300 men and women rallied for the equality of women (Ruether). In its early stages, feminism was often related to temperance and abolitionist movements. This first wave of feminism movements if often referred to as the â€Å"Suffrage Movement† (Gender Press). This movement helped give voice to many early stage feminist advocates who are famous today, some of which include Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. These women fought for the right to vote, a privilege that was reserved for men (Stockton). This movement transformed into something much larger when the National Women’s Rights Convention was formed a few years later. This movement led to the 19th Amendment being passed in 1920. The 19th Amendment outlawed gender- biased vot... ...//genderpressing.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/feminism-the-first-wave-2/>. 9. "." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. . 10. "The History of Second Wave Feminism." Suite. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. . 11. "Third Wave Foundation." Third Wave Foundation History Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. . 12. "A Manifesto for Third Wave Feminism." Alternet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. . 13. Duca, Lauren. "A Definitive Guide To Celebrity Feminism In 2013." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 May 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/22/celebrity-feminisn_n_4476120.html.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Is a College Education Necessary to Succeed in Life Essay

Education is the key that opens the door to all life has to offer. The benefits of a good education, enhanced vision, increased motivation, and improved performance is crucial to being successful in life. Success belongs to those who acquire a good education. Enhanced vision. Getting a good education can help you gain a better view of what you are capable of doing. Education gives a person an enhanced sense of personal control (Schieman and Plickert, 2008). Sound theoretical and empirical research has established that educational attainment is the critical first step in improving communication skills, improving relationship skills and improving your life (Schieman and Plickert, 2008). The most important thing to remember about education is education is the most important element that can help you increase your personal control in life. Increased motivation. Acquiring a good education can also help you improve your station in life. Abraham Maslow believed that what motivates people is a hierarchy of needs beginning at the most basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing and ending in self actualization (Wilson and Madsen, 2008). Maslow believed individuals have the ability through education to become whatever they want to become because the individual has an ability to learn (Wilson and Madsen, 2008). Through using this ability to learn and acquiring education you can find success and you can find the power to change your life. Increased performance Improving your education will improve your chance for success. Getting a good education has a tendency to make you feel good about yourself. When you begin to feel good your life takes on a new meaning and you are able to cast off the garments of a meaningless life and put on the garments of a meaningful life (The humanist, 1992). This change is accomplished through the renewal of your dreams. When you start dreaming again you will begin to learn through structured programs of learning, from friends and family, from daily experiences, and from self reflection (Teare, 1997). Learning will become a fun thing to do. Finally, education equips you with the critical career and life skills that lead to a successful life (Hays, 2008). When you learn through education to listen, have empathy, start caring about life, become persuasive, become aware of the world in which you live, develop foresight or vision, start seeing the big picture, become committed to your growth as a person, become concerned about doing the right thing, and realize that you are a small part of a greater whole (Hays, 2008) then you will be well on your way to being successful in life and will have proved that people really do need education to succeed. References Hays, J. M. (2008). Teacher as servant: Applications of Greenleaf’s servant leadership in higher education. Journal of Global Business Issues, 2(1), 113. Retrieved form ABI/INFORM Global database. Schieman, S. and Plickert, G. (2008). How knowledge is power: Education and the sense of control. Social Forces, 87(1), 153. Retrieved March 31, 2009, from ProQuest Multiple databases.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Economic Systems Essay

Socialism Socialism is an economic system where all the economic decisions are made by the government or a central authority. There will be no private property rights since the government officially owns all resources. It is also known as a command economy or a planned system. Socialist economics refers to the economic theories, practices, and norms of hypothetical and existing socialist economic systems. A socialist economy is based on some form of social ownership, which includes varieties of public ownership and independent cooperatives, over the means of production, wherein production is carried out to directly produce use-value sometimes, but not always, coordinated through economic planning and a system of accounting based on calculation-in-kind or a direct measure of labor-time. The term socialist economics may also be applied to analysis of former and existing economic systems that call themselves â€Å"socialist†, such as the works of Hungarian economist Jà ¡nos Kornai. Socialist economics has been associated with different schools of economic thought, most notably Marxian economics, institutional economics, evolutionary economics and neoclassical economics. Early socialism, like Ricardian socialism, was based on classical economics. During the 20th century, proposals and models for planned economies and market socialism were based heavily on neoclassical economics or a synthesis of neoclassical economics with Marxian or institutional economics. look more:  what is the basic economic problem essay Characteristics 1 Public ownership of resources All the resources are owned and operated by the state or the government in the interest of society as a whole. This is to ensure equal opportunity of all citizens regardless of their income. Public ownership also aims to fully utilize the country’s resources. 2 Central planning authority The central authority is responsible for making economic decisions for society. The authority plans and allocates resources between current consumption and investment for the future. 3 Price mechanism of lesser importance Socialism gives less importance to market forces. Prices are fixed by the government and not determined by demand and supply. Private profits are not allowed and public interest is emphasized in the command economy. 4 Central control and ownership A socialist economy is a fully planned economy where the government intervenes in all aspects of economic activity. The government controls production, consumption, and the distribution of goods and services. Merits of Socialism 1 Production according to basic needs Production in a socialist economy is mainly directed at producing the basic needs of the people such as food, clothing and building materials. It is not determined by the purchasing power of the rich in society. The phenomenon of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer does not exist in the socialist economy. 2 Equal distribution of income and wealth There is no difference between the rich and the poor. This system provides equal opportunity for all citizens in earning an income. Wealth is also equally distributed since private enterprise is limited 3 Better allocation of resourses Under the socialist system, the planning authority will allocate resources between current consumption and future investment. 4 No serious unemployment or recession/ inflation The unemployment rate and inflation are usually taken care of by the government to ensure economic stability in the country. 5 Rapid economic development In a socialism system, the economy grows faster. The main factors responsible for the rapic economic growth are the full utilization of resources, planning and quick decisions. 6 Social welfare The government will provide all citizens of the country with full social security benefits such as pension, accident benefits and others. Since the government is concerned, labour dispute and wastage of resources do not exist in a socialism system. Economic Decisions in a Socialistic System What to produce In Socialism, planning authorities decide what to produce. The Central Planning Authority will collect detailed statistics on the resource availability in the country and link it with national priorities. If the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. How to produce The Central Planning Authority also decided on the techniques to be used in the production of different goods and services. The choice is between traditional and modern technique of production. For example, the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. For whom to produce The distribution of the national product is decided by the Central Planning Authority. The distribution of various commodities among citizens is done through a set of administred fixwd processes. Necessity goods are fixed at lower prices, and luxury goods at higher prices. The purpose of these fixed prices is to reduce inequalities in the distribution of income. Demerits of Socialism 1 Lacks of incentives and initative by individuals Individuals have no profit motive. This will lead to economic inefficiency since jobs are provided by the government and individuals are not motivated to work harder. 2 Loss of economic freedom and consumer sovereignty Under a socialist economy, the central planning authority or the government directs all economic activity. There is no choice given to the consumer and they accept whatever public enterprise produce. There is little variety in the goods and services produced and availability is restricted. Limited private organizations exist in a socialist economy. 3 Absence of competition Since there are limited private enterprises, less research and development (R&D) activities are carried out. This results in low quality products since there is no competition. Socialist economies in theory Robin Hahnel and Michael Albert identify five economic models within the rubric of socialist economics * Public Enterprise Centrally Planned Economy in which all property is owned by the State and all key economic decisions are made centrally by the State, the former Soviet Union. * Public Enterprise State-Managed Market Economy, one form of market socialism which attempts to use the price mechanism to increase economic efficiency, while all decisive productive assets remain in the ownership of the state, e.g. socialist market economy in China after reform. * A mixed economy, where public and private ownership are mixed, and where industrial planning is ultimately subordinate to market allocation, the model generally adopted by social democrats e.g. in twentieth century Sweden. * Public Enterprise Employee Managed Market Economies, another form of market socialism in which publicly owned, employee-managed production units engage in free market exchange of goods and services with one another as well as with final consumers, e.g. mid twentieth century Yugoslavia, Two more theoretical models are Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar’s Progressive Utilization Theory and Economic democracy. * Public Enterprise Participatory Planning, an economy featuring social ownership of the means of production with allocation based on an integration of decentralized democratic planning, e.g. stateless communism, libertarian socialism. An incipient historical forebear is that of Catalonia during the Spanish revolution. More developed theoretical models include those of Karl Polanyi, Participatory Economics and the negotiated coordination model of Pat Devine, as well as in Cornelius Castoriadis’s pamphlet â€Å"Workers’ Councils and the Economics of a Self-Managed Society†. Additionally, Jà ¡nos Kornai identifies five distinct classifications for socialism: * Classical / Marxist conception, where socialism is a stage of economic development in which wage labour, private property in the means of production and monetary relations have been made redundant through the development of the productive forces, so that capital accumulation has been superseded by economic planning. Economic planning in this definition means conscious allocation of economic inputs and the means of production by the associated producers to directly maximise use-values as opposed to exchange-values, in contrast to the â€Å"anarchy of production† of capitalism. * Walrasian / Market Socialist which defines socialism as public-ownership or cooperative-enterprises in a market economy, with prices for producer goods set through a trial-and-error method by a central planning board. In this view, socialism is defined in terms of de jure public property rights over major enterprises. * Leninist conception, which includes a form of political organisation based on control of the means of production and government by a single political party apparatus that claims to act in the interest of the working class, and an ideology hostile toward markets and political dissent, with coordination of economic activity through centralised economic planning (a â€Å"command economy†). * Social Democratic concept, based on the capitalist mode of production, which defines socialism as a set of values rather than a specific type of social and economic organisation. It includes unconditional support for parliamentary democracy, gradual and reformist attempts to establish socialism, and support for socially progressive causes. Social democrats are not opposed to the market or private property; instead they try to ameliorate the effects of capitalism through a welfare state, which relies on the market as the fundamental coordinating entity in the economy and a degree of public ownership/public provision of public goods in an economy otherwise dominated by private enterprise. * East Asian model, or socialist market economy, based on a largely free-market, capital accumulation for profit and substantial private ownership along with state-ownership of strategic industries monopolised by a single political party. Jà ¡nos Kornai ultimately leaves the classification of this model (as either socialist or capitalist) to the reader.[16] What are the disadvantages and advantages of socialism? Advantages of Socialism * In environments with plentiful resources, socialism provides all members with their survival needs, creating a stable social environment. * Members that cannot participate economically – due to disabilities, age, or periods of poor health – can still impart wisdom, emotional support and continuity of experience to the system. * Freedom from work provides opportunity for some societal members to explore non-economically-productive pursuits, such as pure science, math and non-popular arts. Disadvantages of Socialism * Since there is no culling and no economic advantage to working harder, socialistic systems provide no inherent incentive to participate. This makes socialism internally unstable. * Due to a lack of incentives, socialistic systems tend not to be competitive, making them externally unstable. * In times of plenty, immigrants are drawn to the free resources offered by socialistic systems, while potentially adding nothing economically productive. * In times of scarcity, resentment of non-economically-productive members of society increases, causing a destabilizing effect on the society and economy History of socialist economic thought Values of socialism have roots in pre-capitalist institutions such as the religious communes, reciprocal obligations, and communal charity of Mediaeval Europe, the development of its economic theory primarily reflects and responds to the monumental changes brought about by the dissolution of feudalism and the emergence of specifically capitalist social relations. As such it is commonly regarded as a movement belonging to the modern era. Many socialists have considered their advocacy as the preservation and extension of the radical humanist ideas expressed in Enlightenment doctrine such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality, Wilhelm von Humboldt’s Limits of State Action, or Immanuel Kant’s insistent defense of the French Revolution. Capitalism appeared in mature form as a result of the problems raised when an industrial factory system requiring long-term investment and entailing corresponding risks was introduced into an internationalized commercial (mercantilist) framework. Historically speaking, the most pressing needs of this new system were an assured supply of the elements of industry – land, elaborate machinery, and labour – and these imperatives led to the commodification of these elements. According to influential socialist economic historian Karl Polanyi’s classic account, the forceful transformation of land, money and especially labour into commodities to be allocated by an autonomous market mechanism was an alien and inhuman rupture of the pre-existing social fabric. Marx had viewed the process in a similar light, referring to it as part of the process of â€Å"primitive accumulation† whereby enough initial capital is amassed to begin capitalist production. The dislocation that Polyani and others describe, triggered natural counter-movements in efforts to re-embed the economy in society. These counter-movements, that included, for example, the Luddite rebellions, are the incipient socialist movements. Over time such movements gave birth to or acquired an array of intellectual defenders who attempted to develop their ideas in theory. As Polanyi noted, these counter-movements were mostly reactive and therefore not full-fledged socialist movements. Some demands went no further than a wish to mitigate the capitalist market’s worst effects. Later, a full socialist program developed, arguing for systemic transformation. Its theorists believed that even if markets and private property could be tamed so as not to be excessively â€Å"exploitative†, or crises could be effectively mitigated, capitalist social relations would remain significantly unjust and anti-democratic, suppressing universal human needs for fulfilling, empowering and creative work, diversity and solidarity. Within this context socialism has undergone four periods: the first in the 19th century was a period of utopian visions (1780s-1850s); then occurred the rise of revolutionary socialist and Communist movements in the 19th century as the primary opposition to the rise of corporations and industrialization (1830–1916); the polarisation of socialism around the question of the Soviet Union, and adoption of socialist or social democratic policies in response (1916–1989) and the response of socialism in the neo-liberal era (1990- ). As socialism developed, so did the socialist system of economics. Utopian socialism The first theories which came to hold the term â€Å"socialism† began to be formulated in the late 18th century, and were termed â€Å"socialism† early in the 19th century. The central beliefs of the socialism of this period rested on the exploitation of those who labored by those who owned capital or rented land and housing. The abject misery, poverty and disease to which laboring classes seemed destined was the inspiration for a series of schools of thought which argued that life under a class of masters, or â€Å"capitalists† as they were then becoming to be called, would consist of working classes being driven down to subsistence wages. Socialist ideas found expression in utopian movements, which often formed agricultural communes aimed at being self-sufficient on the land. These included many religious movements, such as the Shakers in America. Utopian socialism had little to offer in terms of a systematic theory of economic phenomena. In theory, economic problems were dissolved by a utopian society which had transcended material scarcity. In practice, small communities with a common spirit could sometimes resolve allocation problems. Socialism and classical political economy The first organized theories of socialist economics were significantly impacted by classical economic theory, including elements in Adam Smith, Robert Malthus and David Ricardo. In Smith there is a conception of a common good not provided by the market, a class analysis, a concern for the dehumanizing aspects of the factory system, and the concept of rent as being unproductive. Ricardo argued that the renting class was parasitic. This, and the possibility of a â€Å"general glut†, an over accumulation of capital to produce goods for sale rather than for use, became the foundation of a rising critique of the concept that free markets with competition would be sufficient to prevent disastrous downturns in the economy, and whether the need for expansion would inevitably lead to war. Socialist political economy before Marx Charles Fourier, influential early French socialist thinker A key early socialist theorist of political economy was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. He was the most well-known of nineteenth century mutualist theorists and the first thinker to refer to himself as an anarchist. Others were: Technocrats like Henri de Saint Simon, agrarian radicals like Thomas Spence, William Ogilvie and William Cobbett; anti-capitalists like Thomas Hodgskin; communitarian and utopian socialists like Robert Owen, William Thompson and Charles Fourier; anti-market socialists like John Gray and John Francis Bray; the Christian mutualist William Batchelder Greene; as well as the theorists of the Chartist movement and early proponents of syndicalism. The first advocates of socialism promoted social leveling in order to create a meritocratic or technocratic society based upon individual talent. Count Henri de Saint-Simon was the first individual to coin the term â€Å"socialism†. Simon was fascinated by the enormous potential of science and technology, which led him to advocate a socialist society that would eliminate the disorderly aspects of capitalism and which would be based upon equal opportunities. Simon advocated a society in which each person was ranked according to his or her capacities and rewarded according to his or her work. This was accompanied by a desire to implement a rationally organized economy based on planning and geared towards large-scale scientific and material progress, which embodied a desire for a semi-planned economy. Other early socialist thinkers were influenced by the classical economists. The Ricardian socialists, such as Thomas Hodgskin and Charles Hall, were based on the work of David Ricardo and reasoned that the equilibrium value of commodities approximated producer prices when those commodities were in elastic supply, and that these producer prices corresponded to the embodied labor. The Ricardian socialists viewed profit, interest and rent as deductions from this exchange-value. Das Kapital Karl Marx employed systematic analysis in an ambitious attempt to elucidate capitalism’s contradictory laws of motion, as well as to expose the specific mechanisms by which it exploits and alienates. He radically modified classical political economic theories. Notably, the labor theory of value that had been worked upon by Adam Smith and David Ricardo, was transformed into his characteristic â€Å"law of value† and used for the purpose of revealing how commodity fetishism obscures the reality of capitalist society. His approach, which Engels would call â€Å"scientific socialism†, would stand as the branching point in economic theory: in one direction went those who rejected the capitalist system as fundamentally anti-social, arguing that it could never be harnessed to effectively realize the fullest development of human potentialities wherein â€Å"the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.†. Das Kapital is one of the many famous incomplete works of economic theory: Marx had planned four volumes, completed two, and left his collaborator Engels to complete the third. In many ways the work is modelled on Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, seeking to be a comprehensive logical description of production, consumption and finance in relation to morality and the state. It is a work of philosophy, anthropology and sociology as much as one of economics. However, it has several important statements: * The Law of Value Capitalist production is the production of â€Å"an immense multitude of commodities† or generalised commodity production. A commodity has two essential qualities firstly, they are useful, they satisfy some human want, â€Å"the nature of such wants, whether, for instance, they spring from the stomach or from fancy, makes no difference,† and secondly they are sold on a market or exchanged. Critically the exchange value of a commodity â€Å"is independent of the amount of labour required to appropriate its useful qualities.† But rather depends on the amount of socially necessary labour required to produce it. All commodities are sold at their value, so the origin of the capitalist profit is not in cheating or theft but in the fact that the cost of reproduction of labour power, or the worker’s wage, is less than the value created during their time at work, enabling the capitalists to yield a surplus value or profit on their investments. * Historical Property Relations Historical capitalism represents a process of momentous social upheaval where rural masses were separated from the land and ownership of the means of production by force, deprivation, and legal manipulation, creating an urban proletariat based on the institution of wage-labour. Moreover, capitalist property relations aggravated the artificial separation between city and country, which is a key factor in accounting for the metabolic rift between human beings in capitalism and their natural environment, which is at the root of our current ecological dilemmas. * Commodity Fetishism Marx adapted previous value-theory to show that in capitalism phenomena involved with the price system (markets, competition, supply and demand) constitute a powerful ideology that obscures the underlying social relations of capitalist society. â€Å"Commodity fetishism† refers to this distortion of appearance. The underlying social reality is one of economic exploitation. * Economic Exploitation Workers are the fundamental creative source of new value. Property relations affording the right of usufruct and despotic control of the workplace to capitalists are the devices by which the surplus value created by workers is appropriated by the capitalists. * Accumulation Inherent to capitalism is the incessant drive to accumulate as a response to the competitive forces acting upon all capitalists. In such a context the accumulated wealth which is the source of the capitalist’s social power derives itself from being able to repeat the circuit of Money–>Commodity–>Money’, where the capitalist receives an increment or â€Å"surplus value† higher than their initial investment, as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Moreover this driving imperative leads capitalism to its expansion on a worldwide scale. * Crises Marx identified natural and historically specific (i.e. structural) barriers to accumulation that were interrelated and interpenetrated one another in times of crises. Different types of crises, such as realization crises and overproduction crises, are expressions of capitalism’s inability to constructively overcome such barriers. Moreover, the upshot of crises is increased centralization, the expropriation of the many capitalists by the few. * Centralization The interacting forces of competition, endemic crises, intensive and extensive expansion of the scale of production, and a growing interdependency with the state apparatus, all promote a strong developmental tendency towards the centralization of capital. * Material Development As a result of its constant drive to optimize profitability by increasing the productivity of labour, typically by revolutionizing technology and production techniques, capitalism develops so as to progressively reduce the objective need for work, suggesting the potential for a new era of creative forms of work and expanded scope for leisure. * Socialization, and the pre-conditions for Revolution By socializing the labour process, concentrating workers into urban settings in large-scale production processes and linking them in a worldwide market, the agents of a potential revolutionary change are created. Thus Marx felt that in the course of its development capitalism was at the same time developing the preconditions for its own negation. However, although the objective conditions for change are generated by the capitalist system itself, the subjective conditions for social revolution can only come about through the apprehension of the objective circumstances by the agents themselves and the transformation of such understanding into an effective revolutionary program Anarchist economics Anarchist economics is the set of theories and practices of economics and economic activity within the political philosophy of anarchism. Pierre Joseph Proudhon was involved with the Lyons mutualists and later adopted the name to describe his own teachings. Mutualism is an anarchist school of thought that originates in the writings of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, who envisioned a society where each person might possess a means of production, either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labor in the free market. Integral to the scheme was the establishment of a mutual-credit bank that would lend to producers at a minimal interest rate, just high enough to cover administration. Mutualism is based on a labor theory of value that holds that when labor or its product is sold, in exchange, it ought to receive goods or services embodying â€Å"the amount of labor necessary to produce an article of exactly similar and equal utility†. Receiving anything less would be considered exploitation, theft of labor, or usury. Collectivist anarchism (also known as anarcho-collectivism) is a revolutionary doctrine that advocates the abolition of the state and private ownership of the means of production. Instead, it envisions the means of production being owned collectively and controlled and managed by the producers themselves. Once collectivization takes place, workers’ salaries would be determined in democratic organizations based on the amount of time they contributed to production. These salaries would be used to purchase goods in a communal market. Collectivist anarchism is most commonly associated with Mikhail Bakunin, the anti-authoritarian sections of the First International, and the early Spanish anarchist movement. The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin, influential work which presents the economic vision ofanarcho-communism Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers’ councils with production and consumption based on the guiding principle: â€Å"from each according to ability, to each according to need†. Unlike mutualism, collectivist anarchism and marxism, anarcho-communism as defended by Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta rejected the labor theory of value altogether, instead advocating a gift economy and to base distribution on need. Anarchist communism as a coherent, modern economic-political philosophy was first formulated in the Italian section of the First International by Carlo Cafiero, Emilio Covelli, Errico Malatesta, Andrea Costa and other ex-Mazzinian Republicans. Out of respect for Mikhail Bakunin, they did not make their differences with collectivist anarchism explicit until after Bakunin’s death. By the early 1880s, most of the European anarchist movement had adopted an anarchist communist position, advocating the abolition of wage labour and distribution according to need. Ironically, the â€Å"collectivist† label then became more commonly associated with Marxist state socialists who advocated the retention of some sort of wage system during the transition to full communism. After Marx Marx’s work sharpened the existing differences between the revolutionary and non-revolutionary socialists. Non-revolutionary socialists took inspiration from the work of John Stuart Mill, and later Keynes and the Keynesians, who provided theoretical justification for (potentially very extensive) state involvement in an existing market economy. According to the Keynesians, if the business cycle could be solved by national ownership of key industries and state direction of their investment, class antagonism would be effectively tamed a compact would be formed between labour and the capitalists. There would be no need for revolution; instead Keynes looked to the eventual â€Å"euthanasia of the rentier† sometime in the far future. Joan Robinson and Michael Kalecki employed Keynesian insights to form the basis of a critical post-Keynesian economics that at times went well beyond liberal reformism. Many original socialist economic ideas would also emerge out of the trade union movement In the wake of Marx, â€Å"Marxist† economists developed many different, sometimes contradictory tendencies. Some of these tendencies were based on internal disputes about the meaning of some of Marx’s ideas, including the ‘Law of Value’ and his crisis theory. Other variations were elaborations that subsequent theorists made in light of real world developments. For example the monopoly capitalist school saw Paul A. Baran and Paul Sweezy attempt to modify Marx’s theory of capitalist development, which was based upon the assumption of price competition, to reflect the evolution to a stage where both economy and state were subject to the dominating influence of giant corporations. World-systems analysis, would restate Marx’s ideas about the worldwide division of labour and the drive to accumulate from the holistic perspective of capitalism’s historical development as a global system. Accordingly, Immanuel Wallerstein, writing in 1979, maintained that â€Å"There are today no socialist systems in the world-economy any more than there are feudal systems because there is only one world-system. It is a world-economy and it is by definition capitalist in form. Socialism involves the creation of a new kind of world-system, neither a redistributive world-empire nor a capitalist world-economy but a socialist world-government. I don’t see this projection as being in the least utopian but I also don’t feel its institution is imminent. It will be the outcome of a long social struggle in forms that may be familiar and perhaps in very few forms, that will take place in all the areas of the world-economy.† Meanwhile other notable strands of reformist and revolutionary socialist economics sprung up that were either only loosely associated with Marxism or wholly independent. Thorsten Veblen is widely credited as the founder of critical institutionalism. His idiosyncratic theorizing included acidic critiques of the inefficiency of capitalism, monopolies, advertising, and the utility of conspicuous consumption. Some institutionalists have addressed the incentive problems experienced by the Soviet Union. Critical institutionalists have worked on the specification of incentive-compatible institutions, usually based on forms of participatory democracy, as a resolution superior to allocation by an autonomous market mechanism. Another key socialist, closely related to Marx, Keynes, and Gramsci, was Piero Sraffa. He mined classical political economy, particularly Ricardo, in an attempt to erect a value theory that was at the same time an explanation of the normal distribution of prices in an economy, as well that of income and economic growth. A key finding was that the net product or surplus in the sphere of production was determined by the balance of bargaining power between workers and capitalists, which was in turn subject to the influence of non-economic, presumably social and political factors.