Analysis of Total War Free Essay Example, 2750 words

The Blitzkrieg was first manifested in the form of the Storm Troops, a group of elite infantry units known for their momentum and speed. Later, when they were converted into Blitzkrieg, they evolved into modern mobile warfare with heavily armored tanks supported by infantry, motorized infantry, artillery and air power, would rapidly drive through enemy lines to capture strategic enemy positions or to encircle the enemy . Hitler specially maintained a group of stormtroopers who were specially trained to meet the requirements of his regime s new war tactic of Blitzkrieg. The primary aim of the stormtroopers was to break away the trench system of the allies. The troop had a greater proportion of machineguns per unit compared to regular infantry ; very often the trenches were suppressed first by artillery then by machine gun fire as shock troops armed with grenades assaulted the trench systems . Similarly, Stormtroopers were plentifully equipped with mortars and flamethrowers or pu rpose-built two-man crew "Granatenwerfer" (eng = grenade thrower) that also could fire signal rockets - all useful in close-range trench fighting . As Cook suggests, the Blitzkrieg was an innovative and fast-moving type of warfare that emphasized the use of tanks, aircraft, flexibility, and mobility to rapidly accomplish battlefield objectives .We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Total War or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page As Condell and Zabecki observe Truppenf hrung effectively incorporated weapons introduced in World War 1, such as tanks, trucks, armored cars, and aircraft, into the German tradition of maneuver warfare and tactical flexibility .

Analysis Of Sherman Alexie s This Is What It Means For...

In the story â€Å"This is What It Means to Say Phoenix Arizona† by Sherman Alexie, the main character Victor is a full blood Native American, whose father recently passed away in Phoenix, Arizona. Victor must take the trip to collect his father s ashes, however due to his current financial situation he is unable to take his journey. An old friend of Victors, by the name of Thomas builds-the-fire, offers to help fund Victors trip on the condition that he go with him. It is because of Thomas that Victor is able to complete his journey. Thomas Builds-the-Fire’s character shows uncanny heroism, faithfulness to his friend, and the courage to overcome obstacles. Thomas Builds-the-Fire is character that has experiences many tragic outcomes in his life. For example, he explains that his parents both died when he was young. â€Å"My father, he died on Okinawa in World War II, died fighting for this country, which had tried to kill him for years. My mother, she died giving birth to me, died while I was still inside her. She pushed me out into the world with her last breath† (CITE). It is because of this tragedy, that he has the courage to overcome obstacles. For example, when Victor and Thomas were standing outside of the trailer that Victors dad passed away in, Victor told Thomas that he did not have to go inside, Thomas simply explained that he is going to need the help, â€Å"†¦. he held his breath and followed Victor into the trailer† (CITE). In this moment Thomas did not have to go into theShow MoreRelatedThe Tell Tale Heart Analysis1295 Words   |  6 Pages‘unreliable narrator’. How does this point of view complicate the plot in Poe’s, The Tell-Tale heart? An unreliable narrator is a narrator whose credibility has been seriously compromised whether it be in literature, film or theatre. Such as providing faulty, misleading or distorted details. The narrator in this short story is the killer. We really do not get the opportunity to really know the killer such as his name and what his motive is in killing the old man. What we do learn is he displays no

Tattoos and Hip-Hop free essay sample

Hip-hop music and tattoos are Important to many teenagers of society today because these are forms of self expression. Although, these forms of expression, along with any form of expression, convey positive and negative message because as people, we have positive and negative emotions. Why are these forms of expression so popular in teens? And why is it mostly teens? We should pay close attention to the negative effects of these cultural trends because it shapes the the people of today, the future of our society.Hip-Hop music made its debut in New York in the ass and ass, brought ever by Jamaican immigrants. Later, hip-hop often sent the positive messages of working hard, or hustling, for money through hard times In while living In ghettos. Its most likely safe to assume that the Jamaican Immigrants who fathered the music probably went through difficult conditions considering the time period and that they are immigrants. We will write a custom essay sample on Tattoos and Hip-Hop or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So is it a coincidence that the history of hip-hop is filled with messages that come from pain and labor that arise from sorrow and suffering that life has to offer?I think not. Like all music, hip-hop speaks to people. Music soothes the soul, It understands you, It encourages you. However, along with good messages, there could be negative ones that talk about violence, sex, drugs. Its hard to say that musicians these days are just dollied for their music. They may make good music, which is why they are so popular in the first place. But if they send bad messages and do bad actions, are they dollied anyway Just because they music they make sounds good? Is it okay for celebrities to do drugs, commit crimes?Is it okay that teens want to be like them? Tattoos represent quite a number of things,can hold the greatest amount meaning Imaginable and one of the most common forms of self expression out there. People could be getting tattoos to represent loved ones In their lives, people they that have pasted, their passions, religion, the time in their life they are going through in their lives, or maybe their feeling adventurous and just want to get a tattoo of something random they like and it looks cool. Whatever it is, there is probably a tattoo of it, somewhere out there!It is their body, so they can do whatever hey want with It, however, for the people who get tattoos Just for the fun of it might greatly regret It later. Tattoos are permanent. You can still get them removed, but that Is more painful than getting one on. Its Important that a tattoo has a meaning to you. Trends come and go, along with the phases of your life. There is a reason why you must be an adult to get a tattoo, or else we would all have tattoos of unicorns and rainbows from when we were eight. When you are an adult, you are more capable of making decisions that suit you and that youll be okay with for the rest of your life.My point being, If your going to put something on your body for the rest of your life, It should be Important. But teens are known to Just do things to feel rebellious and end up regretting it later. Hip-hop music and tattoos are forms of self expression. Self expression is crucial for an individual grow, especially in teenage years, where a person tends to do the most soul searching and growing. We are all unique and live different lives. We have the need to communicate, show our experiences and understand ourselves and the people around us.To do so, we must have an outlet or our feelings through out passions of word, music, art, whatever It Is. Tattoos and reason why self expression is so concentrated in teenagers is because they are going through the most confusing years. In teenage years, you must understand yourself; what are your interests, who are you, what do you want to do for the rest of your life? And as I often hear, teenagers are treated like children but expected to act like adults. Tattoos and hip-hop are popular and important because they allow individuals to express themselves.Like everything else in the world, tattoos and hip- pop has its pros and cons that we should watch out for. And as silly as this sounds, it should always be remembered that teenagers are people too. While looking at various articles to view different opinions on hip-hop and tattoos, authors often generalized teenagers. We do not all like hip-hop music and we do not all want to get tattoos. There are also older generations who support tattoos and listen to hip-hop. In the end, it all comes down to preference. Some people like this, some people do not. Some teenagers like hip-hop and tattoos, some teenagers do not.

Philosophy - Platos Republic Essays - Platonism, Analogy

Philosophy - Plato's Republic Plato makes a great point in the ?Republic? about the road to true truth and true beauty being hard and only few may make it, but his ideas are not completely correct. He imposed the idea that the philosopher/king would come back to rule by a sense of duty. However duty may not be the right word. It seems to me that the most fitting word is more like stupidity. Keep in mind that this philosopher/king has found true truth and true beauty, and yet he stills go back to a primitive way of living because of an understood obligation. Obviously this man is more misunderstood than we may think and realistically would not return to such an antediluvian civilization. Suppose you have been living in a dark cave where you are chained up and can only look forward. You receive a chance to leave the cave. It is a hard path to travel however slowly but surly you make it out of this cave. When exiting this subterranean passage you enter a place that can be best described as Eutopia. You are happy and carefree despite the occasional loneliness. You could possibly re-enter the cave to try and bring people back out with you. But their answers would be redundant. ?It is hard I can't and won't do it.? So now you have no one to go back with you. You could either stay inside this cave living a life of utter despair and hopelessness or you can return to happiness and lead a life of virtue. Which would you choose?

buy custom San Francisco Research Paper essay

buy custom San Francisco Research Paper essay Asbury. H. (1989). The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld. Dorset Press. Asbury. H. explains more about the massive reaction towards reinstating San Francisco city back to its initial status. He explains that during the reconstruction period; the Bank of America supported those who were left homeless as a result of the tragedy. He states that sparsely populated hilly sections are just but found at the central position of the city. One of the hills that form an overlook spot is the twin peak hills and forms the highest point in the city. Dillon H. (1998). High Steel: Building the Bridges Across San Francisco Bay. Celestial Arts (Reissue edition Dillon explains that the San Francisco port was at one time the largest and busy seaport in the entire western coast. Cargoes were handled from the ships and kept in the warehouses for storage. He says that the upcoming of the American Labor Movements had a great effect on leading many ports to halt. The upcoming of containerization was also an issue contributing to the reduction in the human labor employed to work in the ports. The port centerpiece has been redeveloped and restored to perform as an epicurean market place. According to Dillon, other activities of the citys port include the development plan of the water assets. Some of the assets of interest in the port of San Francisco city include tourism as well as support recreation Hartman, C. (2002). City for Sale: The Transformation of San Francisco. University of California Press Hartman says that the economic aspect of San Francisco City has its base on tourism. Through proper sensitization of the potential tourists through media, San Francisco City has captured a lot of international fame. In his book, Hartman explains that the top employer of people in the country is the government. The second employer is the California University followed by the private sector Lotchin, W. (1997). San Francisco, 18461856: From Hamlet to City. University of Illinois Press. Lotching explains more about the airport found in the city. The San Francisco international airport located 21km on the southern part of the city. In as much as the airport is near San Bruno and Millbrae cities, its management is fully under the San Francisco city and country. The airport is located in a land extension of up to the San Francisco Bay. He says that in the late months of 1990, there was a heavy traffic saturation that led to delays in the airport. In 2006, San Francisco airport become the 14th in terms of business in United States. This ranking placed the airport at a level of handling multi-million passengers Research Findings San Francisco is a consolidated city and country found in California. San Francisco city is characterized with financial,cultural as well as transportation activities. It covers a vast area of land extending to about 121km2 on the northern peninsula. The average density of people living in the country approximates to 6,632persons per square kilometer. In the whole of United States, San Francisco is the second most densely inhabited after New York[1]. The history of human inhibition in San Francisco dates back to 3000 BC. In 1769, there was the first documentation on the San Francisco Bay European visit. In 1776, the Spanish government established a territory in San Francisco. The Spanish were then followed with mission Dolores. The area later after independence became under the Mexican rule of leadership. All the lands which were possessed by the missioners were then privatized in the year 1821. In 1846 during the Mexican American war, there was a great claim of California to be part of America. At exactly 5:12am on 18th, April 1906, there was a major earth quake that shook the whole of San Francisco city. The entire northern part of California was struck by the earth quake leading to major destructions. Amongst the many effects of the earth quake was that about 400000 people were left completely homeless. The total number of people who lost their lives in the tragedy amounted to 498[2]. Soon after the earth quake, there was a massive reaction towards reinstatement of the city back to its initial status. During the reconstruction period, the Bank of America supported those who were left homeless as a result of the tragedy. The main source of help offered by the Bank of America was loans to the interested homeless group of people. The geographical location of San Francisco city covers the western coast of the US in the peninsula of San Francisco. The area then stretches significantly to cover the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The city is well surrounded by a vast of islands in the adjacent neighborhood[3]. One of the major geographical characteristic of San Francisco is its hills. The city has got more than 55 major hills within the limits. The sparsely populated hilly sections are just but found at the central position of the city. One of the hills that form an overlook spot is the twin peak hills and forms the highest point in the city. The climatic facts related to San Francisco city are widely vast. The first climatic characteristic of the city is that at the coast of California, there are cool summer climate characterized by dry summers and moist winters. The climate type in the San Francisco city is basically the Mediterranean type of climate. The currents in the city are strongly influenced by the cool Pacific Ocean currents. These currents serve to control the temperature swings thereby influencing the seasonal variation of the temperatures. San Francisco city records the coldest daily mean, minimum and maximum temperatures in the entire US. Of all the twelve months, the major months of cold are June, July and August all round the year. During every summer season, the hot air rises resulting into lower pressure in the interior valleys of California. Thhe lower pressure is characterized by the areas drawing winds from the Northern Part of the Pacific High via the Golden gate. The city therefore experiences fog and cool winds that is not so pronounced in the eastern parts during the summer. The warmest of all the other periods are the early fall as well as the late times of the summer[4]. Another feature that was realized as far as San Francisco city is concerned relates to the beaches and parks. A greater percentage of the beaches form a better portion of the National parks. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is dominated by these beaches ecosystems favor the survival of wildlife. Most of the parks in the city are taken care of by the National park service. The first recreation center in the city was candlestick point in California. The City and County of San Francisco is in consolidation state dating back from 1856. In the entire California, it is the only state that stands consolidated[5]. The city mayor is also in charge of the country executive affairs. The boards of supervisors act as city council members. The country consists of two basic arms. The boards of directors are headed by the president while the executive branch is headed by the mayor. In order for any initiative to be passed, the direct ballot method is used. from all orders made by people you bring! Your people also get 17% discount on their first order The economic aspect of San Francisco City has its base on tourism. Through proper sensitization of the potential tourists through media, San Francisco City has captured a lot of international fame. The top employer of people in the country is the government. The second employer is the California University followed by the private sector. Another finding about the San Francisco is based on the facts about the airport found in the city. The San Francisco international airport located 21km on the southern part of the city. In as much as the airport is near San Bruno and Millbrae cities, its management is fully under The San Francisco city and country. The airport is located in a land extension of up to the San Francisco Bay. In the late months of 1990, there was a heavy traffic saturation that led to delays in the airport. In 2006, San Francisco airport become the 14th in terms of business in United States. This ranking placed the airport at a level of handling multi-million passengers[6]. The San Francisco port was at one time the most large and busy seaport in the entire western coast. Cargoes were handled from the ships and kept in the warehouses for storage. The upcoming of the American Labor Movements had a great effect on leading many ports to halt. The upcoming of containerization was also an issue contributing to the reduction in the human labor employed to work in the ports[7]. The port centerpiece has been redeveloped and restored to perform as an epicurean market place. Other activities of the citys port include the development plan of the water assets. Some of the assets of interest in the port of San Francisco city include tourism as well as support recreation Buy custom San Francisco Research Paper essay

How to Use a Pell Grant Calculator

How to Use a Pell Grant Calculator SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're trying to plan out your college expenses, the ability to estimate your federal aid eligibility can be a big advantage. There are so many factors to take into account, though - it might be hard to know where to begin. The good news is that calculating your Pell Grant eligibility probably isn't as hard as you think it is. And there's an added bonus: calculating Pell Grant eligibilitywill also generate informationabout other federal aid programs, like Stafford loans and work study. Best of all, it should only take about 10 minutes! Read on to learn about what you need to get started and how to calculate your eligibility. What Information Do You Need Before You Get Started? There are certain pieces of information that you probably don't need to research - like how many siblings you have, or your marital status - thataffect Pell Grant calculations. The calculator will also check for certain federal aid eligibility requirements.If you don't meet all federal requirements, you can't receive the Pell Grant; check out our Pell Grant eligibility guide for more information before you get started. The information you probably will need to research will be on your family's finances. If you don't have the documentation on hand it's fine to give estimates, but your calculations probably won't be as accurate.Here's thedocumentation you should have when you do your calculations: Your parents' most recent tax returns. Specifically, you need their adjusted gross income. The calculator will tell you exactly what line number you can find the adjusted gross income, depending on what form you have available. Your parents' asset net worth.The calculator will estimate an asset net worth based on the adjusted gross income you enter, but you may need to edit this. Asset net worth is defined as what your parents own (money, businesses, investments) minus any debt on those assets. You shouldn't include your parents' home or retirementplans. Your own most recent tax returns and asset net worth.If you don't file taxes or have any assets (like cash savings), you don't have to worry about inputting this information. Once you've gathered all this information, all you need to do is plug it into the federal aid calculator! What was that thing Ben Franklin said about taxes again? How Do I Actually EstimateMy Pell Grant Award? If you have financial information discussed above, this next step should be quick and easy. First, you should know there's no dedicated application for the Pell Grant - instead, all applicants are considered for it when they submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. To calculate your Pell award, we'll be using the FAFSA aidcalculatorcalled ... wait for it ... the FAFSA4caster.The FAFSA4caster isn't the actual application, so using it doesn't mean you've submitted an application for the Pell Grant. Although the calculator is pretty accurate, there's no guarantee that you'll receive the exact amount of aid estimated by the 4caster. To get started, click here and select theFAFSA4casterlink towards the top of the page. From there, follow the prompts on the screen; answer all questions as honestly as possible for an accurate estimate.There's a "helps and hints" section on the right side of the screen that will provide more information about the question prompts. Interpreting Your Calculator Results I completed an example calculation to demonstrate how to interpret your federal aid eligibility results. Keep in mind that my (fake!) results will likely look different from yours. Here's an example of what an aid eligibility calculation looks like before you enter college cost Whenmaking this example, I chose all of the standard options (no special housing circumstances, married/remarried parents, US citizen), didn't enter any personal income, and set my "parents'" income to $50,000. Based on this information, I would be eligible for a $2885 Pell Grant, in addition to $1465 in work-study and $5,500 in Stafford Loans.You can see these results in the image above. You've probably noticed that there are some blank boxes for state grants, college grants, and scholarships. The FAFSA4caster doesn't calculate these for you - it's just for federal aid - but itincludes these boxes in case you have other sources of aid you wanted to take into account. What you can do next, if you'd like, is calculate the difference betweenthe total cost of college and the amount of aid you get. The difference would be the remaining balance, or what you would be responsible for paying. Using the same information as above, I entered a College Cost of $30,000 and pressed "calculate." An example estimate of college cost minus total aid available In this example, my total aid (Pell Grant + work study + Stafford Loan) subtracted from my College Cost ($30,000) leaves me with a difference of $20,210. You'll notice that at the bottom of your calculation page there are spots to input savings and additional loan amounts - these numbers can be helpful to play around with if you're working out how to pay that remaining balance. What if the Aid You're Eligible For Isn't Enough? You've figured out roughly what you'll have to pay for college after accounting for federal aid, but what if that "difference" calculation is more than you expected? The good news is that you have other opportunities for aid. State financial aid also uses information generated by the FAFSA, so make sure to submit your application sooner rather than later. You can also look into private loans, scholarships through your school, or other merit-based scholarships. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Letting Gays Adopt Children Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Letting Gays Adopt Children - Research Paper Example The concluding portion would highlight the supporting arguments favoring same sex couples to adopt and raise children as their own. Letting Gays Adopt Children: Final Draft One of the most controversial issues in contemporary times is focused on homosexuality in terms of allowing same sex marriages and allowing same sex spouses to adopt children. The significance of the issue is seen in terms of supporting basic human rights pursuant to the principles of American democracy and several researches that validate the fact that children could be holistically raised by same sex couples. Chrisler (2010) cited some relevant statistics from the UCLA's Williams Institute that discloses the number of gay partners, totaling about 1 million, to have raised more than 2 million children. The American Academy of Pediatrics revealed the findings that â€Å"no data have pointed to any risk to children of growing up in a family with one or more gay parents† (Laumann, 2002, p. 344). The current r esearch therefore aims to provide arguments that support allowing same sex couples to adopt children. The article published in The First Post entitled Pros and Cons: Gay Adoption (2007) presented relevant details that provide advantages and disadvantages of allowing same sex couples to adopt children. The article revealed that there are five distinct advantages ranging from: (1) the ability to give adopted children a more secure home; (2) two full time parents are more beneficial than single parents; (3) the option for artificial insemination to female gay parents have been proven to create raising well-balanced children; (4) barring gay parents from adoption is a discriminatory act; and (5) the shortage of adoptive parents make this alternative a better option than foster care system. As emphasized by Jost (2003), â€Å"same sex marriage advocates note that virtually all states permit – any many encourage – adoption of children by gay or lesbian parents because it he lps relieve the burdens on overcrowded and underfunded state foster-care systems† (p. 732). These advantages, therefore, give credence and support to same sex couples being more in an advantageous position in terms of providing holistic support to children than opting for foster care and giving the couples enhanced privilege for a stronger bond through the experience of raising children. After considering the benefits of allowing same sex couples to adopt children, the disadvantages are likewise presented to provide a balanced picture of the situation. The arguments against gay adoption have these following supportive statements: (1) the children’s need for role models for both sexes is not satisfied; (2) gay adoption is contrary to Christian teaching; and (3) society simply views gay parenting unconventional and wrong. These disadvantages stem from some researches that indicate that the traditional basic framework and ideal familial environment is that children need bi ological parents. Cultural norms and tradition have

My Learning Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My Learning Experience - Essay Example Much attention is paid to the fact, that the enterprises which implement corporate social support achieve bigger dividends than those who are not attentive to this side of the public activity. Due to these facts, corporate social responsibility achieved much popularity for the last years and is widely practiced by both the authorities and workers. The next point of my analysis is the division of the article into several parts. My article contains the description of three main parts: the process of implementation of corporate social responsibility, the examples of companies which support this process, the participation of public authorities in it. After the division of the article into three main parts, I do the thorough analysis of each of them. The process of implementation of corporate social responsibility depends on the level of activity and imagination of the enterprise. The actions of the members of the team and working staff constitute fifty percent of the success. Thus, the main task of corporate social responsibility is to provide the comfortable working and living conditions for those who are involved in the functioning of the enterprise and their investments in the outdoor problems. Volunteering is one of the best ways to help others and raise the prestige of the company. For this reason, a lot of employees think over such strategies as education and knowledge (assistance to local school children with literacy), investments into the projects of environmental protection, providing child obesity charity, employment packages, free language workshops, and so forth. The ethical attendance of the members of the enterprises into these projects provides them high popularity among the customers and good relations with the m. Further on, I concentrate my attention on the second point of my plan - the examples of companies, which support corporate social responsibility.

Final Marketing Plan Presentation Essay Example for Free

Final Marketing Plan Presentation Essay The Allstate Corporation is the largest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurer in America. Allstate provides insurance products to approximately 16 million households. Allstate was founded in 1931 and became a publicly traded company in 1993. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol ALL and widely known through the â€Å"You’re In Good Hands With Allstate ®Ã¢â‚¬  slogan. (Suite 101, 2013). Being such a large provider of consumer protection takes hard work and dedication from every individual in the company to provide consumers with the highest level of customer service. While Allstate was trying unsuccessfully to diversify, rivals were revolutionizing the auto insurance business, which Allstate still counts on for most of its sales. Auto premiums generated 55% of its $31.4 billion in revenue last year.Geico and Progressive Corp. found a new formula for growth in the relatively mature business. They crafted a lower-cost model combining direct sales over the Internet and telephone with heavy television advertising. Offering lower prices and more convenience, they grew rapidly at the expense of Allstate and other insurers that sell mostly through agents.Allstates second-place share of the auto insurance market fell to 10.4% from 11.3% over the past five years, while Chevy Chase, Md.-based Geico jumped two points to 8.7% and Progressive climbed to 7.9 %( Suite 101, 2013). State Farm Insurance the largest car and home insurer in the U.S. and a mutual company owned by its policyholders consistently rated better for claims handling and service than Allstate. The claims department of Allstate has some of the most critical interaction with the consumers because it is during a time of need. Consumers contact the claims department when they have suffered a loss to establish a claim. The claims adjuster has the responsibility of obtaining claim pertinent information from the consumer to effectively evaluate the loss. At Allstate Insurance claims departments are separated according to customer needs. Large claims offices known as Market Claim Offices, MCO, are strategically located to provide adequate coverage across the nation. A Market Claim Office presides over a few states or an individual state depending on claim volume and consumer coverage. Allstate has specialized offices that handle claims for the entire nation but only if they meet certain criteria. The Hudson Express Office out of Hudson, Ohio is an office with a focus on handling claims with a reduced cycle time or the  time from claim submission to claim settlement. A starting to examine the external factors impacting customer expectations, which may or may not be off-kilter with necessary protocols and the terms of coverage insurance in general, is the medias unflattering portrayal of the industry; especially in light of post Katrina claim controversies and litigation. Aside from merely being a nuisance, the media also contribute to customer apprehension, which invariably affects the entire claim experience, starting with the initial exchange. Customer leeriness combated, comfort level enhanced easily by treating the customer and the claim with care and speed. To meet this reduced cycle time the Hudson Express Office only handles smaller claims with a total loss under $10,000. Everything within the Hudson Express Office is completely in house with no need for outside adjusters. A challenge area that arises because there are no outside adjusters is to efficiently write an estimate for structure damages and example of this comes from a customer’s review: (Five Weeks and Still Waiting, Jan 18 2013)†. I was broadsided by a driver who didnt stop at a stop sign at a 4 way intersection. My car was left un-drivable. She didnt have her insurance card with her. After a lot of investigating I found out who her insurance company was and called them myself. They told me an adjuster would be out to look at my car. No one showed up. I have called every day since. I have been told that as soon as they receive the police report and accept liability, they will put me in a rental car. It has been almost 5 weeks!† Description of the new product of service Allstate aims to compete more effectively with Geico and Progressive on their turf. After a successful four state pilot of the new Claim Satisfaction Guarantee for auto insurance across the country. Will Shorten claim cycle time ultimately results in higher customer satisfaction because the consumer can resume life as usual sooner rather than later. Allstate Insurance has implemented a new web-based customer service center to in able consumers to provide claim pertinent information via their computer through the use of the customer website. Consumers are able to enter file notes into the claim as well as submit a list of stolen or damaged items through the customer website that can be instantly attached to the claim. An opportunity area for decreased cycle time is with regard to property estimates. An in house  estimating system is utilized by inside adjusters to create a preliminary damage estimate. For smaller less complicated damage areas a web based estimating system would allow consumers to generate their own estimates. A simple web page can include multiple selections for damage areas including fences, doors, and windows. Once a damage area has been selected, multiple choice questions would allow consumers to describe the damaged area as well as the style and material the damaged area. If a consumer does not know the material or style, a default or average style and material would allow an initial estimate to be completed. Once the consumer receives an estimate or invoice from a contractor to complete the work, the claims department can review it for validity and issue any supplemental damages incurred. On simple claims, a consumer could file and settle a claim online without waiting for a call from a claims department representative significantly decreasing claim cycle time. SWOT Analysis The idea of developing a page on an insurance claim and being able to submit your complaint and receiving an instant response sounds great; Allstate needs to ensure that claims are being handled in a way in which will not create the webpage to become overloaded, it has to be user friendly and appropriate for any age group .Other considerations include the cost effectives of this type of service and how it will benefit the consumer and profitably for the brand.New automation also lists the opportunity in cost saving measures such as employee down sizing. Other key item to consider when marketing this type of service can be Advertisement on social media, newspapers,word of mouth, Blogs etc†¦ which are all great ways of promoting the new product and it also provides an opportunity to identify other forms of the same productoffered by the competitor. Target market including geographic Target market is middle market emerging affluent and mass affluent consumers with retirement and family financial protection needs. Priority status at the network repair shops and with our Service Centers. saving time and effort by having Allstate manage the entire repair process. Using the online system with real time updates to electronically monitor your vehicle at the repair shop. Progression updates are given on repairs so you can  spend time doing other things. working to minimize the repair time, which means a quicker reunion with your car. Quality factors including the quality of repairs, Guaranteeing repairs for as long as you own or lease the vehicle is one market point. If a policyholder has a burning question about a claim at 2 a.m., they are able log in to the online service site at any time to check the status of the claim. Porters five competitive forces model Allstates Consumer Segmentation Strategy When purchasing insurance or any other product or service, consumers have more choices than ever before and they know it. But decision making power is not in the customers hands alone. A company can build tremendous customer loyalty over time by making it a top priority to understand and meet its customers needs. As a result, Allstate will continue to refine its product offerings, marketing outreach and customer service based on careful research. Allstate serves four different consumer segments with distinct interaction preferences (advice and assistance versus self-directed) and brand preferences (brand-neutral versus brand-sensitive). Marketing research is an approach conducted to evaluate particular strategies.As well as the tactics used toward the web-based estimating system. The marketing research will help to connect with the consumers to analyze what is needed to research opportunities and evaluate marketing actions. This will also help to prevent uncertainties for the new service provided. The market research will allow the chance to determine how well the system is working. The competitive intelligence will help to identify what competitors are doing and how Allstate can differentiate service to gain customer loyalty. Marketing research will aid in developing a strategy that will increase the satisfaction of our new product of service. Allstate is working to provide quality service and conveniences. Therefore, the quantitative research will touch base on many incentives needed to process the claims. Other approaches will involve the act of identifying any other areas of concern. In which could relate to technical issues and a collection of data needed to estimate totals. The marketing research approach described will enhance the quality and promotion for Allstate’s new web-based system. The overall marketing plan should ensure the quality of each area of the  product and should provide the opportunity for clients to get on the site with hassle free problems and get the service that each individual needs. The mission should be to provide the best customer services and to ensure that the client gets what is needed in the end. Positioning statement Our Shared Vision provides the â€Å"why, how and what† behind everything we do at Allstate. It provides the road map for our continued success. Through this vision, we will truly put the customer at the center of everything we do (Allstate, 2013). We will become an even more valuable company to our customers, associates, investors, our communities and society a company with strong earnings potential and financial performance that sets the benchmark for our industry. We are the Good Hands: We help customers realize their hopes and dreams by providing the best products and services to protect them from lifes uncertainties and prepare them for the future. Deliver substantially more value than the competition by reinventing protection and retirement to improve customers lives. Put the customer at the center of all our actions. Utilize consumer insights, data and technology to serve customers and generate growth and attractive economic returns. Take an enterprise view of our people and processes and work as a single team to advance Allstate rather than our individual interests. Strategy and Position Description An automated online estimating system needs to be easy to understand and easy to use. The first element to the estimating tool is it needs to be easy to understand as well as aesthetically pleasing. When a customer logs on to his or her internet profile the option to choose an action needs to include selecting an existing claim on the insurance policy. Once the claim has been chosen, there will be a selection for estimating system. When the estimating system is chosen, the customer will be prompted regarding the damages he or she has sustained. For example, a customer was a victim of a recent theft loss where the front door was kicked in. The customer will select the damage option for entry door which will lead to a chain of questions regarding the  door. Options for the door will include material in which the door is made such as wood, metal, or fiberglass and whether or not the door is painted. Next, the customer will indicate the size of the door, if the customer does not know how to measure a door there will be a help icon that will advise the proper ways to measure a door. Style is another important factor in the cost of entry doors, options such as flush, panel, French, or security are the most common doors available. The next area of focus will include the damage sustained, whether the door, frame, or both are damaged will determine the proper repairs. The last area of concern for an initial estimate is whether the hardware is damaged and what type of hardware the customer currently has. When all of the information has been entered the estimating system will automatically construct an estimate for the removal and replacement of damaged property as well as the disposal of any debris. When the estimate is finished a disclaimer will be needed to inform the customer that the estimate is only a preliminary estimate and if any discrepancies arise when a contractor has seen the damage to inform the claims department for a review of the estimate. Since claims are being filed online, the movement on this is a little quicker. First of all, it reaches the company faster. The need to have the customer come in and get the information then in-putting it into the computer and have it looked at by the investigating agent, then processed, prepared for payment (if need be). Instead, you are cutting out the getting information process, and the inputting it into the computer by the agent. Instead you call or go online and put the information yourself and then let it get processed and then get paid. The affect it has on the movement is that it gets through quicker, you get faster response time from the company, and you get as accurate information as possible. The life cycle in a sense lasts shorter. Instead of taking a few weeks (possibly), it could take up to a week or less. So the life cycle in this case is a shorter one, which is good much better for the company overall. The only downside to this is that even though you get pretty accurate information, you then need to process it into insurance terminology so to speak, in which case you have an agent process the information. It’s also a good thing, because the agent is proof reading it so to speak to make sure that the information posted or given is  correct, and is process correctly, and is given to the proper division within the company. It’s sort of a backup plan and a much needed help for the customer who really has little to no knowledge on how insurance claims work. So overall, it is a faster and easier process which is set up to help the customer, and speed up the process to get claims paid quicker. Over time, while it does become easier, eventually other companies will begin to do this as well, and people will switch to whoever is cheaper. Service Packaging Packaging is not needed for our products or services. Instead we are offering our customers an easier way to file insurance claims. Normally a client would have to call in to the hot line number in order to file a claim. Once the operator answers then the client is expected to listen to numerous options and select which one applies to their personal needs at that moment. This process can be time consuming and aggravating depending on how many clients the customer service representatives the operators are assisting. The next step would be to explain the situation to the operator and wait for them to file the claim for the person. The on line website will be a fast working, easy to navigate website. There is nothing more aggravating then trying to complete information on a website that is slow and takes a long time to accept information. With technological advances, being able to file on line may be more convenient for those who do not have time to call the hot line and file claims. Clients will be able to access the website from laptops, cell phones, iPad, or any other media devices that allow access to the internet. Add value because it will be less time consuming for customers, if a follow-up is needed then the information may be easier to retrieve due to the pre-online registration. With every question there will be a detailed explanation of what information is required for that particular question. The question and additional information will be explained thoroughly to customers without them having to wait on hold in the phone for long periods of time just to speak with a live operator. This will add value to the customers in three ways. The online website will save time. Allow customers to have a more hands-on experience with the editing of claim information. Product Life Cycle Over the lifecycle of a product, a companys differentiation and positioning strategy would need to change as the market, competitors, and product change. When we say that a product has a life cycle we assert four things; Products have a limited life, Product sales pass through district stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities and problems to the seller, Profits rise and fall at different stages of the product lifecycle, and Products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stages (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). Product life cycle (PLC) deals with the life of the product in the market with respect to business or commercial cost and sales measures (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). There are five stages of each product lifecycle: product development, introduction, growth, maturity, and declin e (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). During the introduction stage, Allstate will be launched into the market. Sales grow slowly in this time, and informative advertising is done (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Many firms do not earn profits in this stage. There wouldnt be much price skimming because our product is not a new invention and does have competitors. Due to the amount of competitors in the insurance market, competitive pricing is used. Sales rapidly grow during the growth stage, so we use persuasive advertising to gain customers. Competition is stiff at times prices may be reduced to stay a top competitor. Even though competition may be stiff, firms start to earn more profits in this stage. Our sales increase slowly and the highest figures are reached during the maturity stage of the product cycle. Since competition is at its max level, it would be in Allstates best interest to implement promotional pricing. Our profits are also at their highest level. We use competitive advertising to attract and retain our customers (Market Force, 2005-2014). Next we enter the decline stage where sales and profits decrease. During this stage, we must determine if the decline is temporary or permanent by conducting marketing research. Production may be stopped if the decline is considered to be permanent. If the decline is temporary, extension strategies are  implemented. The extension stage comes into play to come back from the decline. Original products may be reintroduced in other variations by changing the design, starting a new advertising campaign, and more (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Pricing The price strategy of the web based system. The primary goal is to assure that this meets the needs of our loyal customers and anticipated customers. Moreover the pricing of our new web based system is an essential part of the marketing piece. Indeed this product of service can be very successful through proper indications of the pros and cons. Other price strategies could relate to what new services are provided by our competitor’s. However, researching the value, quality and conveniences of the product of service is essential. Pricing strategies with our new service can work to help gain satisfaction from the customers. Consequently, if the market research is not implemented correctly; this can work against the organizations overall plan. Contingency plans will also help the guide the new product in the process of service. Most of all pricing factors outline important steps of the web based system. In which will differentiate us from other insurance organizations such as Sta te farm. Furthermore one of all states insurance pricing strategies would involve a small fee. This fee will be deducted from the insurance holders policy every month or every six monthly. The web based system will be done as a package deal. Therefore customers will have the option to participate or not. The new product of service will also be explained to every customer .As well as step by step instructions to give a better understanding of how to use the system. Ultimately the use of the system operates to have claims estimates completed in a timely manner. Customers immediately have an opportunity of seeing the breakdown of damages and cost online. Overall the web based systems pricing is a concern that customer will have a choice to speed the process of with their claim .Although there are some people who may prefer to wait to speak with a claims adjuster. Most of all the new product of service will eliminate many problems with the process of claims. Customers will have an opportunity to view their own claims, and get a compete estimate without waiting for a call back from a claims adjuster. Although  this is a preliminary estimate of the claim, this is a positioning factor that gives Allstate’s customers satisfaction. Pricing figures are major factors towards marketing as well as the competitors. Promotional Strategy Allstate has several online competitors (Progressive, eSurance and Geico) that equate themselves as easy and fast. One of Progressives main thing is price match, which allows consumers to compare rates without providing too much personal information. Many people are reluctant to participate in many online services such as this because they think they will bombarded with spam and other marketing tactics. Generally, customer just a roundabout amount of what they would have to pay for car insurance based on their specific coverage needs. Allstate has identified this problem and created an innovative solution. First and foremost, Allstate designed a new way for customers to shop for quotes and have them delivered. According to Marketing Edge (2014), quotes would be delivered anonymously (no personal information required), fast and easy, helpful (accurate), contemporary, and intuitive (para. 4). Allstate needed to spread the word on this innovation, and the best way was to implement a campaign. This campaign included banner ads online and other tools designed to focus on online shoppers. Allstate needed to market themselves differently than their competition in order to stand out, excite consumers, and provoke attention. According to Marketing Edge (2014), The new anonymous quote tool was the centerpiece of the program. Once it went live on the www.allstate.com site, DRTV, paid search, and online advertising campaigns were implemented in order to drive traffic to it. The DRTV campaign used a unique URL, getallstate.com for tracking purposes. Online banner ads linked directly to the site so visitors could be tracked through initiation and completion of a quote. The Program Objective: Develop and market a category-unique online shopping/quoting tool and introduce it to consumers in a way that cost-effectively invites greater shopping/quoting in the direct channel (para. 7). This creative strategy had continued to allow online shoppers the freedom  and convenience to stay anonymous. Customers do not even have to provide their name to receive a quote (estimate). There is no application to feel out and no surveys to take. All of the other necessary information is gather by simply inputting your zip code. There are helpful tools strategically placed to assist customers, and the web site design is contemporary but not too flashy. According to Marketing Edge (2014), Based on their information, shoppers are presented with an array of estimates in a matrix that allows them to compare different features and levels of coverage that meet their unique needs. And it provides a price for each option. The tool demonstrates throughout the ease with which consumers can obtain the customized price and coverage information they want (para. 10). Professional Selling Effort In order to market the new automated system for making claims, Allstate needs to express to the customers exactly how beneficial it will be to them. The best approach would be to build the value to the customer. They would have to show the customer exactly how it would benefit them to manage their claims online rather than deal with a claims adjuster right from the get go. Several people will find it convenient to be able to fill out the accident forms right from their mobile device, like their smart phone or tablet, while others will not be so prone to using technology as they are not technologically advanced. We will show the customers not to be afraid of the new systems, and that they are a benefit, not a burden. Initial Budget The budget is a financial plan for Allstate that quantifies the resource allocation plan for the years to come. To start, Allstate would have to create a specific amount, generated from how many people are going to be monitoring the online claims, and how many hours those individuals are going to be putting in. A sum of $208,000 will needed for ten individuals needed for the new system, all set at 40 hours per week and being paid $10 per hour. Allstate will have to create a budget for the person or company putting together the mainframe for putting together the portal for online claims, and setting up the website. Allstate will have to keep in mind that it is going to be a process to put this together and a lot of storage is going to be needed for their clientele. Generally, websites and web design  are going to cost Allstate anywhere from $1,000 t $2,500. Allstate will create jobs for this new system, and they will have to advertise or promote within in order to fill those jobs, b ut this will be very minimal cost to Allstate. The company expects to have a gross profit in the first year of $250,000-$500,000 due to the amount of claims that are not going to need claims adjuster to visit sites to assess the damage personally. The targeted output rate is 1,000,000, and with the average of 86% of all applicants that start the claim online actually finish it, that leaves 860,000 people that use the online claims and pricing. Allstate does not expect any losses with the new market plan. Success Plan Measurement There are several ways to measure the success of Allstates marketing plan. For Allstate to accurately measure their success plan they must start with the end in mind (Dyke, 2014). One of the first things to do is ask why the project began and what the goals are. Companies cannot lose sight of why they started something. Once that drive is lost the campaign goes under and the company is next. Numbers do not lie, so if the marketing plan is working it will show in revenue. Dyke (2014), Measure success on your marketing program’s ability to meet the needs or desired outcomes of an objective. Remember your business planning here – start with setting your goals, list objectives that meet these goals and then identify tactics that will achieve your objectives. The best objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and tangible) (para. 13). To start tracking progress and success, Allstate must determine who their audience is. having a newsletter can be the turning point for a business. You can see which articles have the most readers and track statistics. Dyke 2014, Begin to gather intelligence around the reader’s interest in the topic, taking the newsletter from a passive strategy to an interactive strategy, and one that can be measured. At the bottom of each online article, give readers several options. They can comment or ask questions, request that a lawyer call them, request a white paper or a helpful form or  checklist you’ve developed, or they can register for topical events. Remember, your responsiveness to requests is critical in developing relationships (para. 20). Next, reducing that amount spent on proposals and pitches will help to increase rates in other areas. get to know clients rather than just what they think they want. Allstate must stay one step ahead of the competition to succeed. Many say the perception is reality, so it is imperative to know exactly what Allstates clients think about them. This can be done by implementing satisfaction surveys for the clients to ensure all their needs are met. All threats or problems acknowledged or revealed by the client must be handled swiftly. Allstate must market for the sake of revenue, not for the sake of marketing – and take the momentum of your success and apply throughout all your marketing initiatives (Media coverage: grabbing the bull horn). Ethical Issues Reference Dinesh Bakshi. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dineshbakshi.com/igcse-business-studies/marketing/revision-notes/814-product-life-cycle Dyke, S.V. (2014). CBA Practice Link. Retrieved from http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/mt/measureefforts.aspx http://www allstate.com/claims/report- Insure Me. (1993-2014). Retrieved from http://www.insureme.com/insurance-agent/marketing-tips Market Force. (2005-2014). Retrieved from http://uk.marketforce.com/price-checking/ Marketing Edge. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.marketingedge.org/marketing-programs/collegiate-echo/challenge-history/dma-international-echo-showcase/winner-allstate Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., McCarthy, E. J. (2009). Basic Marketing. A marketing Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC) . (2014, Summer). Textile Learner, (1), 1. Retrieved from http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2013/12/product-life-cycle-stages-and.html Strategy Planning Approach. (17th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Company

The Development Context Essay -- Politics Political Economics Essays

The Development Context This study falls at the intersection of several key themes or debates in International Development. These include the debate about the role and effectiveness of official international assistance agencies, the body of thought on the micropolitical forces which shape the development assistance process, and the debate over the ecological limits to and sustainabiltiy of economic growth. The following sections will review the most important concepts and some of the authors associated with those themes. 1) What do international donor agencies do, and do they do it well? Some discussion has been given in the literature to approach taken by international donor agencies to development assistance. For the most part, this discussion has focused on the fact that large governmental and bureaucratic agencies lack the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions and be effective at grassroots-level implementation. In a scathing condemnation of official international development assistance, Korten (1990) asserts that such efforts are defined by the bounds of bureaucratic convenience, and that there has been a strong preference in international assistance for short-term, narrowly-focused, and self-interested efforts.' Hellinger et al. (1988), in an assessment of the U.S. Agency for International Development, suggest that even when more farsighted and well-designed approaches emerge, they "face internal structures, operational procedures, and reward systems geared to promote objectives related primarily to expansionary ' David C. Korten, Getting to the 21st Century, West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press, 1990, pp. 36-137. and survival interests of the AID bureaucracyi' In the context of this criticism and dom... ...r: Lynne Rienner. 1988. Hirschmann, David. "Women and Political Participation in Africa". Public Domain. 1990. Kasfir, Nelson. "Explaining Ethnic Political Participation". (in State of Development in the Third World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 1986.) Kolenda, Pauline. Caste in Contemporary India: Beyond Organic Solidarity. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. 1985. Korten, David C. Getting to the 21st Century. West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press. 1990. Lipsky, Michael. "The Rationing of Services in Street-Level Bureaucracies". Street-Level Bureaucracy. New York: Sage Foundation. 1980. Meadows, Donella et al. Beyond the Limits. Post Mills, VT: Chelsea Green. 1992. Robertson, C. and I. Berger. Women and Class in Africa. New York: Holmes & Meier. 1986. Ibid, p. 24. Samarasinghe, Vidya. "Hangin' in at the Margin". Public Domain. 1992.

Gothic Fiction Speech Essay

Slide 2- What is it? Gothic fiction is the literature of nightmare also referred to as Gothic horror. It delves into and feeds on the ghoulish and monstrous creatures that haunt the very darkest places in your mind. Fears of claustrophobia, entrapment, terror, horror, pain, madness, the supernatural and the inexplicable. The word â€Å"Gothic† derives from â€Å"Goth†, the name of a barbaric Germanic tribe that invaded Europe. Gothic medieval architecture such as cathedrals attributes a majestic style often with savage or grotesque ornamentation. It branched off from the Romanticism movement which occurred during the 18th and 19th century. Gothic fiction â€Å"gives shape to the concepts of the place of evil in the human mind.† Slide 3- Origins (historical context) An intellectual and secular movement that dominated the eighteenth century. The rise of Gothicism has been attributed by several scholars as a response to the Enlightenment thinkers who favoured rationality and reason over emotions and feelings. It rejected anything that resembled the â€Å"barbarism† of the medieval period in their eyes. Their purpose was to demonstrate that science and â€Å"natural† philosophy were the only means of obtaining knowledge, and not religion which was considered â€Å"irrational†. Gothic fiction was an essential part of the Enlightenment movement as it provided an escape from rationality and reason. Over time though, philosophers and writers began to rebel against the Enlightenment movement and privilege the irrational, emotional and uncanny. Whilst the Enlightenment movement looked to the classical periods of Greece and Rome, Gothic writers looked to the Middle Ages as their inspiration and model. Slide 4 Revolution Revolution had a significant influence on the establishment of Gothic fiction. The French revolution began in1789 and brought a â€Å"Reign of Terror† to the people and â€Å"shook the foundations of European statehood†. Critics suggest the Gothic movement arose during the French Revolution as the social anguish and pain gave rise to the dark imagery and character of the Gothic. As violence and blood-shed persisted, the terror of the Gothic novel in amalgamation with imagery of chase and capture and the threat of evil conquering good, reflects the general anxiety and anguish of the people; the writers and the reading public. Romanticism (1780-1850) Romanticism was the movement that emerged as a reaction to Enlightenment values and promoted â€Å"liberty in literature†. Artists were free to express their most intense emotions and escape from reason and rationality. Through this movement some looked to the gothic past whilst others turned to religion, the supernatural and Nature. After the French Revolution there was a burst of writers inspired by these core concepts of human nature, emotions, irrational entities, individualism and the realms of your imagination. Gothic romance became increasingly popular and many writers took from Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto. Slide 5- Conventions Walpole’s novel established the stock conventions of Gothic fiction that would inspire and continue to be adapted in contemporary society: – Intricate plot- plots within plots with multiple narrators – Stock characters (Virginal maiden, hero, tyrant/menacing villain) – Subterranean labyrinths/hidden rooms and passageways – Ruined castles (later made way to haunted house) – Supernatural occurrences – Remote/isolated setting- wide landscape and therefore nowhere to escape from. – Darkness as intrinsic to humanity – Graveyards/churches/ruins – Monstrous creatures- ghosts, devils, vampires, witches, spirits, angels. – Misty weather – Dreams/vision – Mood/sense of mystery or dread – Justice- E.g. Most common is the â€Å"sins of the father† – Family secrets/ ancestral curses – The double or the â€Å"Doppelganger† (German for â€Å"double-goer†) – Mysterious deaths Slide 6- Evolution of Genre Horace Walpole is credited as the founding figure of gothic literature with his novel The Castle of Otranto (1765). The stock conventions of Gothic fiction were established through his novel; the haunted castles, supernatural occurrences, hidden passageways, etc. Writers such as Clara Reeve and Ann Radcliffe adapted Walpole’s plot to contextually and aesthetically be more socially acceptable in18th century realism by exploring the concept of â€Å"explained supernatural†. Gothic novels were looked down upon by well-educated people as sensationalist women’s entertainment. Anne Radcliffe introduced the dark and menacing figure of the Gothic villain, the â€Å"Byronic Hero†. The gloomy villain, forbidding mansion, and persecuted heroine evident in novels demonstrates Walpole’s and Radcliffe’s influence on Gothic literature. By the Victorian era, Gothic fiction ceased to be the dominant genre and was dismissed by critics. Edgar Allan Poe posed as an innovative American writer during in the 19th century, a re-interpreter of Gothic fiction. He payed greater attention to the psychology of the characters he conjured up. In his story â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† he explores the â€Å"terrors of the soul† as most of his characters descended into madness whilst incorporating Gothic tropes of death, decay and madness. The 1880s saw the revival of Gothic fiction feeding off contemporary fears such as â€Å"ethical degeneration† with famous authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Machen and Oscar Wilde producing gothic works. The twentieth century significantly contributed to the genre with the introduction of film. During the 1920s and 30s movies were based around Dracula, Frankenstein and werewolves then later films began to draw on Poe’s works. The twentieth and twenty-first centuries maintained an ongoing fascination with horror, terror, the supernatural vampires and werewolves demonstrating the ongoing power of the Gothic in contemporary society. Slide 8-Psycho Contextual Placement The beginning of the twentieth century saw the renewed popularity of the horror tale and it is supposed that it was a way of expressing the horrors of World War I. There were numerous variations of Gothic fiction established in this time. Successful mass Gothic novels, often called Modern Gothic or Gothic Romance were written for females, by females like Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca (1993 considered the archetypal Modern Gothic thriller. The 60s, when Psycho was released was an era of great positive change for the role and rights of women. It was a time of sexual revolution which was exploited in the media especially film. Hitchcock broke all film conventions featuring the â€Å"leading female protagonist having a lunchtime affair in her sexy white undergarments in the first scene†. This was significant because before the 60s female sexuality was repressed. In relation to Gothic fiction, the Gothic genre gave way to modern horror fiction. Slide 9- Psycho Conventions Psycho employs several stock gothic conventions including: An Isolated/remote setting with the motel off the side of a large motorway, separated from the outside world. The spooky old house is architecturally Gothic and critics have stated that it is â€Å"a fine 20th Century stand-in for Dracula’s castle.† Bates characterises villain who is psychologically unstable reincarnating his dead mother, whom he murdered, through himself when committing the murders but doesn’t take the responsibility. Themes of corruptibility, confused identities, voyeurism, human vulnerabilities and victimization, the deadly effects of money, Oedipal murder, and dark past histories are realistically revealed. Through the shower murder scene, it is suggested that horror resides in everyday life rather than in the alternate worlds of the supernatural, the fantastic, or the Gothic. The film employs psychological terror rather than the monsters and supernatural trappings that were associated with the genre at the time (1960s). Hitchcock’s psycho changed the direction of the genre with the subsequent rise of â€Å"splatter films†. Slide 11- Fall†¦Contextual Placement During his short life he faced many hardships which influenced his unique style. He was a victim of depression and turned to alcoholism. He was influenced by the Gothic movement in England and in his case the term Gothic can be used interchangeably with Dark Romanticism. Critics classify Poe as a post-Gothic writer but he nonetheless incorporated the Gothic style in his masterpieces. Contextually Poe’s adapted direction of Gothic fiction; the psychological effects of guilt and sin, the conflict between good and evil, people plagued with madness; all stemmed from the absence of parental figures and his alcoholism. Poe is often considered the father of the horror genre. Slide 12- Fall†¦Conventions The Usher house portrays the clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Gothic house- as stated by Professor Fred Botting â€Å"The house is both a Gothic manifestation, an architectural ruin set in a desolate and gloomy landscape and a family equally in decay dying from an unknown and incurable disease.† Captures the element of claustrophobia, with Madeline falling victim to the confinement of a coffin whilst still alive and the mental confinement of the characters in the house. Psychological haunting is evident through Roderick’s knowledge of burying his sister alive and the intense guilt he feels. The seemingly supernatural noises that occur whilst the narrator reads a story, intensifies this guilt. Terror encompasses the characters, particularly Roderick, building up steadily as the anticipation of Madeline’s supposed death loiters. The horror is revealed when Madeline, bursts through the doors wearing a gown covered in blood. Decay and ruin are evident physically with the decaying of Roderick and Madeline and the Usher bloodline. In the end both Roderick and Madeline die together followed by the house crumpling around them confirming the collapse of the Usher family. Slide 13 Rather than characterising the traditional complex narrative structure, it is told in first person by one person only and contains an increasing intensifying suspense building to an excessive climax. The climax confirms Roderick’s fear as Madeline bursts through the doors covered in blood. Through this dramatic climax the Gothic value of excess is seen. Poe is a key figure in the transformation of Gothic fiction placing a larger emphasis on the internal rather than the external. He delves into the psychology of man and of the true nature of evil. Through his works Poe has had an ongoing influence of Gothic on contemporary literature. Slide 15-Shining Contextual Placement With the introduction of film in the twentieth century, the most prominent variation of Gothic literature was established. With this new outlet of technology, horror and terror could a be explored on a totally different level with special effect features, lighting and filming intensifying the gruesome and dark imagery of the genre. Punter effectively states the particularities of twentieth century gothic fiction: â€Å"Contemporary gothic reflects and provides a singular symbolic language for the discussion of preoccupations of our time: capitalism, inhumanity, information overload, child abuse, serial murder, pollution, and corruption†. Child and domestic violence, serial murder and corruption are clearly evident Slide 16- Shining Conventions The Shining exhibits traditional Gothic conventions as well as modern adaptations of the genre. The huge old vacant hotel that ends up being haunted hides a dark past of brutal murder. There are numerous supernatural events involving the ghosts of the previous family, Danny’s visions of their murder and the chases through the hallways. The double or the â€Å"doppleganger† seen at the end of the film presents a photo shown of a ball in 1921 with Jack standing in the middle of the gathering suggesting that Jack could be a reincarnation of himself and lives out the horrific events of the past once more. This also ties in the convention of The theme of appearance and reality is prevalent in the film, Gothic fiction exploring this murky ground between what is â€Å"real† and â€Å"fantasy†. This is what descends Jack into madness. Eee/ Gothic fiction has undergone significant transformation as seen and continues to significantly influence contemporary literature. Even though many conventions have been refined, adapted or created the core values and character of Gothic have provided society with an outlet into the dark world of decay, death and mystery leading you on a â€Å"road to that sublime place in the mind composed of fear and beauty.†

Parenting Techniques

Behavior Parent Training on Fathers Parenting The Behavioral parent training programs have been developed to address child behavior problems through improvement in parenting practices. The triple P or Positive Training Program is widely reported as an effective, evidence based program for parents. However this journal demonstrates that there are significant differences in the program’s effectiveness for mothers and fathers. The analysis on this journal demonstrates that The Positive Parenting Program shows a large effectiveness on mothers while having a smaller effect on fathers parenting practices.Considering that fathers make a significant contribution to child development. It is now well accepted that â€Å"poor† parenting practices will have significant impacts on children’s emotional and behavioral wellbeing. Parents’ harsh inconsistent discipline, inadequate supervision, and a lack of positive relationship have been shown to increase children’ s behavior problems and later on in life lead to substance abuse, antisocial behavior and criminal activities.In order to strengthen parenting competencies and improve parent-child interactions a wide range of Behavioral Parent Training programs have been developed. According to the journal’s analysis the Positive Parenting Program is very effective when involving the mother and the father, and the children are the beneficiaries of better parenting skills. The study does not show which population the program is working on therefore we have to take into consideration how can we make the proper adjustments in order to make it work for other populations.It is a known fact that mothers are more involved with the program and the children than the fathers are, but fathers are getting involved more every time. Prior parental training programs did not focus on fathers or valued any input on it and there was very little literature for the fathers. The fathers’ involvement plays a very important role on the children’s life and upbringing and the fathers’ impact on the child’s life is separate from that of the mothers’.On the one hand, fathers positive parenting (sensitive to children’s’ interests, supportive of their autonomy) has been identified as protective against externalizing problems in young children; on the other hand negative training by fathers (harsh discipline, unstable presence) has been found to increase the behavior problems on both boys and girls. Fathers participation on the program improves the child’s behavior and helps to support each other as parents. So the fathers’ involvement on the program is crucial not only for the child but the mother also.Providers need to support the involvement of fathers in the parenting trainings. The Positive Parenting Program focuses on the participation of both the mother and father, and fathers actually benefit from the program. The Positive Paren ting Program has five levels; the first level focuses on community media, and information on how to deal with basic child problems. Level two offers individual support, providers offer advice and tips on how to deal with child issues, level three does four thirty minutes behavior counseling sessions in order to manage the progress or lack thereof.Level four was developed for children with disabilities, these sessions deal with the child’s misbehavior and offer strategies for encouraging their development, and level five covers a home-based skills training sessions that offer coping with stress and emotions, marital communication support. It is designed for parents at risk of child maltreatment; it also focuses on anger management. The Positive Parent Program has been used by culturally diverse parents, multi languages, face to face, telephone, and electronic modalities with remarkable results.

9 Career Options for Business Majors

9 Career Options for Business Majors If youll be graduating soon with a degree in business (or are considering getting one), its safe to say you have a lot of job options. But youll also have a lot of competition: Business degrees are by far the most popular bachelors degrees in the United States. That being said, the reason business degrees are so popular is because theyre applicable in a wide variety of industries, and the skills you acquire on the way to earning a business degree likely make you a versatile employee. No matter what job you want, you can probably make the case that your business education gave you the skills you need to succeed. As far as the more traditional business careers go, here are some of the top jobs worked by people who majored in business. 14 Careers for Business Majors 1. Consulting Working for a consulting company can be a great place to start if you know youre interested in business but arent sure what sector youre most interested in. Businesses bring in consulting firms for an outside perspective to help solve a problem, whether thats a problem with finance, management, efficiency, communication or something else. Consulting will let you see all kinds of industries, and you can probably find a position suited to your particular skills. 2. Accounting Working at an accounting firm will help you understand the gritty details of a business. Like any firm, you can pursue more of a management track, or you could get into the bread and butter of the business: number crunching. Youll likely need a concentration in accounting or take the certified public accountant test. 3. Financial Planning Interested in investing? Helping people prepare for retirement? Consider working at a financial planning firm. This career also often requires taking certification tests, as well. 4. Investment Management Working at an investment firm can give you a unique insight into some of the most exciting, up-and-coming companies as well as how they work. Those with a background in economics may be best suited for this career, as it requires interpreting the economic impact of current events, understanding their nuances and having a grasp on investment trends. 5. Non-Profit Management Most people think of business degrees as a great way to make money. But working for a non-profit is a great way to make a salary while also helping out those who are working toward a larger social cause. After all, non-profits need smart managers who can make the most of limited resources. 6. Sales While business degrees often require a firm grasp on numbers, they also focus on developing communication skills. A sales role requires both. You can find a sales role in almost any company, so choose something that interests you. Be prepared for work thats very goal-oriented and requires a self-starter attitude. 7. Marketing and Advertising You cant have a successful business if youre not reaching your customers. Thats where marketing comes in. Marketing is a collection of all activities to promote a product, company or thing. This industry needs both business-focused and creative minds, and you can do this work in a dedicated department of a company or as an outside consultant. 8. Entrepreneurship You know the basics of business- why not start your own? Its certainly not easy, but if you have a passion for something and can develop a sound plan for getting it started, you may have what it takes to build your own company. 9. Fundraising or Development People who are good with money are often good at helping other people donate money. Consider working in fundraising or development and challenging yourself in all kinds of interesting ways. Other Ideas You can make your business degree relevant to careers well beyond this list. Consider your interests and how you might apply your business acumen in such a field. If, for example, you are passionate about writing and the environment, consider blending all of your interests in one job- like working on the business end of an environmental magazine or website.

Career Advice I Wish Someone Had Given Me

Career Advice I Wish Someone Had Given Me I’m not exactly ready for my â€Å"lifetime achievement† career highlight reel yet (after all, I’m only [age redacted] years old). However, there’s not much point in making you wait for my retirement party to share some professional truths I’ve learned along the way- things I wish I’d figured out earlier. These pointers might have saved me some stress and aggravation along the way. Even when things are bad, try to relax a little.Years ago, a friend and colleague astutely pointed out that even when people were freaking out about deadlines and deliverables and general chaos at our educational publishing company, â€Å"no one dies here.† There are plenty of life-and-death industries, but unless you’re an actual surgeon or air traffic controller, consequences are not deadly. Everyone lives to work and fuss another day.The bottom line: Workplace issues are typically not worth waking up at 3 a.m. with a raging panic attack.There is al ways a solution.If you forgot to do a crucial task, or missed a deadline, or are otherwise stumped†¦there is a fix available. It may not be a pretty one, and could involve either extra work or a large slice of humble pie with blame ice cream on top- but there is always a way out.One of the most valuable workplace skills I’ve developed, by far, is the ability to stop, tune out the panic or anger, and plot out different ways to resolve an issue. Creative problem-solving isn’t necessarily something you have in your arsenal already†¦but you can develop it with time and practice. It can be as simple as jotting down a quick outline of the problem, then brainstorming ideas about what can be done. Not all of these ideas are necessarily winners or feasible, but the process can get the lateral thinking juices flowing even when you feel stuck.The bottom line: Don’t hide or walk away because something seems insurmountable.Ask for help.This is one I struggle with a ll the time. And this is not a new thing- if you ask my parents, they’d tell you that my middle name should probably have been changed to â€Å"I Can Do It Myself† by the time I was six years old. It can be really hard to admit that you can’t handle all things at all times, or that you don’t understand the next steps. This is especially true in the workplace, when you feel the need to be The Indispensable Employee, the superstar.The bottom line: Asking for help prioritizing, or for extra hands on a project, is not an admission of defeat. It means you know your human limitations well enough to let others in when necessary.No individual is  indispensable  in the workplaceThis was a really hard one to learn. At one company, I watched as waves of people were let go over a period of two years, with little rhyme or reason. I survived round after round, and it created a false sense of security. I had great employee reviews, and a string of promotions! I was well-liked! I was me, darnit! Then it was my turn to be laid off, and it was devastating. Sometimes circumstances beyond your control (economics, social dynamics, a dartboard in HR) will play out, no matter who you are. You are unique, but roles can always be changed or filled as necessary.The bottom line: There’s no magic way to guarantee job security forever. All you can do is work hard and make yourself as valuable as possible. If that fails you and you find yourself out the door, be ready to take up new paths and opportunities.Don’t let impostor syndrome pull you down.If you’re not familiar with â€Å"impostor syndrome,† it’s the feeling that you’re secretly lousy at your job. The name is a new-ish and trendy one, but the feeling probably goes back to the first wheel-making company started by our cave people ancestors. It’s a basic human insecurity that you’re just barely scraping by while everyone around you is dazzlingly competent and talented. Yet if you look carefully at your most recent job (and any previous one you’ve held), you got it and kept it because others saw quality in you. Flukes happen. They don’t happen repeatedly, and they certainly don’t amount to a career. You can be good at your job while still having imperfections and leaving room for improvement.The bottom line: If you’re worrying that your job performance is a fluke, you’re probably fine. Someone who actually wasn’t good at his job probably wouldn’t care very much.And last but not least, wear sunscreen. (Okay, so that’s not my advice per se, but it still works.) Seriously, I hope you take this advice in the spirit in which it’s given- by someone who knows all of these things, and still struggles to master them anyway. Overall, I think they make me a stronger and more adaptive employee with much to learn, and I hope you find the same.

Thinking and Decision Making Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thinking and Decision Making Paper - Essay Example Sound decisions are made without violating religious or cultural beliefs. This Paper will focus on the spiritually guided, the realist, and the analyst. Although most people use only one style when making a decision it is possible to train oneself to use other styles in different situations. The Spiritually Guided individual depends on guidance from God and believes that any result is because: that's what God wants for that person. These individuals believe that anyone can receive guidance from God. When decisions have consequences the Spiritually Guided individual believes that it is the will of God. In addition, these individuals are deeply committed and are confident in their ability to makes decisions based upon their spiritual beliefs. These individuals are hard to sway to another point of view because their beliefs/values are held deeply in the core of the individual. The Spiritually Guided also believes that they can change other's lives for the better by sharing their beliefs with others. The Realist believes that facts are facts2. They make decisions based upon the facts available. They also make decisions based upon observation and personal experiences. The realist is often perceived as hard headed or stubborn. They rarely change their opinion based on another's input. And, the Realist has a "let's get going" point of view and is aggravated when a project is delayed. The Analyst is the thoughtful one who takes his/her time making a decision. They have a "let's take a look at the situation" point of view. Their results are predictable because of the thought and information gathering put into the solution. The analyst is the information gatherer who seeks out as much information as possible to make a logical decision. This type of decision maker takes a great sense of pride in the results of his decision making and views his way as the best way. These three types of decision makers would be a nightmare in a boardroom meeting where an actual decision had to be made. The Realist would already have the decision made, the Spiritualist would be evaluating the situation based upon his beliefs, and the Analyst would be asking for more information so that they carefully plan their decision. The realist would be arguing that he has done this many times and that his approach will work. The Spiritualist would be looking for spiritual guidance (praying) and would act as mentor or arbiter in the meeting. The meeting would end with the Analyst asking for a follow-up meeting to allow time for information gathering and analysis. 2. It is easy to imagine different scenarios and what would happen if a different type of decision maker were in charge. In the corporate world the best way to approach problem solving at the corporate level is to have as many different style decision makers present. Remember that boardroom There is one person that sits and listens to all parties and guides the group through the decision making process. That person is most likely the chairman of the board. He spends most of his time listening and writing questions down on his tablet. Another member of this team is the scribe/note-taker who writes

Effects of Technology on Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effects of Technology on Advertising - Essay Example Advertisements are the main sources of revenue for the conventional or old media outlets. Old media refers to the basic media of mass communication which include television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. In radio and television, the cost of an advert is determined by the time the advert takes to run on air, the time of the day in which the advert is played, and more importantly, the coverage of the media. An international media outlet such as the BBC and the CNN charge higher especially for their prime time than local media, which would more often run adverts on local products. For newspapers and magazines, the price of the advert is determined by the paper space occupied by the advert. Full-page adverts are more expensive than mere columns of texts and graphics. Furthermore, newspapers charge on the importance of the page on which the advert is placed. The first pages are more costly than the inner hidden pages that not every reader would pay much attention to (Bogomolova, 2011) . Advertisements improve brand visibility thereby possibly improving sales of the product or dispensation of a service. Companies invest extensively in advertisements of their products and services. This is because advertisements form the basis of competition for companies operating in the manufacture or sales of similar products or provision of similar services. Before settling for the use of a particular media to run adverts, companies consider a number of factors which include costs and the effectiveness of advertising through the media. Not all companies would find essence in advertising in international media such as the BBC; smaller companies that produce and sell products in smaller geographical locations prefer the use of local media since they reach their target market unlike the CNN and the BBC. The region and scope of operation forms the greatest factor considered by most companies in search of advertisers. Cost affectivity is achieved when the amount invested in advertisem ents achieves the purpose by giving the brand the projected visibility in the market. Companies will always be willing to spend as much money as possible on advertisement provided the investment on advertisement resonates in improved visibility thereby improving the sale of their products (Frey, 1956). New Media New media is a phrase coined to refer to the use of the internet to gather, package, and distribute information to a large audience, which is synonymous to journalism. The advent of the internet literally transformed various aspects in reference to human life. Every industry got affected with the use of internet and the digital media. It introduced new concepts on the previously existing industries. In journalism and mass communication, the internet introduced the aspect of online journalism. Online journalism refers to the use of computer networks key among which is the internet in the gathering, packaging, or processing and the dissemination of information to an increasing ly computer literate audience. This new type of journalism influenced the previous old media by changing some of the rules of journalism that had determined news access and mass communication in general, which included advertisements as well. Among some of the key changes introduced by this new media include

Existential themes in the movie - My life without me Review

Existential themes in the - My life without me - Movie Review Example Existentialism as a philosophical system is not very well defined and nor is the system currently in vogue. Existentialism loosely concerns with the purpose, nature and possibilities for human existence. It arose in the aftermath of the Second World War, as a reaction to the widespread death and destruction that the event accounted for. In this regard, it is fair to claim that death is as important a preoccupation in existentialism as is life and life-affirming actions. Or rather, it is about the inevitability of death and the possibilities such a terminal reality opens up. This is exactly the situation faced by Ann. Her impending death makes her think hard about what it is to live. She then makes it a goal to experience all the bounties of life during the dying of the light. Herein Ann takes ‘responsibility’ for her life and actions. A less resolute soul might have descended into self-sympathy and melancholy. But not Ann - a true existential hero, she doesn’t see the point in complaining about her situation. Instead, she proactively and constructively engages with it. Jean Paul Sartre attempts to understand why human beings do not have innate ‘essence’ or a programmed set of values, traits and aspirations. Ann’s words and actions were linked to the Absurd Universe, whereby her diagnosis created a journey for her towards understanding the meaning of human life. Ann’s decisions fit into the existential framework for she decides to give meaning to the reminder of her life the way she best sees fit.

Hobbes and Plato

Hobbes and Plato Hobbes and Plato both constructed images of an ideal state, based on their accounts of human nature. Hobbes had a more negatively skewed view of human nature; a materialistic view, while Plato essentially believed that humans are inherently good. This essay will discuss how their differing views are conveyed in their imagined states, and subsequently will critically compare the two. Thomas Hobbes had a materialistic philosophy; he held a mechanistic view of the universe. In his opinion, human nature is the the combined result of mechanic desires and aversions, arbitrated by constant power struggles.He posited that there is no true right and wrong but that morality is subjectively relative, â€Å"He states that there is no good but the object of a mans desire, no evil but an object of aversion, and that there is no absolute right or wrong, but merely a relative morality that favors the reason of the user† ( Tyluski, associatedcontent.com). In Hobbes view, mans natural condition or state of nature is innately violent and aggressive, saturated with fear. He illustrates his belief with the hypothetical image of the natural state of mankind, prior to a government ruling society, as one of constant war, aggression, fear and death. He proposed that since resources are limited, as soon as two people want the same thing, a power struggle results and inevitably war erupts. If men were to live in this state of nature then all lives would be â€Å"solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.( Hobbes, pg.186). Based on this diabolical image, Hobbes contends that the best solution to this state of nature is his Leviathan. He argues that in order for mankind to exist and live in peace and harmony, they must first submit to a sovereign power. Hobbes truly believed that control by an oppressive government was infinitely better than living under the threat of war. In order to alleviate the constant fear, mankind must enter into a social contract in a commonwealth ruled over by a sovereign head. Thus the Leviathan is formed in order to overcome the fear based lives of men in the state of nature. However, ironically the Leviathan is only possible if it uses fear itself as a weapon. Therefore fear is never completely dismissed. However fear under the Leviathan at least brings the promise of peace and protection of life, in contrast to fear in the state of nature. Following from this, the Leviathan seems immensely more desirable a condition to live in. It appears that it is only under a sovereign p ower that people have actual liberty. Certainly there are rules and regulations to live by, but as the subjects actually wrote the social contract they find themselves under, they are indeed authors of the sovereigns power. It seems that freedom can only really exist under a soverieign power permitted by its people, â€Å"establish a Leviathan whose power is assigned to it by its subjects† (Tyluski, associatedcontent.com). In Platos Republic, Glaucon and Adeimantus have entreated Socrates to explain that the best life a man can live is a just one, and that it will ultimately lead to happiness. Socrates must show that justice should be chosen for its own merit and not for the results that derive from it. Since a city is larger than a man, it is easier for Socrates to first look for justice at a political level within a state, and following from that to see whether the virtues found can be transferred to an individual. â€Å"Morality might exist on a larger scale in the larger entity and be easier to discernAnd then we can examine individuals too, to see if the larger entity is reflected in the features of the smaller entity† ( Plato, pg 58). Therefore the collective justice found within a state will be reflected in the justice of an individual. Plato saw justice not as a set of behaviours, but rather as a structural entity. The structure of a city holds political justice while in an individual ju stice can be found in the structure of the soul. Plato explains that in his ideal state there must exist the four virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. His imagined state will be divided into three classes of people; producers, auxilaries and guardians. The producers are the lowest class, such as farmers, artisans, and craftsmen. They must use the skills which nature honoured them with. Auxilaries are the warrior class who must defend the rulers beliefs and doctrines. The guardians are the highest class and they are the rulers of this imagined state. When the balance and relationship between these three classes is correct then this is a just society. Plato then takes his image of a perfect state and starts searching for each of the previously mentioned virtues. He begins by discovering that wisdom resides in the class of the guardians. They are the smallest class in the city. The guardians have had the best education, and have been finely honed for this role. They have a thorough knowledge of running a city. They are rational and desire what is in the best interest for the city as a whole. Therefore with the city in their hands, it is made wise, â€Å"the wisdom it has a whole is due to the smallest grouping and section within it and to the knowledge possessed by this group, which is the authoritative and ruling section of the community† ( Plato, pg. 135). The next virtue Plato comes across is courage and this is found in the auxilaries. The auxilaries must fight for the city and defend the wishes of the guardians. More specifically, the type of courage which is found in the auxilaries is civic courage. That is to say, it is a type of courage which is based on belief rather than knowledge. He defines courage in this instance as, â€Å"the ability to retain under all circumstances a true and lawful notion about what is and is not to be feared† (Plato, pg. 137). Plato places great importance on the significance of education and thorough training.He emphasises how imperative standing by the specific role of performing with courage as an auxilary is, regardless of the pressures which arise â€Å"keeping it intact and not losing it whether one is under the influence of pain or pleasue, diversion or aversion.† (Plato, pg. 136). Moderation is the thrid virtue, and is found throughout the state, â€Å" self-discipline(moderation) literally spans the whole octaval spread of the community, and makes the weakest, the strongest, and the ones in between all sing in unison†( Plato, pg. 139). While courage and wisdom are essential qualities which are found in only specific parts of the community, moderation is a virtue which reconciles and brings together all the parts of the city. Moderation comes about by the acceptance that all are in agreement concerning who should rule the city. It is found in all classes, and is attained by a common understanding of what is best for all people. With regard to justice in the state, again it is found throughout the state. Justice complements moderation in the city. Plato deems that â€Å"morality(justice) is doing ones own job and not intruding elsewhere† (Plato, pg. 140). Plato believes that justice best comes about when everyone attends to the role that they are most suited to. As a just society is made up of three classes, similarly a just soul parallels it and is tripartite in its structure; the rational, the spirited and the appetitive. A just soul constantly attempts to achieve and live completely in truth. Therefore the rational part of the soul rules, and the spirited part supports the rational, with the appetitive part submitting and following reason. That is to say the whole soul is geared towards satisfying the desires of the rational, just as in the imagined state everyone fulfills the rulers desires. Within the society, each class is dominated by the corresponding part of the soul. Producers are ruled by their appetites; their urges for money, material things and pleasure. Warriors are ruled by their spirits; they are brave and courageous. Rulers are influenced by their rationale. Therefore justice in a soul as in the state, relies on the the appropriate power relationship between each part, â€Å"Morality, then is an inner state.It is harmony b etween the parts of a persons mind under the leadership of his or her intellect† ( Plato, pg. 152). In this way Platos account of human nature directly informs his theory of an ideal state. Platos Republic and Hobbes Leviathan both share the common understanding that without a state or governing body in place, all mankind would disintegrate into a state of chaos; with desires, appetites and aversions being the dominant cause behind behaviour. They reflect each other in that both believe submission to and acceptance of a ruling body will result in harmony. However beyond this similarity, the views of these philosophers greatly differ. The Republic is based on a quest for justice in both the state and individual; in Platos view people are inherently good. Plato constructs his ideal state,and then searches for virtues within it, which will also be present in the tripartite soul of individuals. By this method, he shows that in a just state or soul, these virtues must be present and each class or reciprocal part of soul must have the correct balance of power. In this way harmony is attained. Although men may commit some terrible acts, this is due to their appetitive desires rather than an innate negative drive. Although Hobbes also believes that men are dominantly driven by their desires and aversions, he does not think that men are ultimately driven to do good but rather by what will give them power and will ultimately protect them. Hobbes builds his state on a foundation of fear of war and terror. He does not consider that what is correct and just is found naturally in humans, â€Å"The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have there no place† ( Hobbes, pg. 188). He does not look for virtues in men but instead only seeks , â€Å"those qualities of man-kind that concern their living together in Peace, and Unity.†( Hobbes, pg. 160). Hobbes does not believe there exists a state of happiness in the soul, that it is a state that is a constant, that can be held on to, â€Å"Felicity is a continuall progresse of the desire, from one object to another† (Hobbes,pg. 160). Plato builds his state on the principle of specialization, â€Å"At the center of his model is a principle of specialization: each person should perform just the task to which he is best suited.† (Brown, SEP). Every man has a place, and does the job for which he is deemed most fit for. In this way all jobs in the state are done to the highest standard, and the needs of the state are met adequately, resulting in a healthy state. This ensures each class remains in a fixed state of power and influence. In contrast, Hobbes does not see men as being any different from each other, rather he believes that we are all completely equal, â€Å"Nature hath make man so equal in the faculties of body and mind; as that though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind than another; yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man and man is not so considerable† (Hobbes, pg. 183). Plato believes that there exists an elite few that poss ess a greater knowledge and absolute truth. It is these few who convey the moralistic way of life to the rest of society. Converesly, Hobbes does not think that there is any one who is in possession of truth, and does not see the state as responsible for moral reasoning within society. Rather the only role the government plays in his eyes is a lawful one, a peace keeping role to avoid the harm one man may cause another. While Platos state is often referred to as an unattainable Utopia, it is still a model which can be aspired to, as an existence with order, meaning and harmony, both within the individual and on a larger scale. Hobbes Leviathan contrarily, is built out of fear and chaos, rather than being something to aspire to, it seems to be more something that is settled for, when there is no other alternative. Bibliography: Brown, E., 2009, Platos Ethics and Politics in the Republic, , 03/04/10. Hobbes, T., 1968, Leviathan( Pelican Classics), London, Penguin. Plato, 1993, Republic: translated by Robin Waterfield, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Tyluski, M., 2009, Human Nature in Hobbes Leviathan, , 03/04/10.