Zara vs MarkSpencer free essay sample

From 1894, the company has continued to work under the name of â€Å"Marks Spencer (MS). † Influenced by American chain stores, MS started to sell both food and clothes in the 1920s. The company experienced a rapid growth from 1894 to 1939, expanding its 234 stores. In order to reach the highest quality in its products, MS concentrated its strategy on the close cooperation with suppliers and the use of new technologies. In addition, the company added internationalization and product diversification to its strategy in the late ’80’s. On the other hand, despite this promising strategy, MS started to undergo a gradual decline in its sales; consequently, in its profits in the 1980’s. A decrease in market share followed this drop. Moreover, in the late 1990’s, the share prices of the company decreased dramatically. By contrast, Zara, another clothing company founded in Spain in 1963, achieved a remarkable success in the textile market in short period by its brand new supply chain and correct business philosophy, including creativity, innovation, and fast market response. We will write a custom essay sample on Zara vs MarkSpencer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This case study will analyze the sources of the decline of the company by analyzing its chain value. This section will be followed by a SWOT analysis. Then, it’ll present solutions and provide recommendations to prevent similar problems in the future. II- Analysis The success story of MS, lasted almost a century after its foundation, seemed to end at the beginning of the 1980’s. While a new, promising era was starting for the apparel industry in the early 1980’s, MS started to experience its first disruptions in sales and in company’s profit. When we look closely at the MS business model, its marketing strategy and its supply chain choices are the main causes for the deterioration of this company’s sales and its profits. MS marketing strategy is based on its buying team’s decisions. Unlike Zara, which defines a portfolio of models at the beginning of each season and adapts it to latest fashion trends during the season, MS defines specifications of clothes one year before launching them in its stores. In fact, the definitions of clothes are frozen, and any trend changes cannot be taken into account during that one-year period. In addition, unlike Zara, the buying team of MS has no contact with customers. In other words, MS defines its new creations completely blindly from its customers’ or its potential customers’ expectations and demands. This strategy is not misguided if the demand is constant and predictable in the market. If the demand is unpredictable, like in the textile industry, following this strategy represents a tremendous risk. For example, in the 1998/1999 Fall Winter collection, MS’s economy was deeply injured by misidentifying the color of its entire collection one year before. Another weakness in the marketing strategy of MS can be observed in its advertisements. Because new collections were created without customers’ opinions, MS had to spend huge amount of money to impose new collections on clients. For example, in 2000, ? 20 million was spent on television advertisements. Another main reason that led MS to financial decline was inaccurate supply chain strategy. MS, with a well-defined warehouse, supplier, and store network, had a cost-efficient supply chain. Although a cost-efficient model seems like a positive factor for the economy of a company, because such a supply chain model is inflexible, it does not allow MS to adjust its production planning during the one-year product development phase. In fact, once the buying team defined clothes specifications and quantities, orders were sent to suppliers. In order to minimize costs, MS passed all its orders to its suppliers en mass. Consequently, its suppliers bought all raw materials and semi-finished products as soon as they received orders from MS. If a new trend occurred during the one-year development period, it was too late to change all its orders because its suppliers already ordered all the raw materials. Another weakness in the MS supply chain was that it was completely decentralized. In other words, unlike Zara, MS depended completely on the other companies, and it was not its â€Å"self-supplier† for any of products sold in its stores. Although it has had its own brand, St. Michel, and it defined all the parameters of the production of this brand, it was produced by suppliers. This lack of vertical integration caused a lack of flexibility in the company’s supply chain. Because all the suppliers were external, it had not flexibility to change any order or to manage the purchase of raw materials or the purchase of semi-finished products. To summarize the economic decline of MS, two main strategic mistakes play the most important roles: the misguided marketing strategy and the inadequate supply chain. In order to rectify the company’s economic situation, these two mistakes should be analyzed, and adequate solutions should be found. III- SWOT Analysis Strengths a

Determinants of Local and State spending

Determinants of Local and State spending Introduction Governments are expanding each day because of the increasing number of functions that they have to carry out. Population growth rate of every country remains relatively high while mortality rates have reduced. As a result, services that people expect from governments are becoming more expensive each day. The numbers of people who depend on several social amenities offered by governments has been increasing over the years.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Determinants of Local and State spending specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this regard, governments have had to change their budgets now and again due to several factors. It is important to note that determinants of public expenditure are vital for any country for they influence the day-to-day activities of the government. Demographic Determinants As states industrialize, demand for different commodities change. People become picky making produ ction of various commodities to be shifted in response to change in demand. It is important to note that this not only affects companies but also governments. Demand for public governments changes as states become industrialized. Therefore, states have to adjust their expenditure accordingly (Raich 28). Federal government expenditure is also influenced by industrialization which shapes the aggregate demand. Similarly, state and local governments cannot produce what its citizens are unable to afford. As the financial ability of people in a country improves, so does their demand (Burkerhead and Jerry 145). However, financial ability of people can only increase if there is economic growth. In this regard, economic growth is very vital in determining governmental expenditure. On the other hand, as a country experiences economic growth, investments increase. This may be public or private investments. It is important to note that investments are diverse in various states and each state wi ll have different needs. Another demographic issue that influences state and local government spending is the age proportion. People in different age groups have different demands. States which have population composed majorly of old people will have different budgets compared to those which have many youths. Notably, as the age composition of a state or local government changes, steps have to be taken to change the budget.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the same note, population growth is very essential in determining government expenditure (Gamkar 79). A large population means that there are many people who need services despite that fact that income of the government increases. Educational institutions have to be expanded when population increases and so should other institutions including hospitals. In a nutshell, increase in population increases d emand for goods and services thus increasing government expenditure. Political Determinants The politics of the day highly influence the kind of expenses that a government can incur. Each government whether democrat or republican makes various pledges to the electorate during their campaigns. The manifestos have in them various new things that the parties promise to fulfill if elected to office (Faulk, Michael and Michael J. 110). Consequently, once in office each government strives to influence the type of expenditure at state and local levels. Moreover, investment projects that are initiated by different governments are relatively different. This means that capital purchases made are highly dependent on political leaders in place. As a result, government demand and expenditure is influenced. Furthermore, there are instances when governments have to incur some expenses because they want to please the electorate. Taking for instance periods approaching elections, the government in p ower will always do everything to ensure that they are elected back to power. As a result, the expenditure of government during this period will be different in different states given that people will explore various ways of pleasing people. Another facet of how politics influences state and local spending is by determining which activity should be done first. It is the role of political leaders to determine which project is to be given priority and which one can wait (Luce and Anita 50). If the project that has been given priority requires massive capital investment then the expenses of the state will be huge. On the contrary, state expenditure will be lower if projects being executed are relatively cheap.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Determinants of Local and State spending specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Economic Determinants Usually, all governments wherever they are in the world will execute projec ts that they can afford. The budget of the government is planned taking into consideration the expected income during the financial year in question. As a result, economic conditions are very crucial in determining state and government expenditure. During recessions and financial crises, government will cut down their expenditure because of the financial difficult. Some projects will have to be stalled to increase government savings. On the same note, money has to be diverted from other projects to cater for more important issues at that time (Rosen 136). The financial crisis of 2009 when money had to be spent to bail out banks is an example. On the other hand, during boom seasons governments can afford to incur various expenses and their expenditure increases. Moreover, tax collection during seasons of economic stability is high. Consequently, state and local governments can easily increase their spending. It is important to note here that people’s demand for government comm odities is high during seasons of economic stability and these compels governments to increase their expenditure. Institutional Determinants Institutions are very crucial in any society. They are responsible for various functions in the community which cannot be assumed (Sexton 635). Moreover, institutions organize people and help the government in delivering some services to the community. In this regard, institutions have a substantial influence on what each government will spend on. Institutions that provide supportive services to the community are usually not involved in income generating activities. Therefore, governments offer grants to these institutions to argument their expenses. In states where grants are more, governmental expenses are high. Furthermore, institutions can be a source of income to the state or local government. Various institutions are involved in income generating activities. These institutions pay taxes to the government be it state or local government. T he taxes are vital in enabling the government to offer services to people.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, the higher the numbers of institutions present in a state the higher the expenditure of the state (Macdonald and Daniel 426). On the other hand institutions also deserve some services from the government are their presence in an area increases both state and local expenditure. Institutions are also crucial in not only checking government expenditure but also limiting the budget at various levels. Tax limits that have been instituted in various states limit the extent to which government can go to collect money from people and companies. It should be noted that indirectly, the tax limit curtails the expenditure of the states (Asher and Donald 12). On the same note, there is the limit on state and local expenditures. The line item veto of the governor put a ceiling on state expenditure. As a result, a state where the line item veto is implemented has regulated expenditure. Emerging Issues The world is first changing and so are the demands of people. Technological improvem ent has brought into the picture different factors that were not present there before. For this reason, technological requirements of each state are different and these highly influence the expenditure of each state. On the same note, due to globalization that has lead to immigration, cultural variance has become substantial (Pryor 323). While cultural influence may not be very pronounced as regards state expenditure, they shape people’s demand. In this regard, culture is slowly becoming influential in governmental issues. Conclusion State and local expenditure are very crucial in running of day-to-day activities of the government. Notably, public expenditure is very important in spear heading economic growth and development. However, factors that influence expenditure in one state are not necessarily influential in other states. Political dynamics in various states influence what to be purchased or offered to be people in various states. Economical ups and downs are also par t of the crucial determinants of state and local expenditure. Nevertheless, economical issues are different in different regions. Sources of income vary from state to state and amount of income per state is different. Therefore, the wealth of a state or local government is very influential on the expenditure of the government. Moreover, any issue that is capable of affecting state or local government taxation program directly influences government expenditure. In this regard, factors that influence state and local government expenditure are diverse but relatively related. Asher, Herbert B. and Donald S. Van Meter. Determinants of Public Welfare Policies: A Casual Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publishers, 1973. Print. Burkhead, Jesse and Jerry Miner. Public Expenditure. Piscataway: Transaction Publishers, 2008. Print. Faulk, Dagney, Michael Hicks and Michael J. Hicks. Local Government Consolidation in the United States. Amherst: Cambria Press, 2011. Print. Gamkhar, Shama. Federal In tergovernmental Grants and The States: Managing Devolution. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2002. Print. Luce, Thomas F. and Anita A. Summers. Local Fiscal Issues in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1987. Print. McDonald, John F. and Daniel P. McMillen. Urban Economics and Real estate: Theory and Policy. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, 2010. Print. Pryor, Frederic L. The Future of U.S. Capitalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. Raich, Uri. Fiscal Determinants of Empowerment. New York: World Bank Publications, 2005. Print. Rosen, Harvey S. Studies in State and Local Public Finance. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print. Sexton, Robert L. Exploring Economics. Stanford: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

A Linguistic Look at Spanish

A Linguistic Look at Spanish Ask a linguist what kind of a language Spanish is, and the answer you get may depend on that linguists specialty. To some, Spanish is primarily a language derived from Latin. Another may tell you that Spanish is primarily an SVO language,  whatever that is, while others may refer to it as a fusional language. Spanish is classified as either an Indo-European or Romance language based on  its origins.Spanish is classified as a mostly SVO language because of its commonly used word order.Spanish is classified as somewhat inflectional because of the extensive use of word endings used to indicate attributes such as gender, number, and tense. All these classifications, and others, are important in linguistics, the study of language. As these examples show, linguists can classify languages according to their history, as well as according to the languages structure and according to how words are formed. Here are three common classifications that linguists use and how Spanish fits in with them: Genetic Classification of Spanish The genetic classification of languages is closely related to etymology, the study of the origins of words. Most of the worlds languages can be divided into about a dozen major families (depending on what is considered major) based on their origins. Spanish, like English, is part of the Indo-European family of languages, which includes the languages spoken by around half the worlds population. It includes most of the past and current languages of Europe (the Basque language being a major exception) as well as the traditional languages of Iran, Afghanistan, and the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Some of the most common Indo-European languages today include French, German, Hindi, Bengali, Swedish, Russian, Italian, Persian, Kurdish and Serbo-Croatian. Among Indo-European languages, Spanish can be further classified as a Romance language, meaning that it is descended from Latin. Other major Romance languages include French, Portuguese, and Italian, all of which have strong similarities in vocabulary and grammar. Classification of Spanish by Word Order One common way of classifying languages is by the order of the basic sentence components, namely the subject, object, and verb. In this regard, Spanish can be thought of as a flexible subject-verb-object or SVO language, as is English. A simple sentence will typically follow that order, as in this example: Juanita lee el libro, where Juanita is the subject, lee (reads) is the verb and el libro (the book) is the object of the verb. It should be noted, however, that this structure is far from the only one possible, so Spanish cant be thought of as a strict SVO language. In Spanish, it is often possible to leave out the subject entirely if it can be understood from the context, and it also is common to change the word order to emphasize a different part of the sentence. Also, when pronouns are used as objects, the SOV order (subject-object-verb) is the norm in Spanish: Juanita lo lee. (Juanita reads it.) Classification of Spanish by Word Formation In terms of how words are formed, languages can be classified in at least three ways: As isolating or analytical, meaning  that words or word roots dont change based on how they are used in a sentence, and that the relationship of words to each other are conveyed primarily by the use of word order or by words known as particles to indicate the relationship among them.As inflectional or fusional, meaning that the forms of the words themselves change to indicate how they relate to the other words in a sentence.As  agglutinating or agglutinative, meaning that words are frequently formed by combining various combinations of morphemes, wordlike units with distinct meanings. Spanish is generally viewed as a somewhat inflectional language, although all three typologies exist to some extent. English is more isolating than Spanish, although English too has inflectional aspects. In Spanish, verbs are nearly always inflected, a process known as conjugation. In particular, each verb has a root (such as habl-)  to which endings are attached to indicate who is performing the action and the time period in which it occurs. Thus, hablà © and hablaron both have the same root, with the endings used to provide more information. By themselves, the verb endings have no meaning. Spanish also uses inflection for adjectives to indicate number and gender. As an example of the isolating aspect of Spanish, most nouns are inflected only to indicate whether they are plural or singular. In contrast, in some languages, such as Russian, a noun can be inflected to indicate, for example, that it is a direct object rather than a subject. Even names of people can be inflected. In Spanish, however, word order and prepositions are typically used to indicate the function of a noun in a sentence. In a sentence such as Pedro ama a Adriana (Pedro loves Adriana), the preposition a is used to indicate which person is the subject and which is the object. (In the English sentence, word order is used to inidicate who loves whom.) An example of an agglutinative aspect of Spanish (and of English) can be seen in its use of various prefixes and suffixes. For example, the difference between hacer (to do) and deshacer (to undo) is in its use of the morpheme (a unit of meaning) des-.

Global Issues- Global Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Issues- Global Revolution - Essay Example Most employees these days prefer to hire children to adults. I hope u know I got married. My dear Sarah works at the nearby postal office. However, at the moment, she is not at work since the postal workers are on strike demanding for increased wages. The working conditions in the factory where I work are not very human. There is a lot of smoke and we are not provided with any protective gear from the heavy machines. I must confess to you that I rarely have any spare time I can call leisure. I work in the factory for over twelve hours a day and cycles for one hour to reach my abode. The government seems to have totally forgotten about us and its focus is on annexing foreign territories across the oceans. Surely Maxwell, I find no reason why I should be staying in pathetic living conditions just because the government has no clear policies on settlement. The lighting is very poor and I am not even assured of my security. Let me not talk about many ills here lest you accuse me of a misconceived mindset. I nevertheless believe that England is a great country. At least we can boast about the good roads that are coming up and the railway industry that seems to boom. Most people can also find work despite the low

Business Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Research Paper - Essay Example METHODOLOGY †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 4.0 Research Design†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 4.1 Study Area and target group†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 4.2 Sampling techniques and Sample size†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 4.3 Research Instruments†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 4.4 Limitations of the Research†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 5. SPECIFICATION OF HY POTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES 5.0 Hypothesis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 5.1 Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 REFERENCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 1. INTRODUCTION The major purpose of the study is to examine the effects of an effective and efficient management on the performance of an organization. The leaders of an organization have a major impact on the organization depending on how they perform their functions. The management of an organization performs different functions and thus, the success of the organization greatly depends on the manner in which the duties are performed (Drucker & Maciariello,  2008, 30) Therefore, the objective of the study is to find the major impacts that an effective management would have on the overall performance of an organization. The study seeks to find the extent of increase in production of an organization when then the management improves its performance. The foremost reason as to why I chose the topic is because; I would want to assess the major factors that determine the success of an organization. In addition, I would also like to find out how the performance of an organization can be improved and made effective. The topic also interests me since; it affects a variety of individuals and businesses in the economic world. Thus, such a research would be very useful to many parties in the business market. Many business organizations would definitely want to ensure the management of their businesses is effective in order to ensure that they reap the accruing benefits. 2. LIT ERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter focuses and concentrates on previous studies conducted in regard to the effects of effective management on the performance of an organization. The issue of management’s effectiveness is very crucial to the organization’s performance and thus, many scholars have conducted different studies concerning the issue. 2.1 Critical Literature Studies have shown that when there is effective management in an organization, there will also be effective planning. On the other hand, effective planning in an organization ensures that there is a smooth flow of activities and operations. Thus, the organization is likely to accomplish most of its objectives (Anthony & Anthony,  2008, 34). The management of an organization also has a function of co-coordinating operations in the departments. Thus, when there is effective management in the company, there will also

Plato and the Concept of Knowledge Essay Example for Free

Plato and the Concept of Knowledge Essay Plato’s Theaetetus is a dialogue that discusses and attempts to find a definition of knowledge. The two characters, Socrates and Theaetetus, approach the argument with the initial idea that knowledge is the addition of a true judgment and an account. However, Socrates raises some concerns regarding the fundamental aspects that make the definition true. Ultimately, the two characters find that their original definition of knowledge is not as accurate, nor as simple as they once believed. The article opens with Theaetetus recalling a definition of knowledge he once heard, which stated â€Å"true judgment with an account is knowledge [and is therefore knowable], and the kind without an account falls outside the sphere of knowledge [and is therefore unknowable]† (126). Socrates begins to question one’s ability to determine whether something is or is not knowable, and he demonstrates the concept using the relationship between elements and complexes. In doing so, he explains a recent dream of his, which, in turn, is actually an explanation of Dream Theory. Dream Theory states that â€Å"the primary elements, of which we and everything else are composed, have no account. Each of them itself, by itself, can only be named† (126). In other words, as elements cannot be broken down further, elements cannot have an account because that would require the determining of whether or not the said elements exist. The addition of that information onto the original element itself results in something that is no longer in its simplest form. Therefore, no elements can have accounts, nor can they be knowable; elements can only be perceived. Consequently, this poses the question as to whether or not complexes are knowable given that their elements are not. When complexes are viewed as the sum of all their elements, it is safe to conclude that the complexes are unknowable, as their elements are unknowable. This idea allowed Socrates to then consider whether complexes were mere sums or if they should instead be viewed as wholes that cannot be dissected into parts. However, the problem with this idea is that, when viewed as a whole that cannot be separated, the complex is then no different than an element, and therefore cannot have an account. After failing to determine what does and does not have an account, Socrates decides to turn his attention to determining what constitutes an account. First, he defines it as stating one’s judgment through speech. Immediately, this manifests flaws in the sense that any true statement could then be considered an account. If this were the case, there would be no differentiation between an account and a true judgment. Next, he defines an account as listing the elements of the things known. Again, this must be incorrect because the possibility exists that one could simply memorize the elements without actually understanding them. Without understanding, one cannot have knowledge. Finally, he defines an account as differentiating the known thing from everything else. This would require knowledge of the differences, and ultimately would again be a reiteration of the true judgment. Additionally, one would be defining knowledge as true judgment plus knowledge, which would be considered a fallacy. This marks the final turning point in Socrates’s and Theaetetus’s overall definition of knowledge, where the two characters decide that their initial definition could not be considered correct. Through their attempts to dissect the supposed explanation of knowledge, Socrates and Theaetetus finally reach the conclusion that knowledge is â€Å"neither perception, nor true judgment, nor an account added to true judgment† (133).

Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom -- Wedding Toasts Roas

Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Bill, Michael's brother. Michael didn't choose me to be in the wedding party in the traditional way. Actually, I drew straws with our other brother Sean. (pause) But just because I'm up here speaking don't for one minute think I was the winner. Laughter I think all went well this morning getting Michael ready for his big day. The condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, but alas I was unable to comply with his last request as a single man due to objections from the S.P.C.A...........Bloody do-gooders! Going back some 30 years my first memory of Michael was that he was small and a bit dribbly – yes that’s right, very similar indeed to how he looked at the church this morning. So it shouldn’t be too hard to believe that he was a deeply ugly baby. So ugly in fact, that when he was born the midwife had to be restrained from slapping my parents. And come to think of it, I recall my mum suffering badly from morning sickness †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. right up until Michael’s 1st birthday. I was however very excited at the prospect of having another little brother. Someone I could dress up as a gimp and scar for life - you know, the usual brotherly stuff. But even before he was born he was getting ME into trouble. It was seven months into my mum’s pregnancy and I spotted her arriving back from a hospital check up. I was with dad and... ...t from someone who’s motto is - â€Å"If you don’t like my driving you should keep off the pavements†. Michael, despite all the abuse I've just dealt you, you really are a special person and a true friend as well as a brother. I'm lucky to know you and I'm fortunate you've brought a warm and caring person into my life as well as yours. So seriously, I do hope Michael knows how lucky he is. Not only has he found a beautiful wife who completes a wonderful couple but he's also found someone who wants to live with him for the rest of his life. I managed 14 years and that was more than enough for me! Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses and drink a toast to the health and happiness of Paul and Linda.

Unraveling of cultural meaning and sociological dimensions of Sex and the City by means of an ideological analysis

In 1998, TIME Magazine ran a front-cover story questioning the relevancy of feminism today. It asked: â€Å"Is feminism dead? â€Å"1 (Bellafante 29/06/98). The breeding pit of Naomi Wolf, Gloria Steinem, Germaine Greer and the rest of radical clan had allegedly been buried. Instead, fictitious feminist icons like Ally McBeal, Bridget Jones, the Spice Girls, Charlie's Angels, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Carrie Bradshaw, have taken part of the flightiness of contemporary feminism. The newfangled feminist motto, as the Spice Girls proclaimed, is Girl Power – and that's as far as it goes – muting the traditional voices of a civil rights movement which once declared the ‘personal to be the political'. The shift from a radical movement to a rather disinterested feminist condition is particularly evident in the TV hit-series, Sex and the City. The widely-acclaimed show has popularly blended upbeat feminist maxims with the everyday-life of four single women in their 30s, engaging in their self-contained universe, New York City. Often defined as the prototype of feminism stepping into the boundaries of mainstream popular culture, the series has never lacked an explicit exploration of the single woman and implicit reinforcement of female sexuality. But does the embracement of intellectual, financial, and sexual freedom automatically spell a valid feminist message? Although the depiction of sexually explicit images has rendered the series progressive and controversial, its critical standing should be instead attributed to the feminist archetypes it attempts to embody. The progressive portrayals of women in the mainstream media have led to the suggestion that the breakdown of traditional gender-specific stereotypes could potentially render any cultural text feminist (Berger 1995, p. 29). Particularly the advent of a multiplicity in feminisms, from radical and Marxist to liberal and postmodernist, has translated feminist thought into an increasingly blurred and unfixed discourse. Given this hypothetical assumption of a cultural crisis in feminist practice and theory, this essay is concerned with the deconstruction and unraveling of cultural meaning and sociological dimensions of Sex and the City by means of an ideological analysis. Accordingly, the following essay attempts to look at how cultural context shapes feminist strategies and concerns. At this point, it should be noted that the Third-wave agenda of Sex and the City does not necessarily suggest a forging of an entire movement, but rather what a feminist movement might look like for a generation which has largely been affected by the Mothers of Feminism. SEXHAUSTED FEMINISM In every episode of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw, the lead character and protagonist of the show, types a question on her laptop raising issues of sex, men, and relationships. In the very first episode, she wondered: â€Å"Can women have sex like men? â€Å". The frankness of this question promptly sets the controversial, yet revolutionary tone of the show. As elaborated in subsequent episodes, the answer to Carrie's question is a clear yes – without apologies. On this level, the show deliberately enters into the territory of feminism with its gender play, attempting to breakaway from traditional sex-role definitions. This in itself resembles the radical forms of the feminist movement in the 1970s which embraced consciousness-raising as a tactic. If consciousness-raising is the â€Å"systematic attempt to break though ideological assumptions† (Brown 1990, p. 14), then Sex and the City does indeed successfully elude prevalent constructed installations of male/ female functions in sexual intercourse. However, the use of sexually explicit images to override traditional sexual imbalances adds fuel to both, feminist applause and criticism. Given the precedence of sexual depictions over other forms of pivotal feminist inquiries, Sex and the City becomes highly vulnerable to the male gaze. This sets out two significant contradictory aspects of the series – one which arises from feminist discourse and the other developed through the dominant ideology of patriarchy. While sexual freedom is undoubtedly a bold proponent of feminist theory, the female characters in Sex and the City also adhere to a traditional exhibitionist role of being looked at and displayed (Mulvey 1989, p. 19). The four characters as sexual objects have fused male voyeurism and desire with that of feminist narrative, taking the postmodern voyeur into new, but also familiar ideological regions. The struggle in determining the ideological position of Sex and the City does not end here. Feminist author, Camille Paglia, argued that the series was a victory for the â€Å"huge wing of us pro-sex feminists† over the â€Å"1980s anti-porn, anti-sex wing of feminists† (cited in Maddox 09/02/04). Paglia's comments underscore the feminist refusal of a fixed and static ideological premise. In 1985, for example, two anti-porn feminist activists, Catherine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin (cited in Califia 1994, p. 123), argued that pornography should be eliminated as a matter of public policy because the â€Å"bigotry and contempt it promotes†¦ diminish opportunities for equality of [women's] rights†. The competing sub-ideological codes underpinning the overall ideology of feminism is further appropriated by the show itself. Ultimate pro-sex feminism is best embodied by the character of Samantha Jones, a PR executive, who orders sex a la carte, with no emotional commitments attached. In stark contrast, an idealist view of romantic relationships is upheld by the character of Charlotte York, a conservative art dealer, who is reluctant to solely attribute sex with female lust. But the puzzling and contradictory ideological signals of the lead characters of Sex and the City are indeed part of the show's postmodern feminist agenda. In order to negotiate how the politics of feminism has been negotiated in Sex and the City it is important to recognize the essence of postmodern- or third-wave feminism. As opposed to other traditional feminist forms, postmodern feminism is much more open to new considerations of gender. Instead of affixing a precondition for feminist thought, postmodern feminists stress the way men and women interact with one another, discarding traditionalist notions of gender naturalness and normality (Bessant and Watts 2002: 48). Rather, feminists with postmodern sympathies argue that we need to acknowledge human diversity, asking â€Å"What is the natural woman anyway? â€Å". This gives primacy to the postmodern acceptance that gender cannot be separated from culture. WIMMIN OR WOMEN ? Singlehood and the breakdown of the family unit are the acclaimed elements in labelling the series feminist. All main characters of Sex and the City fulfil meaningful functions that engender economic, intellectual, and sexual liberation, stimulating the formation of an alternative ideology – a crucial component for building a social movement in the 21st Century (Ryan 2001, p. 305). However, despite the storyline of Sex and the City invoking an alternative ideology, it does not essentially disagree with dominant ideologies. Although the strong bond and friendship between the four leading characters incites a theme of sisterhood throughout the series, the uniting of four basically diverse individuals into a group with common interests in matters of sex, men, and relationships lacks a counterbalancing framework that opposes and attempts to revamp the political and economic structures of society. As Green (1998, p. 1) importantly affirms, â€Å"†¦ in the contemporary post-feminist era, patriarchal traditions in visual culture are seemingly challenged, yet ultimately produced†. Patriarchal and capitalist codes are therefore not only naturalized in Sex and the City, but merged into feminist discourse. Perhaps the most revealing statement Sex and the City makes about its feminist outlook lies in Carrie's first effective ideological statement: â€Å"New York is all about sex and hence not about marriage†. At first glance, this appraisal of singlehood through the romance genre might seem to present a paradox. Despite the glorification of female bonding and alternative family forms, the seemingly counter-ideological premise of Sex and the City only ascends in the show's first few seasons. Its post-feminist sentiments are subsequently watered down, negotiated, and limited by the dominance of the romance genre to the extent that by the end of the entire series, two of the main characters are married and the other two in a faithful monogamous relationship. This happily-ever-after formulaic conclusion is of strict adherence to the clichid literary styles of the Hollywood romance genre, as opposed to a groundbreaking counter-cultural narrative. In an interview with Candace Bushnell, the author who created Sex and the City, renowned feminist and author of the Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf, asked her if she believed the characters of the show to be feminist (Wolf 2003, p. 17). â€Å"They're obviously feminist,† she responded. â€Å"You can be a feminist but that doesn't contradict the human desire for love. † But such ‘human desire for love' is particularly safeguarded by Hollywood and the producers of Sex and the City as well. Here, love is portrayed as a prescribed condition for marriage as if romantic love through â€Å"emotional dramas are virtually the only acceptable means of moving towards marriage† (Weisser 2001, p. 257). Indeed, disgruntled feminists of the second-wave have unconditionally asserted that the prevalence of love â€Å"justifies our exploitation by men and simultaneously ensnares us into oppressive relationships with them†. To advance the flourishing of romance in a seemingly natural and neutral manner, Sex and the City is brought to a close with an absence of scenes of what succeeds the ever-after ending. Wexman reaffirms that â€Å"Hollywood films erase contradictions by making the happy ending coincide with the monogamous marriage as culmination of romantic passion and freezing this passion in an eternal moment of unproblematic unhappiness† (cited in Evans and Delayto 1998, p. 7). Ideologically, Sex and the City reinforces a â€Å"desperation theme† (Dines and Humez 2003, p. 129). The implications of such are substantiated when Charlotte cries, â€Å"I have been dating since I was 15, when is my Mr. Right going to come along? In another episode, Carrie similarly bemoans her single status during Charlotte's wedding, saying, â€Å"I would die to have a strong man catch me when I fall†. And although Miranda Hobbes, a successful lawyer and single mother, asks early-on in the series, â€Å"Why do we get stuck with old maiden and spinster and men get to be bachelors and playboys? â€Å", she later draws a surprising revelation: â€Å"I must not end up old maiden or spinster†. The retreat into desperation and marriage as a strategy towards addressing cultural anxieties is at the forefront in Sex and the City, yet is unsuccessful in acknowledging feminist discourse. Instead, Sex and the City is manufactured as a cultural product which translates romance and marriage into woman's ultimate sexual and political identity. The characters of Sex and the City do not entirely – if at all – escape traditional gender role expectations. By adhering to the framework of dominant ideologies, the women are confined to specific gender, sexual, racial, ethnic and class stereotypes. All four characters are White, upper-middle class, attractive, feminine, and heterosexually appealing. This further extends to the show's predominant representation of marriage as a monogamous Judeo-Christian value. It can therefore be argued that the effect of such representations boils down an ideological impact of mainstream capitalist and patriarchal norms, instead of a preponderance of unorthodox feminist beliefs. I ? NEW YORK Its credit sequence flaunts famous landmarks like the Chrysler Building, World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, or Fifth Avenue. New York City, the alleged capital of the world, is proactive in bestowing the four characters their freedom and is implicitly a fifth representational character in Sex and the City. As Richards (2003, p. 48) affirms, â€Å"More often than not it seems impossible that they could enjoy and indulge is such sexual freedom in any other American city†. Drawing on what Carrie once said – â€Å"New York is all about sex, and hence not about marriage† -renders New York a ‘singles ghetto'. Fostering singlehood through the visual projection of the city is advanced by separating the singles from the marrieds. Single women walk, live and breathe at the very heart of the postmodern city, whilst married people are confined to the private spaces of suburbia – Connecticut or the Hamptons. To survive in a metropolitan city like New York, Sex and the City suggests that one must be single. Samantha, for example, affirms that â€Å"this is the first time in the history of Manhattan that women have had as much power and money as men†. Although an abundance of exterior shots establishes a sense of postmodern reality and familiarity of the Big Apple, Samantha's observations of Manhattan potentially exclude many women from the social boundaries of Sex and the City and hence, from feminist discourse. Race is a significant factor in terms of how the series sets up criteria for who becomes a feminist. Sanders (2004, p. 7) argues that the surnames of the leading characters – Bradshaw, Jones, York, Hobbes – would not look out of place in a â€Å"white-shoe investment bank†. For a city that has flourished into a global hotspot for multiculturalism and become the permanent address of many foreign immigrants, New York is depicted as distinctly White, outwardly projecting a message that only Whiteness is given access to the highest level of rewards, including that of an entire ideology. Confining feminism to women of a White and middle-class background naturalises feminism as an elitist establishment, undermining the struggle of minorities. Women who have failed to achieve economic freedom, lesbians who have yet to achieve sexual freedom, or single women with children, are all but entirely excluded. The prevailing milieu of inequitable feminist sentiments, however, is fuelled by the narrative and visual structures of the romance genre. Green (1998, p. 30), for example, attributes the romance genre to a â€Å"white racial consciousness inseparable from our notion of love, heroism, and public life†. The absence of the Other therefore â€Å"embodies the most basic material meaning of our social order in its very lack of embodiedness†. Accordingly, the social order of Sex and the City invites lipstick lesbians to its culture, while macho femmes are completely iced out. A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO SHOES The construction of feminine identity and womanhood is a crucial quality perpetuated in Sex and the City. Not only are the four main characters perceived as naturally beautiful and aesthetically appealing, but their fetishised consumption of commodity products endorses patriarchal capitalism. The second-wave of feminism in the '60s and '70s charged consumerism for penetrating the inequitable model of female identity that was â€Å"deeply conservative† (MacDonald 1995, p. 6). Yet the series has come close to resemble a spin-off weekly PR event, boosting luxury brands from Fendi and Manolo Blahnik to Prada and Jimmy Choo. As a consequence, it may be argued that Sex and the City masks the socio-political nervous system of feminism, by portraying females in a narrow range of settings and activities, thus abiding to stereotypes determined as uniquely feminine (Soo Ching 2003, p. 12). The four characters are very rarely seen at work, but are financially capable to much on-screen shopping, socialising at parties, lunching on a day-to-day basis, and dating wealthy professional men. Bailey (2003, p. 10) illustrates the embedded paradox: â€Å"Sex and the City lacks a larger political agenda, but is still concerned with effects of individual choices on individual lives†. Derived from the Marx's analysis of capitalist societies and his term â€Å"commodity fetishism†, Wolfgang Haug (1987, p. 8) determined products in a capitalist society to be designed to â€Å"stimulate in the onlooker the desire to possess and the impulse to buy†. There is a bold connection here between the culture of women's magazines and Sex and the City. Feminist media critics have raised concern over the monolithic compositions of a â€Å"woman's world† imbued in women's magazines (Bignell 2004, p. 216). The ideological composition of women's magazine represent feminine identity as set a set of social conventions, norms, problems and desires, passed on and appropriated by the series itself. But as McCracken (1993, p. 136) argues, â€Å"within the discursive structure, to be beautiful, one must fear being non-beautiful; to be in fashion, one must fear being out of fashion; to be self-confident, one must first feel insecure†. Underlying the production of patriarchal capitalism in Sex and the City, feminism therefore endangers, rather than enhances, the concept of strengthening women's civil rights. In this instance, capitalism, via feminist discourse, masks the essence of consumer goods as being produced in an inherently patriarchal system for patriarchal gain. Product placement in the series not only accomplishes commodity hegemony, but automatically weakens the show's ties with feminism. Instead, the absolute value of feminism is commodified, which Goldman (1992, p. 130) readily labels â€Å"commodity feminism†. He argues that â€Å"commodity feminism depoliticises and individualises feminism and defuses its potential political impact†. From this perspective Sex and the City can be argued to render invisible the questions of economic status, work and social power for women. According to Bignell (2004, p. 217), the fascination with self-indulgent and pretentious activities like shopping and socialising, is a focus â€Å"relatively trivial aspects of women's lives†, as opposed to raising concern over abortion, the sexual division of labour, the representation of women in politics, or the stereotypical images pursued by the media. CONCLUSION It has been more than 40 years since Betty Friedan attacked the role of women in marriage through her writings in the Feminine Mystique. Although the time-worn pages of her book might have dried out and been stacked away, feminism is indeed still alive. As evidenced by the various ideological traditions and perspectives in reading Sex and the City, one cannot conclusively determine whether the nature of the show is feminist or non-feminist. Rather, it should be acknowledged that contemporary feminism bears an abundance of ideological contradictions and complexities. This is not to say that feminism is indefinable, but part of a shift from its initial historical beliefs and assumptions. It is again arguable that postmodern feminism has severely misdirected the elements of feminism to an irrational and apolitical uncertainty. Although it may be argued that the postmodern version simply defines feminism in a flexible and relaxing way, its discourse is invariably formalised by those in power. Feminism is ideologically withheld in Sex and the City by reinforcing traditional gendered stereotypes and a consumerist culture based on the dominant ideologies of patriarchy and capitalism, respectively. Although embellished with postmodern feminist rhetoric, Sex and the City enforces a restrictive social space for women fused with the boundaries romantic love and marriage. However, despite its limitations, Sex and the City deserves acknowledgement for the (admittedly negotiated) challenge it poses to feminist assumptions, as well as the return of women's rights on the social agenda.

Gulliver’s Travels Essay Essay

In this essay, on a pre-1914 novel, I will show how the main character changes emotionally, physically and mentally and also show how the novel was adapted into a film. I have chosen to study the classic Jonathan Swift novel, Gulliver’s Travels which was written in 1726. It is about a ship surgeon who goes on many voyages that change his life, his views on it and others around his. The novel is written in the past tense from the author’s point of view which makes it more believable that Lemuel Gulliver went on these expeditions. The book begins with a short account about the main character in Gulliver’s Travels, Lemuel Gulliver. He says about his family, how and where he got the money to be able to study, and eventually onto why he became a surgeon on a ship. It says the few friends he had left him and he ended up friendless with only a wife to help support him. This makes Gulliver feel lonely and depressed because he has no-one to talk to and so stays at home alone. As he stayed at home, his only friends those inside the many novels of the best authors he was reading, he was running low on money and so had to do something to be bringing in some sort of a salary. He decided to go on another adventure as a surgeon on a ship, to bring in some money to support his family, and ends up being shipwrecked and having to swim for his life. As he reaches land, scared, still depressed and even more alone, he lay still for hours on end resting and eventually falls asleep on the immensely short grass. As he awoke he found he was bound to the floor by many miniature ropes that were tied to his hair, arms, legs and face. As he lay on his back, Gulliver could only see towards the sky and so could not distinguish what the noises, that he could hear, were. He felt a strange movement over his leg which moved onto his breast and up to his chin. He looked downwards, without moving his head, to find a human not six inches high. He shouted Hekinah degul, which was repeated by the other small creatures around Gulliver. Now Gulliver feels frightened, puzzled and restricted, to both movement and communication due to the unknown language the small humans spoke. Throughout Lilliput, Gulliver feels superior to the â€Å"little people,† due to his size and it feels like a joke is being played on him- because of the stupidity of the situation. He felt inferior because he couldn’t speak the language- until he began to learn later on- and also because he was seen as a monster that noone wanted anything to do with. The Lilliputians were frightened of Gulliver, because of his size, and so Gulliver still felt lonely and vulnerable-because he could have had thousands of little arrows shot at him, could be tied down and murdered. As Gulliver began to learn the language he felt less restricted-because he could now partially communicate- and less alone because he could have an intelligent conversation with a Lillputian. He began to learn about the Lilliputian ways of government and life and the situation made Gulliver feel badly about the British way of politics. He found out that the Lilliputians were having a war with the small people of Blefuscu over which end to break an egg. This made Gulliver think that- normal sized- people have wars over things almost as silly and idiotic as which end to break an egg such as skin tone, religious beliefs and the fact that they are not speaking your language. Gulliver then started to belittle the- normal sized- human race, and had many ideas about how our world could be changed for the better. As time went on Gulliver became closer to the Emperor of Lilliput, after helping them in the war by stealing the Blefuscu armada’s warships. Gulliver stopped the Emperor and Empress from being burned alive, in their palace, by urinating on the imperial building. After this act Gulliver felt ashamed that he urinated onto the Imperail palace, even if it was to save the royal family’s lives, and scared because he had his eyeballs threatened to be gouged out. Gulliver fled to Belfuscu- after taking a small sheep with him to show his wife when he returned home-, found an abandoned ship, and used the Blefuscians bedsheets-sewn together- as a sail and returned to England to his family. As he was leaving, Gulliver felt happy that he was on his way back to his family, yet sad and scared- of himself- because of the stupidity of the situation he was in and that he must have been losing his mind and going insane. He stayed in England with his family for a while and then left for another journey as a ship’s surgeon. The film started with Gulliver sneaking around outside his home whilst his ex-wife-who was remarried to an old friend surgeon of Gullivers- and slept in the stable across the road. His son found him in the morning and told Mary- Gullivers ex-wife. Gulliver then told his son the whole story about Lilliput and the film showed what was happening as he was narrating it. He told the whole story to his son until Dr Bates- Gullivers old surgeon friend- took him to a mental institution to try and â€Å"help† Gulliver. Gulliver was kept in a cell and thought to be insane by the doctors. Whilst Gulliver was in the mental hospital, his son found the little sheep but it got loose as Dr.Bates shouted at Gullivers son and told him to leave his office. The film shows Gulliver to be a lot more eccentric than the novel and he also seems to be a lot more confident with himself and what he saw at Lilliput. As Gulliver retells the story- partially once inside the hospital- he notes that he didn’t return home after his voyage to Lilliput he went straight onto the next island and his next adventure. The film has a few slight adaptations from the novel, such as Gulliver not returning home, but has stuck to the novel pretty closely. The film shows that Gulliver tells his story back to everyone from the mental hospital whereas the book says nothing about where Gulliver is as the story is told. This is the main change from novel to moving picture so far.

Vygotsky Scaffolding What It Is and How to Use It

Vygotsky Scaffolding What It Is and How to Use It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re an educator or have a student in school, you may have heard of the concept Vygotsky scaffolding. It may sound like a construction term, but Vygotsky scaffolding and the related concept of the zone of proximal development are teaching methods that can help students learn much more information much more quickly than they would with traditional instruction. However, Vygotsky scaffolding is only effective if you know how to properly implement it; otherwise it can actually hinder a student’s learning.Read this guide to learn what scaffolding and the zone of proximal development are, what the scaffolding psychology is, if studies have found these teaching methods to be effective, and how you can use these methods in the classroom to promote learning. What Is Instructional Scaffolding? Instructional scaffolding, also known as â€Å"Vygotsky scaffolding† or just â€Å"scaffolding,† is a teaching method that helps students learn more by working with a teacher or a more advanced student to achieve their learning goals. The theory behind instructional scaffolding is that, compared to learning independently, students learn more when collaborating with others who have a wider range of skills and knowledge than the student currently does.These instructors or peers are the â€Å"scaffolding† who help the student expand her learning boundaries and learn more than she would be able to on her own. Vygotsky scaffolding is part of the education concept â€Å"zone of proximal development† or ZPD.The ZPD is the set of skills or knowledge a student can’t do on her own but can do with the help or guidance of someone else. It’s the skill level just above where the student currently is. ZPD is often depicted as a series of concentric circles. The smallest circle is the set of skills a student can learn on her own, without any help. Next is the ZPD, or skills a student wouldn’t be able to do on her own, but can do with a teacher or peer helping her. Beyond that are skills the student can’t do yet, even with help. For example, say there is a kindergartner who is learning how to read and write. He knows all the letters of the alphabet, but he can’t yet read or write words. No matter how much guidance he was given, he could never read a novel on his own at this point, but with a teacher’s help, he can learn how to read and write short words like â€Å"at,† â€Å"boy† and â€Å"dog† because this skill is within is ZPD. It would have taken him much longer to learn this skill on his own, but it’s still simple enough that he can understand it if he has someone to explain it to him.The student’s ZPD is reading and writing short words, and the teacher who helps him learn them is the scaffolding. Proponents of ZPD and instructional scaffolding believe they are highly effective ways to maximize a student’s learning. Scaffolding can be used to help a person of any age learn something new, but in the classroom it is most often used with younger students (preschool and elementary school) since they are learning new skills and concepts they haven't been exposed to before most frequently. What’s the History Behind Vygotsky Scaffolding? Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Soviet psychologist who coined the term â€Å"zone of proximal development† and conducted many studies that led to instructional scaffolding. This is why the concept is often referred to as â€Å"Vygotsky scaffolding.† Vygotsky focused his work on developmental psychology, and it was in the 1920s and early 1930s, towards the end of his career, that he developed the concept of ZPD. Vygotsky believed that educators should help students learn within their ZPD so that they can increase their skills and knowledge without becoming frustrated by things that are currently too difficult for them to accomplish. Vygotsky came up with the idea of ZPD after extensive studying of how young children learn and the effectiveness of different teaching methods. He found that individual knowledge-based tests are often an inaccurate way to measure a young student’s intelligence since children need to interact with others who are more intelligent than they currently are in order to learn. He cited many examples of cultures where young children are taught new skills and knowledge passed down by older generations. For example, when infants are learning how to walk, they often start by holding onto the clothes or hands of an adult or older child, who guides them. The infant will continue to do this until they have enough skills and strength to walk on their own. This way they’re able to learn to walk much faster than if they were expected to learn without being able to hold onto anything. Vygotsky instead believed that the proper way to test young students was to test their ability to solve problems both independently and with the help of an adult.Dr. Maria Montessori, who established the Montessori education philosophy, also published similar research several decades before Vygotsky.Vygotsky died in 1934, less than a decade after he introduced the idea of ZPD, and after his death research on his ideas greatly decreased. In the 1960s, Vygotsky’s work was revived by a new group of psychologists studying developmental psychology. Dr. Jerome Bruner coined the term â€Å"scaffolding† and connected it to Vygotsky’s work. Dr. Bruner and other psychologists began studying the use of ZPD in different educational contexts, and they found that encouraging students to tackle the most difficult tasks within their ZPD leads to the most learning. Today scaffolding continues to be studied and used in schools, and much recent research has focused on how to use scaffolding to make classes (including online classes) more effective. Does Vygotsky Scaffolding Work? Over the past several decades, numerous studies have been conducted to study the effectiveness of using ZPD and scaffolding as teaching methods. Overall, research has shown that these methods can often help students learn more than they would compared to traditional teaching methods, but they require the instructor to have a good grasp of the student’s ZPD so they can adapt the teaching method to them. An early study from 1975 found that four-year-olds whose mother’s interacted with them and gave them advice were able to build significantly more complicated block towers than those who worked alone. The children who were most successful were those whose mothers adapted their strategy based on how well their child was completing the task. They made different comments based on whether the child was doing well or was struggling. A 1990 study found similar results when children were asked to put dollhouse furniture into the correct room. Children whose mothers gave them guidance were significantly more successful than those who completed the task on their own. A study published in 2000 that focused on a teacher using ZPD and scaffolding to teach a Farsi speaker English found that these methods can be an effective way to teach someone a new language. As the student improved his English skills, his teacher went from teaching individual words and phrases, to asking yes/no questions, to asking questions that required more in-depth responses. This gradual increase in difficulty helped the student improve his English skills while reducing feelings of frustration from attempting language skills beyond his current level. A similar scaffolding psychology study published in 2014 found that, in a group of 30 Australian language students, those who had tutors that used scaffolding techniques made significantly more progress in their writing quality and strategy application. Two studies, one from 2003 and one from 2010, found that ZPD and scaffolding can be effective, but if the instructor doesn’t know how to implement them correctly, she is at risk of helping students too much which turns them into passive learners and hinders their growth. Tips for Using Vygotsky Scaffolding in the Classroom From the studies discussed above, we know that instructional scaffolding can be an effective teaching tool, but only if the instructor understands how to use it. Below are four tips for using scaffolding in the classroom. Know Each Student’s ZPD In order to use ZPD and scaffolding techniques successfully, it’s critical to know your students’ current level of knowledge. Without this information, you won’t be able to teach them in their ZPD or provide effective scaffolding support. Before you begin a lesson with ZPD or Vygotsky scaffolding, find their baseline knowledge by giving a short quiz or having an introductory discussion on the topic where you ask students questions to figure out what they already know. Also remember that each student will have a different ZPD for each topic you teach. If a class has widely varying ZPDs for a specific topic, it can be more effective to have them work in groups or individually while you walk around the classroom and provide guidance so that you can tailor your techniques to each student’s ZPD. Encourage Group Work Group work can be a very effective way of using scaffolding principles in the classroom because students can learn from each other while working together on a project. More advanced students can help others learn while improving their own skills by explaining their thought process.Try to create groups that contain students with different skill sets and learning levels to maximize the amount students learn from each other. Make sure each student in the group is actively participating. If you see one student doing most of the work, have her ask the other students for their opinions, and emphasize the importance of everyone contributing. Don’t Offer Too Much Help A potential drawback of Vygotsky scaffolding is the possibility of providing too much help. This causes the student to be a passive, instead of active, learner and actually reduces the amount the student learns. If you’re using scaffolding techniques, don’t jump in right away and start offering advice. Let each student work on their own first.When they begin to struggle, first start by asking them questions about what they’ve done and what they think they should do next. As much as possible, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to find a solution on their own, as opposed to just telling them the next step. For example, if a student is trying to build a block tower, it’s much more helpful to say things like â€Å"How do you think you can make this tower stronger?† or â€Å"Why do you think the tower fell down?† than â€Å"You need to make the base bigger.† If after you’ve had the student think through the problem, then you can begin offering concrete advice for what to do next, but be sure to continue to ask questions to help increase the student’s understanding. For example, after giving advice on how to improve the block tower, you can ask â€Å"Why do you think making the base bigger helps the tower stay up?† Have Students Think Aloud Having students discuss their thought process is one of the best ways to figure out where their current skills are (and thus determine their ZPD) and make sure they’re actively learning.As a student is working on a project, have her talk about why she’s making certain decisions, what she thinks she should do next, and what she’s unsure about.When you give advice, make sure you also explain your own thought process so students can understand why you’re making the decisions you did. Summary:Vygotsky Scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development Vygotsky scaffolding is a teaching method that uses instructors and more advanced peers to help students learn. The Vygotsky theory of cognitive development states that students will learn more when they receive guidance from someone with more skills in the subject they’re learning than they would if they were tackling the subject on their own. Vygotsky scaffolding is part of the education theory the zone of proximal development. The zone of proximal development states that each student, for each subject, has three levels of learning: things the student can accomplish on her own, things she can accomplish with help from someone else (the zone of proximal development) and things she can’t accomplish no matter how much help she has. The ZPD and Vygotsky scaffolding theory is that students learn the most when they’re in their ZPD. Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky developed the ZPD and the Vygotsky theory of cognitive development, while Jerome Bruner developed scaffolding psychology several decades later.Studies have shown that scaffolding can be a very effective teaching method, as long as the teacher understands the concepts behind it and doesn’t provide too much guidance. If using scaffolding and the zone of proximal development in the classroom, remember to know each student’s ZPD, encourage group work, don’t offer too much help, and have students explain their thought process out loud. What's Next? Are you a teacher writing recommendations for your students? Read all about how to write an outstanding recommendation letter for your students, along with what not to include. When do colleges start looking at a student's grades? Do colleges look at middle school grades? Read our guide to learn how middle school grades are important for college admissions. Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Answer Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem

Answer Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A lot of readers of The Crucible have the same question: why has Reverend Hale returned to Salem in Act 4?This is a short article detailing the reasons behind Hale's decision to return.If you're confused about what his motivations are and what he hopes to accomplish, read on for a complete explanation. Why Is This Question Tricky? At the end of Act 3, Reverend Hale quits the court in Salem out of frustration because he sees that irrationality and hysteria have taken over the proceedings. However, in Act 4, we learn that he has returned to Salem to speak with the prisoners and convince them to confess. This is a bit confusing - why would he return to Salem to convince people to confess if he believes that they're innocent? As I'll explain in the next two sections, Hale has shifted his moral compass slightly to accomodate his own guilt. Guilt and its counterpart, concern for reputation, are both common themes in The Crucible, which makes understanding the answer to this question important for an effective reading of the play. Short Answer Hale has returned to Salem in Act 4 because he recognizes himself as the original instigator of the ultimately unfounded witch hysteria, and he doesn’t want to end up with the blood of innocent people on his hands (or at least innocent people who are widely respected like Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor).His goal is to persuade the condemned prisoners to sign their names to false confessions. Hale has managed to convince himself that lying is a lesser evil than throwing away one's life for the sake of maintaining a spotless record of integrity. This is a somewhat selfish viewpoint, although it's the only one he can accomodate psychologically. If he gets the prisoners to save their own lives, his positive self-image will not be marred by their executions.He fails to fully consider the negative impact a confession would have on the self-image of the confessor, which is why no one responds to his efforts. Long Answer Reverend Hale’s purpose in returning to Salem is to speak with the condemned prisoners and convince them that they should give false confessions rather than martyr themselves.He chooses to do this because he is tormented by guilt.When Danforth asks Hale directly why he has returned, Hale responds, â€Å"Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see there is blood on my head!!† (Act 4 pg. 121). Note that when Hale says he comes to do "the Devil's work," he is being sardonic. He knows that what he's doing is technically not befitting of a man of God, but he feels that promoting lies is better than the alternative of allowing innocent people to go to their deaths because of him. He feels responsible for the way things played out in Salem since he was the original â€Å"expert† called on to investigate the witchcraft rumors in Act 1. He lit the fuse by pressuring Abigail to answer leading questions about her activities in the woods (pg. 40), prompting her accusations against Tituba.He then ignored Tituba’s protests that she never called the Devil (pg. 41) and insisted that she name the names of other people she’d seen with Him (pg. 44).He had all the authority in that situation because of his supposed superior knowledge of witchcraft (pg. 37), and he used it to intimidate people into confessing. This initial storm of confessions and ensuing hysteria eventually led to the condemnation of people he knew to be innocent.He signed seventy-two death warrants (pg. 92), including that of Rebecca Nurse, based on what he now believes was false evidence.The only way Hale thinks he can make up for this is by returning to Salem and convincing the accused to save their own lives, even if they must lie to do so.He’d rather advocate lying than be responsible for the deaths of innocent people.He does not consider that signing a confession is essentially the same as death to someone like Rebecca Nurse, whose whole identity is based on her integrity and piousness. Hale is ultimately only looking out for his own peace of mind and spiritual wellbeing. And God did say unto Reverend Hale, "#yolo." Summary:Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem? Here's a short bullet point recap of the answer to this question: Hale returns to Salem to convince the condemned prisoners to confess to witchcraft. He does so because he feels responsible for the miscarriage of justice that led them to their current situation. He knows it's too late for them to be pardoned, so persuading them to give false confessions rather than hang is the best way to clear his own conscience. What's Next? So what actually happens in Act 4? What does the ending of the play mean? Check out our full summary of the last act of The Crucible. If you want to back up a little bit to the heightened courtroom drama of Act 3, you can also read our full Act 3 summary, complete with key quotes and thematic analyses. Another tricky question that comes up in The Crucible is why Elizabeth wants John to go to Salem in Act 2. Read our answer and explanation. 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:

The End of Ramstable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

The End of Ramstable - Essay Example The proposed project entitled â€Å"The End of Ramstable† is aimed to mark the end of the old Ramstable theatre with festivity and entertainment that embodied the theatre in its 120 years of existence. The Ramstable Festival Week beginning on August 20 until August 26, 2012 shall be a festivity of Ramstable’s heritage of giving entertainment and delight among its countless patrons for 120 years through music, plays and community engagement. While the proponent intends to make the Festival Week as memorable and as grand as possible, the proponents will not lose sight of the importance of making the endeavour economically viable that will enable the Festival to be successful. There are three aspects of the entertainment component of the project. One of these is Ramstable’s reaffirmation of its commitment to Ramstable community which is its host and patron. To serve this end, one of the highlights of the Festivity Week is the hosting of the Ramstable Theatre to the Finale of the various school’s rendition of â€Å"What the Dickens† to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of famous Kentish author Charles Dickens. In addition to Ramstable support to the academe, the theatre will also show its commitment to the community by hosting the talent contest â€Å"Ramstable Got Talent† which will run from August 21 to 25 of 2012. Ramstable will commemorate its 120 years of heritage by showing theatre performances in the evening of August 21 to 26 through music and various performances that stretches back in time up to the present. The performances are also designed to include the theatre interest of Ramstable community as the shows will cater to children, parents, men, women, teenager through the careful selection of the artists and genre that will be performed. The artists chosen to perform during the evenings of August 21 to 25 are popular mainstream artists who are proven to provide entertainment of high calibre. Their talent f ees may be hefty but through careful planning and implementation of creative marketing implements, the shows will not only prove to be economically viable but profitable as well. The project proponents believe that Ramstable Theatre has earned enough goodwill through its 120 years of providing entertainment among its countless patrons that will merit its patrons to sponsor the shows. Such, the proponents will capitalise on this goodwill to ensure the viability and profitability of the Festival despite it being intended to be grand. The Festival Week’s viability and profitability can be achieved in two ways. First is through the traditional revenue derived from the ticket sales. Revenue can also be generated by expanding marketing activity through sponsorships and selling of refreshments during the show. Securing sponsors for the show is very doable because the Theatre had enough goodwill from