Sociology Revision Guide free essay sample

Broad definition which covers a wide range of beliefs -Does not necessarily include beliefs in a supra-human, supernatural being Focuses on the function of beliefs in society, and the way in which things that people regard as sacred can bind societies together, through shared values. Looks at the ways in which unconventional beliefs can be seen as sacred, i. e football. Substantiate and exclusivist-Bruce: religion is â€Å"beliefs, actions and institutions which assume the existence of supernatural entities with powers of moral purpose† Berger: Religion is a â€Å"sacred canopy† or shield providing supernatural protection against random and apparently meaningless events. Focuses on what religion actually is, involving supernatural, supra-human beliefs of some kind -Fits with what most people would regard as religion, i. Islam, Christianity etc, Though includes unconventional beliefs such as Wicca and paganism also. A definition adopted by most sociologists. Features of religion – Beliefs – in the supernatural, incomprehensible powers, or in symbols which are regarded as sacred. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Revision Guide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Theology – a set of teaching and beliefs based on holy scripture Practice – Rituals and ceremonies which are either public or privately i. e praying or fasting Institutions – provide an organisation of the worshippers/believers, usually buildings like churches. Consequences – A set of moral or ethical values that are meant to guide or influence the everyday behaviour of believers. IDEOLOGIES PLURALIST -Sees the exercise of power in society as reflecting a broad range of social interest. -No-one has a single monopoly of power, a wide range of interest groups and individuals that live alongside each other compete for it. There is no single dominant ideology that reflects the interests of a group, which is something to be approved of and welcomed. -It denies that there may be an unequal distribution of power in society, and not all social roups are equally able to influence those with power, or get their views accepted – something which the pluralist ideology tries to conceal. MARXIST- The ideas that people hold are formed by their position in society. -Ideology is the ideas of particular social groups reflecting their interests. -Dominant ideology – In this case the ruling class. Mannheim – the ruling class deliberately obscure facts in order to conceal the inequalities of capitalist society, thus preserving existing patterns of inequality, the privileged position of the ruling class, and preventing any social change which may threaten them. Althusser –The ideology is spread through ideological state apparatuses -Gramsci – hegemony – the ruling class, through dominant ideology, maintains power by persuading the working class to adopt ruling class ideology as part of their own beliefs and values, thus consenting to the idea, and not being forced. FEMINIST Patriarchal ideology Supports and tries to justify the power of men in a patriarchal society. Ideas are mainly concerned with protecting and promoting the interests of men. RELIGION – Like ideology, offers a vision and means of understanding and explaining the world. Ideas are not necessarily tied to the interests of one social group. -Giddens – Religion is â€Å"shared beliefs and rituals that provide a sense of ultimate meaning and purpose by creating an idea of reality that is sacred, all-encompassing, and supernatural†. -There are three main aspects to religion: 1) Belief in the supernatural and spiritual 2) Faith on the p art of believers – a strong sense of trust and conviction in theories not based on testable evidence 3) A body of unchanging truth – i. e Christ. All new discovers are fitted into these existing frameworks. Religion can be part of an ideology – a social group may seek to use religion for its own ends i. e Marx religion is the opium of the people. SCIENCE -Science and religion are often seen as competing ways of explaining the world -Science aspires to objectivity and value-freedom based on research methods producing explanations based on empirical evidence. -Science may in some respects be an ideology as it is subjective to social pressures and prejudices Popper- Scientific method involves: 1)Hypothesis formation – capable of being tested against evidence derived from systematic observation 2) Falsification ) Prediction – through establishing cause and effect relationships rooted in evidence. Theory formation – If the hypothesis is capable of being tested against evidence and cannot be shown to be false, there is confidence that it is probably true, and a â€Å"scientific truth†. 5) Scrutiny – by other scientists, will only stand until evidence is discovered to prove it false. This means that ideas and theories in science are not unquestionably accepted as in religion, but are subject to constant challenge. Researchers should aim not to prove their hypotheses true, but false, as no hypothesis can ever be proven true, there is always the possibility of a future exception. Swans. -If Popper’s approach is accepted, science may displace religion as there is no evidence to disprove that god exists, or does not exist, thus preventing the chance of these stages. Kuhn – Challenges whether scientists actually set out to falsify their theories in practice. Scientists work within a paradigm which colours their views of their research, i. e how to approach it. When scientists test their hypotheses they try to fit their findings into their existing paradigm, rather than attempt to falsify, dismissing evidence which contradicts them as experimental errors or freak conditions. Thus, what passes for scientific truth may be more often an act of faith in scientific values. Bruce – It is the scientific method, rather than scientific discoveries that has provided the greatest challenge to religion as a belief system, thus moving society towards modernity due to the growing concern with evidence-based causes and effects, rather than the search for meanings. In modern society, religious explanations and superstitions are replaced by scientific explanations as scientific ones re shown to be wrong. I. e evolution V creation. -When phenomena occur we are now much more likely to look for scientific explanations, rather than blaming the devil. I . e. Mother Teresa’s TB cure. Comte – Society went through 3 stages to get to modernity, changing human understanding from a religious to scientific explanation of the world 1) Theological – where phenomena are explained through the supernatural i. e gods. ) Metaphysical – supernatural is diminished, more emphasis on entities and forces i. e nature. 3) Positive/scientific – stages 1 and 2 are displaced by rational scientific explanations based on evidence, logical thought, and reasoning. From this Weber spoke about a growing ‘disenchantment of the world’ Postmodernity – Society is changing so rapidly that it is marked by chaos and uncertainty Lyotard’s metanarratives can no longer be applied or held up as truth, and each one is now just one story among others, claiming different versions of the truth. Science can no longer claim superiority as it has failed to find cures i. e cancer, and has created issues like MRSA, global warming and climate change. Many scientists have shown themselves to be serving the interests of wealthy corporations, thus influencing research and stopping it from being value free. Science has lost its authority in society – a belief in science is akin to the faith of religion. Science may not be objective as: -the values and beliefs of researchers will determine what they study Career aspirations lead to scientists wanting to prove hypotheses right -Funding, and location may influence what and how research is carried out Science has not displaced religion as of yet, many millions identify themselves with the major religions of the world, and show loyalty in extremes such as People’s Temple, where 913 committed suicide, and terrorist attacks in the name of their God. ALSO – Many still hold some sort of faith, i. e superstition, ghosts, good luck charms. Conservative force- Building and maintaining social solidarity and social stability -Protecting traditional values and the existing state of affairs in society -Maintaining the status quo in society which COULD include supporting social change in order to return to traditional values and ways of life that are at risk of disappearing. Force for change- Concerned with how religious beliefs and organisations can change society and move it forward. There is a danger of overstating the importance of religion in either context, as there are often a number of other social, political and economic factors which influence the nature and extent of religion’s role in society. McGuire and Robinson There are four major interrelated factors which influence whether religion acts as a conservative force or force for social change: 1. The nature and extent of religious beliefs – if most in society hold religious beliefs, and these beliefs have strong moral codes which conflict with feat ures of existing society, religion is more likely to lead to criticism of society, and attempts to change it 2. The significance of religion in society’s culture – if religion is a central part of culture I. E. Ireland’s Catholicism, religion is more likely to be used as a means of justifying behaviour and change. 3. The extent of social involvement of religion – in societies in which religious organisations and religious figures are close to and involved with the people, and play important roles in the political and economic lifestyle of societies I. E. Iran, religion is more likely to influence social change. The aspect of social involvement of religious organisations in affecting social change is likely to become of even greater importance in societies which lack democracy, as protest and change have to be fed through religion. 4. The degree of central authority in religious organisations – in societies where religious organisations have strong central authority, religion is in a much better position to promote change or prevent it I. E. Saudi Arabia or Ir an where Islam has a very strong central authority, effectively used to influence the extent of changes in society. CONSERVATIVE FORCE – Functionalism -Religion promotes social harmony, integration and solidarity, through the reinforcement of the value consensus. Concerned with analysing the role of religion in meeting the functional prerequisites i. e. society can only survive if people share at least some common beliefs about right and wrong behaviour Religion is part of the way of life of society, and it helps to maintain cultural traditions and establish the basic rules of social life. Durkheim- social order and stability can only exist if people are integrated into society by a value consensus. Religion is an important element in achieving this, as it provides a set of beliefs and practices which unite people together. -All societies divide the world into the â€Å"sacred† and the â€Å"profane† – religion relates to the sacred aspect of society, though not necessarily the supernatural. -Totenism- Durkheim found this when studying Australian aborigines, and thought that it represents religion in its most basic form. The totem is created by society, and is so sacred because it is a symbol of the group or society When worshipping the totem, people are really worshipping society. Religious beliefs such as totenism, and the ceremonies and rituals that go with them, act as a kind of social glue, binding people together and building bonds By sharing beliefs, giving themselves a sacred quality, people develop moral ties between themselves, thus a collective conscience that exists outside of individuals, but controls individual behaviour, and how members of a community relate to each other, i. . in ethnicity. Though religion builds collective conscience, the supernatural dimensions will eventually disappear, and other civil religions might take on this role. HOWEVER this might make it questionable whether we are still talking about religion, or just other ways people are integrated into society. Malinowski – Religion reinforces social norms and values, promoting social solidarity. Provides explanations for events that are hard to explain and gives security in the face of uncertainty. Fulfils a need for emotional security and relieves situations of emotional stress which threaten social solidarity and stability, such as times of suffering, death, or illness that produce anxiety and tension, or even disillusionment, uncertainty and loss of meaning as people encounter events they cannot explain or understand. Provides a source of comfort, explanation and meaning for individuals when faced by such circumstances i. e. funeral services, both in terms of beliefs in life and death, and the support of family and friends around them. Evidence such as church attendance soaring during wartime supports this. Parsons – The role of religion is providing and underpinning the core values of any culture, and the social norms which regulate peoples’ behaviour. The set of moral beliefs and values in religion may become so deeply ingrained through socialisation that it has an effect on the lives of believers and non-believers alike. i. e. if social rules such as killing, stealing, and adultery are broken, people feel a guilty conscience, thus making it a powerful socialising and controlling influence over the individual. Religion gives meanings and explanations, thereby enabling people to make sense of otherwise inexplicable and uncontrollable life crises which might threaten order and stability in society. Religion provides a mechanism of adjustment, thus providing a means of returning to some sense of normality -Functionalists downplay the role religion can play in social change -Religion can only fulfil the roles which functionalists state it does it people actually hold religious beliefs and practices. Religiosity is diminishing and there is growing secularisation in many Western countries, shown by dramatic declines in church attendance; less than half of the population now believe in God. -In contemporary society, it is hard for a common religion to bring people together as there is now a wide diversity in faith -More often than not religion tears people apart: religious based wars conflict in the same religion – sunni and shia muslims in Iraq conflicts between religions – the Indian warfare between Muslims . nd Hindus. .It seems that the stronger the religious belief, the stronger the sense . that other religious beliefs are wrong, heretical, or evil. CONSERVATIVE FORCE –Marxism According to Marx, religion is â€Å"the sign of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions† -Religion is part of the dominant ideology -Althusser: religion is an ideological state apparatus, which spreads Gramsci’s view of hegemony -Religion has two main functions: 1. Religion as the â€Å"opium of the people†- Religion acts like a hallucinatory, pain-relieving drug, creating illusions among the oppressed which helps to maintain the power of the working class. -Religion eases the pain produced by poverty, exploitation and oppression in unequal class societies and help to overcome the effects of the alienation of individuals in capitalist society by providing some control, purpose and meaning in their lives. -Religion promises an eventual escape from suffering and oppression in this life with promises of an ecstatic future in life after death, making a virtue of poverty and suffering. If people believe that what happens to them is God’s will, and a test of faith to be rewarded in the afterlife, they are more likely to accept, or even welcome, their fate, not trying to change or improve their circumstances. Religion sometimes provides hope of supernatural intervention to solve problems on earth. I. E. Jehova’s witnesses believe that God will intervene and destroy the wicked on earth in the battle of Armageddon, and survivors will form a new paradise on earth. The promise for the future encourages people to not try and change things. 2. Religion legitimises and maintains the power of the ruling class – Religion is an instrument of social control and oppression used by the ruling class to justify their power and material wealth. -Religion provides a religious explanation and justification for inequality i. e. the Indian Hindu caste system – providing strict rules about how to behave in order for their body to be reincarnated to a higher level. If they don’t obey, their caste will be reborn onto a lower level. Inequalities are presented as being God-given and therefore legitimised and inevitable. The inequalities between rich and poor can’t be challenged or changed without questioning the authority of religion or God itself. In the past, religion has justified the power of kings – the ‘divine right of kings’. -religion can only act like opium if people actually take it – if people believe and if religion has an institutional power, which cannot be true as religiosity in contemporary Western society is declining. -Religion can act as a form of resistance to the powerful, and thus as an agent of social change I. E. Islamic fundamentalism- a vehicle for resisting Western cultural imperialism in their country by the Ayatollahs against the shah in the 1970s CONSERVATIVE FORCE – Interpretivist -Generally studies the meanings and interpretations of people in order to understand their behaviour -Religion is used by individuals to create meaning and interpretations of the world and of symbols. Thus religion can be used to manipulate peoples thoughts I. E. the shroud of turin, which in itself is an old piece of cloth with no meaning, value, or importance. – People have placed meaning on it for it to be special. Berger – Religion provides a universe of meaning that gives individuals a sense of meaning and explanation in the face of a chaotic world. -Religion provides a theodicy that gives meaning to and makes sense of seemingly inexplicable and fundamental questions about human existence I. E. the meaning of life, why poverty and suffering exist in the world. -Religion is a ‘sacred canopy’ that provides a shield for an individual and protects them from uncertainties, meaningless and pointlessness of life by helping them to interpret and make sense of the world and their position in it. By providing things that help make sense of the world such as Universes of meaning and theodicies, religion is contributing to the maintenance of social stability. -Berger argues that in modern society religion is losing its role for most people as the provider of a universe of meaning, being replaced by reason, logic, and science, thus creating growing secularisation and disenchantment with the world In the media saturated, globalised, post-modern society there is an increasing diversity and fragmentation of beliefs and lifestyles, thus meaning religion is losing its validity as a universe of meaning and theodicy. Thus, as Berger argues, the sacred canopy of religion has been lost, and religion no longer provides this source of meaning and morality. CONSERVATIVE FORCE – Religion as a compensator Stark and Bainbridge – examine the meaning and the functions of religion for individuals in society Religion meets the needs of individuals when their sense of social order i s disrupted by economic hardship, loneliness or grief Belief in God, religion and religious organisations provides a means for individuals to make sense of and come to terms with such events as well as answering fundamental questions. Religion acts as a general compensator, providing hope after death. Religion in some form or another will never disappear, as it provides answers to universal questions and offers general compensators meeting human needs FORCE FOR CHANGE –Weberism -To understand human behaviour it is necessary to examine the meanings people give to events and ideas, which can have important consequences for the way they think and act – religion is an important component of this. The evolution of new religious idea can stimulate social and economic change as people act in terms of their beliefs religion could be an important force in social change, including economic change. Calvinism Weber sought to explain why capitalist industrialisation developed first in Western Europe rather than in other parts of the world so studied Calvinism -Calvinist beliefs had an important influence on the development of an industrial capitalist economy and class. -Weber argued hat for capitalism to develop, both the normative conditions and material conditions were needed, and saw C17th Calvinism as producing the normative conditions which made the protestant work ethic which provided the ‘spirit of capitalism’ that encourage capitalist development According to Weber, Calvinism alone provided the rationality and religious ideology and ethics which encouraged the development of capitalist industry. Features of Calvinism and the Protestant work ethic 1. Predestination – their fate is already decided by God, but there is no way of knowing if you are a chosen one. The solution to this is to become involved in ‘intense worldly activity’. 2. The Protestant ethic emphasised values and virtues like hard work, thrift and modesty and the avoidance of idleness, time wasting, excessive sleep and self-indulgence. 3. Hard work and material success were seen as religious virtues and a likely sign of being one of God’s chosen, as was living life to these values. 4. Valued the pursuit of wealth and making money, and promoted the virtues of reinvesting profits back into the business rather than spending them on luxuries and self-indulgent consumption -Thus, a major reason why capitalist industrialisation developed first in Western Europe, as hard work, self-discipline and making money to re-invest and expand a business were not just part of a good capitalist business practice, they were also good religious morality according to the Calvinists. SOCIAL CHANGE – Evidence Bruce and Islamic Fundamentalism – consists of ideas based on the literal meanings of the words in the Qur’an and literal interpretations. Also a belief in and a return to the true form of religion, such as C7th Mecca. -Islam is a major international force for change late C20th and early C21st – American Twin Towers bombing London transport bombing Wars in Afghanistan/Iraq RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS -Various attempts have been made to categorise the different types of organisation through which people express and practice their religious beliefs. The typology is based on factors like structure, relationship with the state, and commitment required from members, based on the work of Weber, Niebuhr, Troeltsch, and Wallis. -The typologies are really ideal types, and no religious group will conform exactly to the categories outlined, and may infact combine aspects of each type, or develop or change over time. Much of the work is based on Western Christian religions, and therefore do not necessarily apply to other faiths. World-rejecting: in opposition to the world, reject many of the dominant norms and values of society, and replace them with alternative beliefs and practices. Members are likely to live their lives in different ways to other members of society World-accommodating: generally accept the dominant norms and values of society, and members will live similar lifestyles to other members of society World-affirming: accept society as it is, and offer individuals the opportunity for self-improvement within it. Members are likely to live similar lives to other members of society, apart from their interest in what many regard as deviant, bizarre, esoteric or obscure matters. Churches and Denominations –relatively minor differences, other than size, influence, and relationship to state. -both have a bureaucratic structure – a hierarchy of officials -Religious pluralism and growing secularisation means that many churches and . denominations do not expect or get a high degree of commitment. Churches and denominations are becoming more alike, more tolerant of other groups and . , and co-exist happily alongside eachother – thus, the idea of a ‘church’ may now be . obsolete, with the term ‘denomination’ more accurately describing religious organisations. Sects and Cults – tend to be seen as more deviant as they involve beliefs and behaviour that are seen as odd, weird . or bizarre, or a threat to existing society The terms can be used interchangeably, with the same group sometimes being classified as both. Barker- the terms sects and cults have such a stigma and pejorative attached to them that they .. have been abandoned altogether the mass media’s treatment of sects and cults means that they are associated in the popular . imagination with groups that are evil, controlling and manipulative, perhaps harmful and . rainwashing their members.

Army of None Essay Example

Army of None Essay Example Army of None Essay Army of None Essay al BCOM/275 Army of None June 4, 2012 Recruiters lie. According the New York Times, nearly one of five United States Army recruiters was under investigation in 2004 for offenses varying from threats and coercion to false promises that applicants would not be sent to Iraq. One veteran recruiter told a reporter for the Albany Times Union, Iâ„ ¢ve been recruiting for years, and I donâ„ ¢t know one recruiter who wasnâ„ ¢t dishonest about it. I did it myself. (counterrecruiter.wordpress.com) The military contract guarantees nothing. The Department of Defenseâ„ ¢s own enlistment/re-enlistment document states, Laws and regulations that govern military personnel may change without notice to me. Such changes may affect my status, pay allowances, benefits and responsibilities as a member of the Armed Forces REGARDLESS of the provisions of this enlistment/re-enlistment document (DD Form4/1, 1998, Sec.9.5b). Advertised signing bonuses are bogus. Bonuses are often thought of as gifts, but theyâ„ ¢re not. Theyâ„ ¢re like loans: If an enlistee leaves the military before his or her agreed term of service, he or she will be forced to repay the bonus. Besides, Army data shows that the top bonus of $20,000 was given to only 6 percent of the 47, 7272 enlistees who signed up for active duty. (counterrecruiter.wordpress.com) What money is for college $71,424 is it in the bank If you expect the military to pay for college, better read the fine print. Among recruits who sign up for the Montgomery GI Bill, 65 percent receive no money for college, and only 15 percent ever receive a college degree. The maximum Montgomery GI Bill benefit is $37,224, and even this 37K is hard to get: To join, you must first put in a nonrefundable $1,200 deposit that has to be paid to the military during the first year of service. To receive the $37K, you must also be an active-duty member who has completed at least a three-year service agreement and is attending a four-year college full time. Benefits are significantly lower if you are going to school part-time or attending a two-year college. If you receive a less than honorable discharge (as one in four do), leave the military early (as one in three do), or later decide not to go to college, the military will keep your deposit and give you nothing. Note: The $71,424 advertise d by the Army and $86,000 by the Navy includes benefits from the Amy or Navy College Fund, respectively. Fewer than 10 percent of all recruits earn money from the Army College Fund, which is specifically designed to lure recruits into hard-to-fill positions. (counterrecruiter.wordpress.com) Never been a recruiter but I have served in the Army for 21 years. I used my GI Bill benefits to pay towards my degree and so have other countless other soldiers. Most benefits are guaranteed to you and the terms of how the money is paid are immediately. For anyone to sit here and say the majority of people never receive their benefits is false. The only way you donâ„ ¢t receive the benefits is choosing to not use them or have a discharged under less than honorable conditions. The job you choose when you enlist is the job you train for. Never met anyone in the Army who didnâ„ ¢t receive the training for the job they choose itâ„ ¢s in writing on a contract thatâ„ ¢s binding. It sounds like this website has its own issues with omitting facts and stretching the truth. Not sure when 47, 7272 enlistees signed up, but someone needs to check their data. We are talking about serious life issues. The Army has not had 47,000 people joining for many years. All services (reserve included) have not had 47,000 join in a single year ever. One in four enlistees getting out with less than honorable is not true. One in three getting out early included people getting out going to college or attending West Point as well as switching to another service, but this is still completely false. Lastly, this is the simply the most poorly prepared webpage I have ever visited. Thank you for your time, and Iâ„ ¢m proud to serve my country to continue giving you the right to whine about it. Referenceâ„ ¢s 1. (Internet from 11/22/11) http://counterrecruiter.wordpress.com

Consumer Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Behaviour - Assignment Example 87) the market situation analysis of Nestle shows: Sales- It holds the first position in selling foods. It makes major profits from the sales of food products alone, this year sales rose to 67.6 billion swiss francs which were only 60.9 billion francs last year. Also it’s the world leader in manufacturing coffee. The first three months of 2013 shows that the company’s sales rose to 21.9 billion Swiss francs from the last year but it failed to meet the expected sales which are 22.5 billion Swiss francs. Competitors-Nestle give good competition to most of the fmcg brands like Kraft Foods Inc., Unilever plc. , P & G, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Heinz etc. Its huge range of diversified products makes it a strong contender in the fmcg & food sector (Express, 2012). Market Share- It’s the market leader in the coffee & mineral water segment. The table below displays the sales & market shares in the year 1992, of different companies- (Source: Pagell and Halperin 1999, p. 195) Pr oduct Range- The product range includes bottled waters, chocolates, cereals, dairy, coffee, drinks, food, ice-creams purina pet care etc. It puts more emphasis on the taste & nutrition content of the product & therefore it ends up fixing slightly higher prices than its competitors. Creating pet foods makes it a unique brand which not only cares for humans but also it shows significant care to the pets. Its delicious range of hot chocolate & sausage makes it the number one brand in the food & drink sector. Also the beverage systems offered by the company is used widely throughout the world. (Gilbert, 2013) Markets- It has its presence in the continents of Africa, America, Asia, Australia & Europe, in almost over 80 countries. It customizes its product according to the place where it’s being sold. More or less every household contains a product of this brand. 2. Target Market Customer base of Nestle ranges from middle income groups to higher income groups, from kids to adults, from the health conscious to the junk food eaters because Nestle’s products serve various day to day needs of a person. 3. Social Influences on Buying Behaviour PERSONAL FACTORS Age serves as an important factor for the products and services of the firm. Nestle’s consumer range includes adults, aged people, teenagers as well as kids below 12 years. Due to the brands all over presence across the world, its customer base includes people from various race, religion and ethnicity. These things affect the consumer’s food habit to a great extent. The climate, food habits, language, religion, dressing style, income status, etc. falls basically within the wide gamut of geography. For example let’s think about the approach adapted by McDonalds. The well-known fast food chain has got diverse menu for diverse sites across the world. When the firm was asked to state the cause behind the broad range of menus, the firm replied, â€Å"We try to adapt our menu to reflec t different tastes and local traditions for every country in which we have restaurants. We're keen to respect cultural differences and so every country has its own policy of developing menu items†. Moreover consumer behavior depends to a large extent on the education and knowledge of the people, for instance people who are well educated are more concerned about the adverse effects of calorie consumption and thus they would prefer to choose the sugar free chocolate prepared by

CHARACTER TRANSFORMATIONS IN FILM STORIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CHARACTER TRANSFORMATIONS IN FILM STORIES - Essay Example The Long Kiss Goodnight does not really involve an occasion or event; rather it is just a positive change in this character’s life. "Back when we first met you were all like oh phooey I burned the darn muffins. Now, you go into a bar and ten minutes later sailors come running out" (The long kiss goodnight). This line from the film, The Long Kiss Goodnight, spoken by Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Mitch Henessey, perfectly summarizes the character transformation made by Geena Davis’ character from Samantha Caine back to Charly Baltimore. As Charly Baltimore, Davis’ character was originally a top-secret agent working for the United States’ Government. After suffering from Amnesia, she transforms into Samantha Caine, a suburban housewife, and beloved member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at her eight-year-old daughter, Caitlin’s school. However, her memories slowly begin to return to her while chopping vegetables during preparation of her family’s dinner one night. At first she thinks she may have been a chef, due to her above average knife skills. She is forced to learn that she was not a chef, but a lethal assassin, when characters from her past begin to seek her out to kill her. Character transformation films are an interesting genre. While generally somewhat predictable, the viewer has seen the â€Å"Ugly Duckling† story repeated in various forms throughout cinematic history, this film’s transformation did not wholly fit the typical mold. ‘Transformation movies’ 2005, Characteristics of transformation movies, viewed 10 December 2011,

International competition and risk management of Ultra Electronics Essay

International competition and risk management of Ultra Electronics Holdings - Essay Example To a large extent therefore, a company that wants to compete effectively must be in a position to identify what customer needs are, how other competitors are meeting up with these needs, and devising strategies to counteract the provisions being made by their competitors. This way, we say a competitive advantage has been created (David & Desheng, 2008). But what is more interesting is the fact that as companies try to create competitive urge over their competitors, a not too pleasant situation with risk sets in, creating the need to management the risks alongside the creation of competitive advantage. In this paper therefore, how Debenhams Plc undertakes international competition and manage risk are critically discussed. Company description Listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE 250 Index, the eighteenth century founded Debenhams plc now has over 172 locations across the UK, Denmark and Ireland (Fredriksson and Patrik, 2009). The company operates mainly as a ret ail chain with a departmental store outlook in the United Kingdom. There are also a number of area monopoly stores in other countries, making Debenhams a trading international company faced with the task and need to engage in international competition. Stores in UK, Ireland and Denmark serve as the major market segments for the company. Some of its international franchise however includes 68 stores that are operated under license in as any as 25 countries. This means that for each of the countries, the company establishes its market presence firmly there by having 2 to 3 operating stores (Biasi, 2011). in the next 5 years, the company has plans of increasing its international franchise stores to 150 so that it can be a more vibrant competitor and have an increased market share as it currently lags behind some key competitors whose major competitive advantage is in their market visibility (Chapman, 1996). Debenhams plc is mainly engaged in the departmental stores industry, trading in products such as shoes, accessories, fashion clothing, cosmetics, electrical, gifts, home furniture, electronics, and toys. With an employee strength of 29,000 as of the close of 2012, the managed to raise revenue of ?2,229.8 million in the same year period, out of which ?125.3 million was their net income with operating income of ?158.3 million (Biasi, 2011). Latest market reports indicated an average of 0.45% growth rate over the last 6 months, but not being strong enough to equal market share growth rate for the same period last year (Davis, Eppen and Mattsson, 2004). For example, as of November 2013, the company’s price in GBX was 93.40 with 1.72m shares traded representing a beta of 1.5. This value is however a declining growth for the company as the share traded in 1 year represents a change of as many as 20.10%. As a departmental store, the company is not directly involved in manufacturing but in retailing. To this end, it does not deal with suppliers who are directly into raw materials but engages in outsourcing of finished products in the areas of products that it trades in as has been stated above. Financial Performance Profitability Performance Financially, the performance of the company over the past five years can be said to have been a mixed one. This is because there has often been rises in revenue and growth at some point in time, and at other times, falls in revenue and g

How To Answer A Question On Misrepresentation

How To Answer A Question On Misrepresentation A contract may be define as a legally binding agreement between two or more parties, in relation to a particular subject. Contracts can cover an extremely broad range of matters, including the sale of goods or real property, the terms of employment or of an independent contractor relationship, the settlement of a dispute, and ownership of intellectual property developed as part of a work for hire. It can be said that contracts are the essential to commercial life. In Malaysia, the law of contract is regulated by the Contracts Act 1950. On the 6th of Dec 2012, Ted saw an expensive Rolex watch on display in one of the shops in GS Megamall, took it and while walking to the cashier counter, saw another watch (Seiko) and was taken by it. He immediately returned the Rolex watch in favor the new one. The manager of the shop, who was watching Ted, was not satisfied with Ted’s action and told Ted he has to pay for the Rolex watch as he had picked up the Rolex watch. Related case that can be referred is Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash chemist Ltd [1953]. The law requires that the sale of certain pharmaceuticals must be carried out under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist. Boots operated a store where the drugs were displayed on a self-service basis and the customers paid at a cash desk for the goods they have selected. A pharmacist was present at the cash desk but not at the shelves where the goods were displayed with a price tag. The Pharmaceutical society claimed that the law was contravened. The court held that the display of goods in the store was not an offer but an invitation to treat. It was the customer who made the offer and Boots could either accept or reject this offer at the cash desk (in the presence of the qualified pharmacist). The act of constituting the acceptance is the ringing up of the price on the till by the cashier and at that moment a binding contract of sale is made. In the case of goods on display in a shop or supermarket, the law has decided that it is the customer who makes the offer by taking the goods and placing them on the shopkeeper’s or cashier’s counter, and the shopkeeper or cashier accepts the offer by accepting the customer’s money. But Ted’s offer is not yet accepted by the shopkeeper because he does not place it on the shopkeeper’s or cashier’s counter. It is important to know which party makes the offer and which accepts. Actually, the price displayed on the goods is not the offer, it is only an invitation for the customer to make an offer and it is only an invitation to treat. The claims from the manager which he argued, by picking up the Rolex watch Ted has accepted the offer by the shop is invalid. Thus, ted is not liable to pay for the Rolex watch. This question deals with offer and acceptance. Is the flyer received by Ted is an offer or an invitation to treat? An offer is defined as â€Å"a statement made by one party of a willingness to enter into a contract on stated terms, provided that these terms are, in turn, accepted by another party to whom the offer is addressed†. Ted received a flyer from Rayan advertising an Ipad tablet for sale , but no price of the Ipad is stated in the flyer . Therefore, from the flyer , it is observed that Rayan is not seeking any potential buyer to make him an offer but Rayan himself is the offeror. The offer from Rayan is an offer may be made to an individual or to a large number of people. There was a case related to this situation which is Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. (1892). Carbolic smoke Ball Co. Ltd., in its newspaper advertisement, promised to give  £100 to anyone who purchased their smoke ball remedy for influenza, and caught illness within 14 days. To show good faith, the company deposited  £1000 with a bank to meet any claims. Mrs. Carlill bought the remedy, caught influenza and claimed  £100. The court held that the advertisement was an offer to the world at large, and Mrs. Carlill had accepted the offer by purchasing and taking the remedy. An offer must be a definite promise by which the offeror intends to be legally bound by the terms stated. In Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co., the fact that  £1000 had been deposited with a bank showed that it was a firm offer and the company intended to be legally bound. Ted wrote a letter to show his interest on the tablet and Rayan replied on the 8th of Dec offering the tablet for RM 800. Ted received the letter on 9th of Dec and posted the letter of acceptance on 10th of Dec .This showed that Ted had accepted the offer from Rayan and the postal rule is applied in the case. The postal rules only apply when the ‘acceptance’ is sent by post as stated in the case. Acceptance here takes effect when the letter is posted. In other words, where acceptance by post has been requested or where it is an appropriate and reasonable means of communication between the parties, then acceptance is complete as soon as the letter is posted, even if the letter is delayed, destroyed or lost in the post so that it never reaches the offeror. There was a case related to this situation which is Adams v Lindsell. Lindsell wrote to Adams on Tuesday 2 Sept 1817. Lindsell misdirected the letter and as a result it was not received by Adams till 7.00pm on Friday 5th Sept. On that evening Adams posted a letter accepting Lindsell’s offer. The letter of acceptance was not received by Lindsell till Tuesday 9th Sept. On Monday 8th Sept, Lindsell not having received the answer on Sunday 7th Sept, as they expected, sold the wools to another person. The issue before the court was as to when acceptance took effect. The court held that acceptance took effect when the letter was posted on 5th Sept. Since Ted’s letter of acceptance was posted on 10th of Dec , and it was only received by Rayan on the 15th of Dec, but the acceptance took effect when the letter is posted on 10th of Dec. Therefore , the conclusion is Ted shall has the right to buy the Ipad. Ted had bought a new car, Proton Persona at Jason Autos whereby Jason told Ted that the mileage of the car has not done for more than 80.000 kilometers. However, on the next day after Ted bought the car, Ted’s friend, Peter, who was a mechanic, had told Ted that the car has been done around 150.000 kilometers. In this case, it involves of misrepresentation during the process of negotiation between Ted and Jason. Before the contract is made, Jason claims that the mileage of the car was not done more than 80.000 kilometers, this is a representation made by Jason during the negotiation, which turned to be untrue when Peter told Ted that the mileage of the car was about 150.000 kilometers after the contract is made. According to Sections 19 and 20, when consent to an agreement is caused by coercion, fraud or misrepresentation, or undue influence, the agreement is a contract voidable at the option of the party whose consent was so caused. In this case, it can be a fraudulent misrepresentation. Fraudulent misrepresentation occurs when one makes representation with intent to deceive and with the knowledge that it is false. This can be related with the case of Derry v Peek (1889), in a company prospectus the defendant stated the company had the right to use steam powered trams as oppose to horse powered trams. However, at the time the right to use steam powered trams was subject of approval of the Board of Trade, which was later refused. The claimant purchased shares in the company in reliance of the statement made and brought a claim based on the alleged fraudulent representation of the defendant. The court held that the statement was not fraudulent but made in the honest belief that approval was forthcoming. Lord Herschell defined fraudulent misrepresentation as a statement which is made either knowing it to be false, without belief in its truth, or recklessly, careless as to whether it be true or false. In this case, it is believed that the representation made by Jason was recklessly, careless as to whether it be true or false, this is because the mileage of the car can be checked but Jason told Ted that the mileage was not exceeding 80.000 kilometers but in fact it reached about 150 kilometers. The mileage of the car can determine the price of the car. As the mileage is larger, the price of the car can be sold at a cheaper price. Hence, it is believed that Jason, by means of recklessly or carelessly to make the wrong representation to Ted, has an intention of selling the car at a higher rate of price. Therefore, if Ted choose to affirm the contract by performing his obligations under the contract, which is to accept the car, he has the right to claim for the loss, or to repudiate the contract by returning the car back to Jason. Ted was working for Mr. Davis. Mr. Davis asked Ted to sign a contract, which declares that Ted has to transfer 17% of his properties to him. Ted agreed to sign the contract because he afraid that he would be fired from his job. After that, Ted realized that he had more lose when he agreed to sign the contract with Mr. Davis. Ted wants to escape the obligations of the contract between himself and Mr. Davis. This may refer to the case Inche Noriah v Shaik Akkie Bin Omar (1929) whereby undue influence happened. An old and illiterate woman executed a deed of gift of a landed property in favour of her nephew who had been managing her affairs. Before executing the deed, she had independent advice from a lawyer who acted in good faith. However, he was unaware that the gift constituted practically the whole of her property and did not impress upon her that she could have equally benefited her nephew by bestowing the property upon the nephew by a will. The court held that the gift should be set aside, because there was a presumption of undue influence raised by relationship between the parties and the presumption was not rebutted. Section 16 defines the term â€Å"undue influence†. Undue influence arises when one of the parties to a contract uses his special relationship with the other party to influence that other party into making the contract. Mr. Davis is using his dominant position in the relationship between Ted to influence Ted to sign the contract that is unfair to Ted. The effect of undue influence is to render the contract voidable at the option of the innocent party. Hence Ted does not have the obligation to follow the agreement signed and can be discharged. In a nutshell, from the several incidents happen to Ted, the Law of Contract regulated by the Contracts Act 1950 is implemented to protect him. All of all, the world could not be perfect, the world is full of confliction, and so, law is here to protect our rights and also from being faulty accused or being framed by others.

Compare and Contrast Mitosis and Meiosis Essay -- Biology

Compare and Contrast Mitosis and Meiosis Meiosis and mitosis describes the process by which cells divide, either by asexual or sexual reproduction to produce a new organism. Meiosis is a form of cell division that produces gametes in humans these are egg cells and sperms, each with reduced or halved number of chromosomes. The number of chromosomes is restored when two gametes fuse together to form a zygote. A cell with two copies of each chromosome is called diploid cell and a cell with one copy of each chromosome is called a haploid cell. Meioses produces haploid daughter cells that are genetically different from each other and from the parent cell. However, mitosis is a form of cell division that produces daughter cells identical to the parent during repair or growth. Each cell contains the same genetic code as the parent cell, it is able to do this because it has copied it’s own chromosomes prior to cell division. Meiosis consists of two divisions whilst mitosis is followed in one division; both these processes involve the stages of interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Meiosis allows cell variation and genetic differences between each cell whereas mitosis is an exact replication of each cell. There are three main ways meiosis produces genetic variation, this through independent assortment, crossing over and random fertilization. During the first meiotic division in prophase I the homologous chromosomes join together to form biv...

Historiography/Primary Sources Project

â€Å"Every empire tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires and that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate† is a quote by Edward W. Said. During the 19th century, Western nations started expansion into territorial imperialism to collect resources from colonies to benefit economically, politically, and socially. Jules Ferry, a former French prime minister, created a colonial policy to colonize territories for France’s benefits and to civilize the people in those territories. His biased views may affect the historical impact and people should not believe everything they hear.One should analyze a document and take past knowledge on the issue into consideration before making any decisions. â€Å"The French Colonial Expansion† is a modernized text of the â€Å"Speech Before the French Chamber of Deputies† by the former French prime minister, Jules Francois Camille Ferry, on March 28, 1884. Jules Ferry made t his speech to show his support for imperialism and that it was the only way, at the time, for a nation to be powerful. He believed that the colonial expansion policy consisted of economic ideas, the most far-reaching ideas of civilization, and ideas of a political and patriotic sort (Watts, Int. ).He backed his argument up with some statistics of how other nations, like Germany or the United States of America, have outlets, or colonies to export goods to, and this helped expand their market. Colonial policy will allow for France to compete against other powerful nations and help solve problems like the freedom of trade and supply and demand (Arkenberg, Int. ). Not only did Ferry want to maintain France’s power, he also believed that Europeans were the â€Å"superior race† because they were civilized. A social issue he wanted to overcome was to civilize the â€Å"inferior races† because it was the higher races’ duty to do so (Arkenberg, Int. . In addition, Ferry made a good point that France needs colonies to support its navy with harbors, defenses, and supplies that can only be obtained overseas. Ferry was for imperialism because it had many benefits to the nation. However, many socialists and conservative critics were against his policy for different reasons (Jules, Int. ). He was addressing his speech to those that opposed imperialism and the French Chamber of Deputies. His motivation was to spread the ideas of imperialism and point out the benefits of it to the people of France. Obviously, he has a lot of pride in his country because he believes that they are the superior race,† so he wants to spread the feel of nationalism by gaining power to France (Watts, Int. ). The power of a nation is gained by the amount of land it has. The colonial policy led France to annex Tunis, Madagascar, Indo-China, and explore the Congo and the Niger region (Jules, Int. ). Based on all of the exploration done by France, one can conclude that France is a powerful nation and its colonial policy went into effect. They were great competitors with other Europeans and the United States because they took over many rich African and Asian countries.With all of their new territories, they would have a better market because they would have raw materials sent to them from those countries, and they would sell them back (Arkenberg, Int. ). In addition, the French have a lot of pride in themselves because they believe that they are the â€Å"superior race,† so they would try to civilize the people in many of their territories. Therefore, the local culture of those countries probably went down and there was a lot of hatred towards the French for the change of their way of living, style, and religion.Because Jules Ferry believed that the Europeans were a â€Å"superior race,† this proves that he was biased because he only looked at the European view of imperialism. He only sees that the colonial policy will benefit and sol ve France’s economic, social, and political problems. However, he doesn’t look at the view of the African and Asian countries being claimed. To them, imperialism is a horrible thing because their way of life is being taken away and replaced by a different life style.Also, imperialism would stop their learning curve and affect their nation’s development. New problems would arise as well. For example, after the division of African territory between each European nation, African tribes were moved and this created more fights between them. Ferry also leaves out the conflicts between the European nations and the U. S. Imperialism is not always beneficial to a nation because there would always be arguments between two or more nations over land, and war would erupt if the issue is non-negotiable.Edward W. Said’s quote, â€Å"every empire tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires and that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educ ate and liberate† shows that Jules Ferry is biased because he is only presenting the benefits to France and not the problems that it could do to the colonized territories or to Western nations all together. One should never completely believe everything they hear and analysis is needed to see both sides of a story.

The Female Power of Carmilla essays

The Female Power of Carmilla essays The Female Power of Carmilla The short story Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu must have been an extremely controversial piece when it was first published. The topics in Le Fanus tale were not ones that appeared very often in the literature of the period in which it was written, and even if some writers did dare to tackle similar topics they never made it as obvious as Le Fanu did in this very sexual vampire tale. The Victorian period, which is the period in which Carmilla was first published, was very sexually repressed and most, so called, erotic scenes that were present in novels and prose at that time were extremely subtle and almost never involved vivid descriptions of the female form. Most descriptions consisted of the face and the beauty of a womans neck or hands because that was really the only skin that women of that time would have exposed when out in public. Le Fanu did not adhere to that style though, instead he chose to push the envelope as far as he possibly could and free his readers, for aw hile anyways, from the sexual repression that society had forced on them. Also, by bringing to light certain topics like lesbianism, Le Fanu was able to toy with societies ideas of gender and the roles that the different sexes were thought to observe. He chose to change the image of the stereotypical woman, which appeared in most of the works of that time, and provide his female characters with more stability than the other writers of the Victorian period did. He also chose to detract a lot of the strength that usually accompanied the male characters in Victorian literature, deciding the men in his story would not always have absolute control over his female characters. This concept went against the belief of the time that women were always submissive to the masculinity of men. Instead of providing the men of his story with this strength he chose to instill these qualities in C...

Review of Insta-Snow Fake Snow

Review of Insta-Snow Fake Snow The Bottom Line Insta-Snow is fake snow. You add water to a non-toxic powder made from a polymer, which instantly swells up to make what looks very much like snow. If you chill the Insta-Snow its the next best thing to real snow, though it doesnt melt and I wouldnt recommend throwing it in the air to catch snowflakes on your tongue. However, Insta-Snow is a lot of fun and easy to make. Pros doesnt require winternon-toxicvery easy to makesurprisingly easy to clean uplooks very much like real snow Cons not cold unless you chill itcant really make a good snowball out of it Description Insta-Snow expands to 100 times its original volume. You make it by mixing 1 teaspoon of snow powder with 2 ounces of water.Once hydrated, the snow is good for a couple of days. You can rehydrate it or store it to make again later.Insta-Snow does not stain surfaces, but it shouldnt be placed on untreated wood.You can use the snow outside. Its the same chemical used in gardens to help ​the  soil  retain moisture. Guide Review - Insta-Snow Review I got Insta-Snow for my kids, ages 9-14. They figured out the instructions easily without any assistance from me and soon there was instant snow everywhere. The snow feels very interesting. It is damp, but soft and fluffy and not cold. If you add a few drops of food coloring you can make colored snow. Insta-Snow looks much like real snow, though it does not melt. In fact, it lasts practically forever. If fake snow dries out, all you have to do to recharge it is spritz it with some water.

Safety Management in Karachi Factory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Safety Management in Karachi Factory - Assignment Example There were no casualties after the explosion. The event was unintentional because its cause was a natural disaster, Hurricane Sandy. Preventing the explosion was hard as its cause mentioned before is Hurricane Sandy, which caused flooding of electrical equipment rendering them useless. The event was sudden because the residents were caught unaware (Boyle). An accident in the factory area in Dhaka, Bangladesh in a clothes factory fire caused 112 deaths while other people went missing. The event was not intentional as the cause is blamed on an electrical fault. Safety measures such as emergency exit could prevent such accidents. The accident could have been predicted because of the number of fire accidents, which are rampant in the country (BBC NEWS). An explosion occurred in a healthcare products manufacturing company called Neptune Technologies killing 2 people and injuring 19. Most of the accident victims had serious burns. The details of the cause of the accident were not provided as it was still under investigation. The accident could not have been prevented because it was unpredictable. From the number of casualties, it is evident that safety measures are already available in the industry (CBC News 2012). An industrial explosion in the steel making industry in China killed 10 people leaving 17 wounded. The industry does not provide safety measures to its workers so that they can cut costs and make more profits, which makes event human error. The accident could have been prevented if the company had provided full safety measures to its workers. The event could have been predicted. China industrial accidents are common due to poor safety measures as mention before (Aljazeera English  2012).

Was Hitler a Weak Dictator between 1934-1939 Essay

Was Hitler a Weak Dictator between 1934-1939 - Essay Example If there was a weakness to be found in Hitler's dictatorship then it would have had to be his own greed and desire to conquer the entire world, which was an impossible feat, yet Hitler failed to see the reality of his circumstances. However, with regard to his iron rule over his people and the control he had over other countries, he was by no means weak but rather he was an extremely powerful and suffocating force, making all the necessary decisions concerning his homeland. The conclusion will show that the reign of Hitler still haunts the memories of many due to the delirious atrocities he placed upon thousands, which inevitably brings the validity needed to prove he was cruel and vindictive but never could he be classified as weak. Hitler's role was much too central in Germany for him to have ever been considered a weak dictator. Furthermore, in order to validate the point being made that Hitler was indeed not weak during these years it can be pointed out that he had a hefty amount of control over all areas of socialization and political governance during this time. This was through his tyranny on the people themselves and his say so in how the educational system worked, his persecution of the minorities in the country, the development of propaganda and censorship, and his overall pull in the maturing belief of Nazism (Jackson & Spielvogel 1996, pg. 12). Hitler pretty much controlled every activity that people participated in on a daily basis, from leisure activities to their quality of life at work and home as well. This is basically why there have been statements made about him of how he ruled Germany through his threatening presence alone (Klaus & Fischer 1997, pg. 110). Just for an example, Hitler had more control over the people than what has ever actually been realized. He forced German citizens and his military to pledge an oath to his allegiance and those who did not were dismissed and later executed. In fact, during these very year's history has shown that Hitler was at the rise of his popularity within Germany and in other regions of which he had conquered so there is no logical way to assume he was in any way weak at all but rather, as was stated previously, a very serious extremist and unrelenting dictator (Jackel 1972, pg. 55). The Rule of Hitler The question of if Hitler was able to be a strong dictator lays in the arguments of functional and intentionalists. A functional argument is the belief that Hitler didn't have a plan but used what was in front of him to his advantage, and an Intentional view is that Hitler had a plan and stuck by his plan therefore leading us to the question, 'was Hitler strong enough to have a plan and succeed it' Hitler knew how to abuse the chaotic government and he knew how to use the circumstances (Mitchell 1990, pg. 89). He knew exactly what the people wanted and what the military wanted. All of these aspects could have made Hitler strong. From the end of the 1st world war the military wanted rearmament and the people wanted revenge. These two circumstances assisted Hitler in having his voice heard more clearly and defined him as being a very strong leader throughout the years that he was gaining his control of the country. The weak government and the