Marketing Research and Marketing Assignment

Executive Summary The traffic village website will provide information on the real village that is still under construction. The traffic village is a project of the Abu Dhabi Police. We conducted a market survey and found that parents are in favour of the traffic village. They are in agreement with the major objective of the village, which is to train children aged between 3 and 12 years on responsible driving. We will use a penetration pricing strategy to increase our market share.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Research and Marketing Assignment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All marketing initiatives associated with the website will be free of charge, with the exception of buying Facebook advertisements, which will cost us 2.5 USD per day. The cost per customer for the first year will be 7.6 USD. In the first year, we will allocate 28.88% of our profits to marketing campaigns. We will virtualise a ll our storage facilities and servers to reduce on energy consumption. Objectives of the Research The intended objective of the Traffic Village site is to disseminate information about the real village to people of all ages and from all places. The major objective of the site is to provide information on traffic rules and regulation to the new generation of Abu Dhabi residents and future drivers. The target population are the children aged between 3 and 12 years. The website will provide information aimed at promoting road safety interactive activities between children and their parents. It will also contain such learning tools as educational videos, stories, and games. The educational tools are targeted at children within the abovementioned age bracket. Market Survey According to Puleston (2011), market surveys are important in the promotion of any product or service in the market. The surveys are used to determine the perceptions, preferences, tastes, fashions, and feelings of cus tomers in the target market. Companies use the findings from a market survey to design their products and services before introducing them in the market. There are several strategies through which surveys are conducted. They are conducted through emails, over the phone, online, or in person. To determine the effectiveness of the Traffic Village and the website we are designing, we conducted a survey in Abu Dhabi, which is the target market. The survey used a total of 15 informants. All the informants were parents in the city. The main aim of the survey was to ascertain the opinions of the parents with regard to the state of road safety in the city. The survey was also aimed at determining whether or not the parents support the initiative of training young children on the need for road safety. The questionnaire used in the survey was divided into two parts, part A and part B. The first part was used to gather information on general knowledge about driving among parents. The second se ction of the questionnaire was used to determine the age at which parents feel that children should begin driving. The set of questions that were used in the survey are shown in appendix 1.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research Findings The findings made in the study are presented below for each of the two sections: General Information on Driving Question 1: Do you drive a car? Thirteen of the respondents indicated that they drive a car, while two do not drive. Cars are, therefore, an important means of transport in Abu Dhabi. Question 2: Are you aware of the police ‘Black Point System Rules’? Four respondents knew what â€Å"Black Point System Rules† were, while the rest did not know. To this end, it is concluded that there is widespread ignorance with regard to police traffic rules and road safety in the city. Question 3: Have you ever experienced a car accident while driving? All the respondents had experienced an accident at some time in the past as they were driving. Some of them sustained major injuries from the accidents, while others escaped unscathed. The rate of automobile accidents in the city is high.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Research and Marketing Assignment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Question 4: Do you agree that accidents occur because drivers are careless? 75% of the respondents pointed out that careless driving is a major cause of automobile accidents. Question 5: Are you in favour of stringent penalties and fines for violation of driving rules? 95% of the parents agreed that there is need for stringent driving rules in Abu Dhabi. Question 6: Do you agree that driving skills should be learnt at a tender age? Fourteen out of the 15 informants agreed that it is necessary to teach children how to drive safely. Question 7 : Would you like to enrol your children in a driving school at a young age?Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fourteen parents agreed that children should join a driving school at a young age. Question 8: Do you agree that it is better to learn driving at a young age than at old age? 14 out of 15 parents agreed that it is not wise to delay driving lessons until adulthood. The findings of this marketing survey are very crucial to the traffic village. The findings point out that parents agree on the need for a traffic village, which aims at teaching children how to drive safely and responsibly at a young age. The findings are summarised in the figure below: Figure 1:  Results for Part A: General Information on Driving Appropriate Age for Driving Concerning the right age to begin driving, six parents were in favour of 3 to 5 years age bracket, while four felt that 6 to 8 years was the appropriate age to begin driving lessons. The findings are summarised below: Figure 2:  Results for Part B: Appropriate Age for Driving Business Definition The traffic village website is the tool that wil l be used to represent an online presence for the Abu Dhabi traffic village, which is being created by the city’s police department. By coming up with the village, the police department aims at reducing the number of caused by avoidable road accidents in the United Arab Emirates. A case in point is the number of accidents reported in 2011 in the emirates. A total of 6,700 road accidents were reported during this period. 2,280 of these accidents were recorded in Abu Dhabi, claiming 334 lives. In the same year, the road violations in Abu Dhabi accounted for 46.4 per cent of all road violations in the country. In light of this sad reality, there is need to put in place effective programs that aimed at bringing back sanity on the roads. The traffic village’s website will introduce the traffic village that the Abu Dhabi Police are putting in place. The website will become the major tool of communication in the village. The site will sell and promote the village’s str ategy and disseminate safety information to the public. The site will be very useful in launching the village, especially for those who may not have the opportunity to attend the launch in person. It will provide everyone with the information they are interested in concerning the traffic village. The target geographical market for the site is Abu Dhabi and its districts. Our main competitor is Kidzania in Dubai. Kidzania is a series of entertainment joints targeted at city families. The centres are currently located in 11 cities. The facilities in these centres allow children aged between 4 and 16 years to actively participate in a hypothetical adult world. The children participate in this hypothetical world by working and earning Kidzo currency. Each Kidzania is designed like a real city with buildings, theatres, shops, and vehicles. The main themes in Kidzania include entertainment and role playing, while the main theme of the traffic village is road safety (Kidzania, 2012). The m ain competitor analysed above is a chain of Mexican entertainment centres with branches all over the world. However, the traffic village is an inherently Abu Dhabi project that aims at promoting road safety and responsibility in the city. The traffic village’s website is mainly concerned with training kids on how to use safety tools and kits. It also trains them on how they should respond in case of accidents or incidents on the road, at home, in malls, and in school. The major aim and theme of Kidzania is to train and prepare children for adulthood through entertainment and role-playing. On the other hand, our aim is to teach kids how to live safely, now and in the future. Because of the theme difference between the two concepts, Kidzania customers will have much to learn from the traffic village. In the future, the traffic village will become more competitive by working in collaboration with other partners who share the same objective. Such partners include, among others, c hildren television channels, the Ministry of Health, and the Roads and Transport Authority. The website will ensure that all the activities carried out in the village and by the partners are easily accessed by interested parties. At the beginning, all the services offered by the website will be free of charge. After the launch of the real village, however, sources of income will include subscriptions, online ticketing, membership charges, and newsletter fees. Currently, Kidzonia partners with such organisations as banks, restaurant, hospitals, and airlines. The centre relies more on one-day ticketing. The traffic village’s pricing website will aim at encouraging repeat visits by reducing the costs for subsequent visits and lowering the prices for the customers who stay for long in the site. The promotional techniques between Kidzania and the traffic village are almost similar. We will promote the village through social media, mainly from the website. The social sites that wil l be used include YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. We will also promote the village through city tours and school visits. Currently, Kidzania is using all the above-mentioned methods apart from the school visits. Customer Profile As aforementioned, the traffic village website will target children aged between 3 and 12 years. The children will be the site’s major customers. However, it is expected that most of these children will be brought to the traffic village by their parents. Furthermore, in spite of the fact that the website is aimed at drawing the attention of the children, young adults and parents are the most likely people to use the internet. In this regard, we expect that parents will access the information online and bring their children to the village. However, to directly bring the information to our target customers, we will use a number of alternative initiatives. Most of the children falling within the age bracket mentioned above attend madrasas in the city. As such, we will collaborate with religious leaders and madrasa teachers to inform them about the website and about the village. We will also reach out to children from all the elementary schools in Abu Dhabi. In the schools, we will work together with teachers in classes. The children will be trained on how to use the internet and the social media, as well as receive training on general road safety. We will consult the city Municipality to allow us inform children and the general public of the traffic village and website at various recreation parks and gardens. The first on the program is the Al Mushrif Children’s Garden, which is located in Al Mushrif District, opposite the UAE National Theatre. Other parks that will be included in our program include the Capital Gardens, Al Nahyan Garden, the Khalidiya Garden, Khalifa Park, and the Al Khaldiah Kids Park. We will also place advertisements on national televisions. We will try and make sure that the adverts are aired during Sat urday morning kids’ shows and in the evenings during meals. The message communicated through the traffic village is very unique. The unique nature of the message is the main reason why we expect the traffic village’s website to be received positively by the clients. There are other organisations in Abu Dhabi working hard to reduce the number of road accidents in the city. A good example is the concerted effort between the Abu Dhabi Traffic Department, Ministry of Interior, the Emirates Traffic Society, and the Abu Dhabi Police Department. The organisations have come together to increase public awareness with regard to the need for road safety. However, such conventional campaigns have not taken advantage of the growing online community in Abu Dhabi. The traffic village’s website has a unique opportunity of using the growing interest in technology in the city to teach children the need for road safety. After the traffic village and the website are launched, we wi ll conduct market surveys after every six months to determine how the market is responding to the service. The periodic market surveys will also help the management to identify customer needs that are not met by the village and the website. At the end of every survey, our technical team will implement changes on the site to ensure that it reflects the needs of children in the city. In efforts to continually improve the site, we will ensure that the information presented there remains current and up-to-date. We will also make sure that the site is always informative and entertaining to the target market. To remain effective and relevant in the market, we will avoid posting information about the village only. Efforts will be made to expand the scope of the information presented there. We will continue gathering information about the entire industry and beyond so that the children and adults visiting the site will have a reason to come back. In addition to reaching out to children in e lementary school and in high school, we will have a section on the website aimed at ensuring that the road safety message remains fresh in the minds of adults. Such information is important because the needs and learning processes between adults and children are quite different. Furthermore, keeping adults informed about road safety statistics and other such information ensures they are in a better position to mentor and teach their young ones the need for road safety and responsibility Marketing Objectives and Strategies In this section, we will provide information touching on the marketing objectives and strategies we have adopted. The 4Ps analysis will be provided in this section. The 4Ps Analysis of the Website and the Village Product The current system, which is dubbed â€Å"My First License – I Know My Road Rules† is facing a number of challenges. One of the challenges is that it has a limited capability to create awareness on the need for safe driving. The new w ebsite will be designed to bring together all the information touching on driving and safety on an easy-to-use interface. In the plan, the website may appear to be a different project from the traffic village. However, it is important to note that the site is simply an online extension of the real village. The â€Å"virtual† traffic village will be a media centre that champions the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Police Department. The objective of the department is to enhance safety on the city’s roads through the development of a â€Å"real† traffic village. When the plan was being drafted, the Abu Dhabi Police Department was not aware of the creation of the website. The site will provide a social media interaction platform where information from both the developers and the consumers will be collected and shared. The information will be tailored to the needs of the city’s residents. By the time the traffic village is launched, the site will contain 4 to 5 p ages. Price As already indicated in this marketing plan, the services offered through the website will be free before the launch of the traffic village. However, we will make efforts to generate income from the site after the village is launched. We will use a penetration pricing strategy. According to Ellickson, Misra Nair (2012), a penetration pricing strategy sets prices below the average level in the market. The aim is to help the new product or service gain acceptance from consumers. As the site gains ground in the market, the prices of the services and products will slowly be increased to attain the current market price. We will use the strategy given that our major aim is not pursuit of immediate returns. On the contrary, our aim is to increase sales volumes and our market share. We expect that by using the strategy, we will enhance the speed of the adoption and diffusion of our products and services, which will culminate in fast market penetration. By using this approach, w e will deny our competitors the chance to respond in real-time. It is also expected that by using such a strategy, it will be possible to create goodwill among early adopters, who will spread the information further in the market. The strategy will also enhance our efficiency given that from the beginning, we will be able to effectively address the issue of cost reduction and cost control pressures. It will be an important competition barrier that will keep new entrants at bay. As the site becomes progressively commercialised, we expect to achieve a favourable stock turnover. The favourable stock turnover will go a long way in supporting the value chain. The main challenge in using the penetration pricing strategy is that it is quite hard to increase prices later on (Ellickson et al., 2012). However, we will focus on progressively adding value to the product before increasing the prices. Promotion We will use various avenues to promote the virtual traffic village. One of the main st rategies we will adopt is the use of social network advertising channels. Social networking will make it possible for us to exploit consumer demographics in the creation of our adverts. To begin with, we will use indirect advertising by creating an official Facebook page and a YouTube channel. We will also have a Twitter account. The next step will be direct advertising on Facebook. At this juncture, we will start purchasing adverts. The direct approach will allow us to target our information to the residents of Abu Dhabi. The use of paid media on Facebook will also enable us to determine the exact message we want to convey to our target market. In addition, purchasing Facebook adverts will help us to determine the social graphs of our fans on Facebook. We will exploit the network of friends on Facebook and other social sites to promote our product. For example, after providing incentive information to our fans, we expect them to share it with their friends on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. We will also post our articles in various article directories, such as www.EzineArticles.com, www.ValuableContent.com, www.GoArticles.com, www.Article99.com, www.eHow.com, www.ArticleDashBoard.com, and www.EasyArticles.com. Because we are working on a penetration pricing strategy and our costs have to be as low as possible, we will also use free online classifieds to reach out to our target market. The main online classified that will be used in the promotion campaign is www.craiglist.com. We will also use search engine optimization (SEO) to draw traffic from consumers searching the web on Google, MSN, and Yahoo. Place As already mentioned in this paper, the real village is situated in Abu Dhabi. The website is a representation of the traffic village. Consumers will be able to access the site from any place in the world and at any time of the day. The suggested official website will be www.thetrafficvillage.com. The site will be fully integrated and e asy to navigate given that the target audience is children aged between 3 and 12 years. The shopping cart will be located one click from the homepage and two clicks from our blog. The process of checking out after making a purchase will also be simplified because there will be an attendant ready to assist anyone who is making a purchase at any given time. The attendant will be trained on how to address the needs of experienced shoppers, as well as those of shoppers without online shopping experience. The aim of this is to make sure that all potential shoppers, regardless of their level of experience, feel appreciated and needed in the site. Many e-commerce customers end up not making a purchase because they cannot find what they are looking for. The site will be designed to accommodate those customers with a wide experience in online shopping and those who have never interacted with an e-commerce site. To enhance the visibility of all the products and services offered at the site, w e will ensure that all the photos and videos posted on the site are of high quality. It is noted that the quality of the videos and pictures posted on a given site determines how consumers rate that particular site. For example, a site with grainy pictures and low resolution videos is not rated highly. On the other hand, consumers are attracted to sites with high quality videos and pictures, which are more stimulating (visually) than poor quality media. We will make efforts to ensure that consumers regard us highly by using high quality videos and pictures. However, it is important to note that high quality videos may be too heavy to use on such websites. As such, they will require high speed internet, which the customer may be unable to access. Marketing Objectives, Marketing Strategies, and the Budget There are five requirements that should be met in launching the traffic village’s site. All the requirements call for a small initial financial outlay. The resources needed in clude a computer (available), a technical expert (available), research work (requires time), consultation (available), and design (intellectual capital). However, marketing the site, as well as the products and services offered at the real traffic village, will cost money. Nonetheless, the modes of promotion that we have opted for in marketing the site are relatively inexpensive. For instance, opening and running a Facebook page is free. The same goes for the opening and running of a Twitter account and a YouTube channel. Posting articles on article directories and on craiglist.com is also free. We will come up with our own articles to use in Search Engine Optimization. However, we will have to incur the cost of purchasing a domain name, web hosting, and direct Facebook advertising, where we are required to buy adverts. There are two ways to advertise on Facebook. The first one is referred to as CPM, which stands for Cost Per 1000 Impressions. The second one is CPC, which refers to Cost Per Click. Different marketers prefer different strategies for a number of reasons. The major considerations made in selecting the strategy to use include, among others, the costs associated with the strategy, the nature of the marketing campaign, the target audience, as well as the major objective of the marketing campaign. For example, the needs of a promotion campaign for beauty soap are different from the needs of a book advert. Out of the two strategies analysed above, most marketers prefer the second one, which is CPC. The major reason why it is preferred over CPM is that it is relatively cheap. CPM is used for the purpose of increasing brand awareness, but our objective in marketing is to achieve conversions, leads, and sales. As such, we will use CPC. It will be appropriate because we will only pay for the number of clicks on the website and our corresponding Facebook page. Facebook allows for advertisers to choose how much they want to spend each day, the minimum being 1 USD. We will advertise on Facebook at a cost of 2.5 USD each day. The cost of advertising will be 912 USD per year. It is important to bear in mind that we may not achieve voluminous sales in the first year. As such, the cost of advertising on Facebook is reasonable. In the first year, we expect to achieve sales of at least 4,200 USD from 120 customers. In this regard, the estimated cost per customer will be 7.6 USD. The cost is expected to drop to 3.8 USD in the second year as the number of customers increase. In the first year, 28.88% of the profits will be allocated to marketing. The budget for the first year is presented in appendix 2. Environmental Effect The department consuming more energy than others in a given organisation is facilities and information communication. The virtual village will be based online. According to an article posted on CNN.com by Farrah (2009), each search on Google releases an average of 20milligrams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Download ing media, which includes such activities as listening to online radio, streaming videos, and chatting with friends, have a direct impact on energy consumption. Every search on the internet engages an energy consuming server. To address this challenge, we will virtualise all our servers and storage systems to cut our energy consumption by half. Implementation Timeline The table on appendix 3 illustrates how the project will be implemented. It is a Gantt chart showing the expected activities and their timeframe. References Ellickson, P., Misra, S., Nair, H. (2012). Repositioning dynamics and pricing strategy. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 49(6), 750-772. doi:10.1509/jmr.11.0068. Farrah, L. (2009). Greening the internet: How much CO2 does this article produce? Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/07/10/green.internet.CO2/ Kidzania, (2012). What is Kidzania. Retrieved from https://dubai.kidzania.com/en-ae/pages/what-is-kidzania Puleston, J. (2011). Improving online surveys. International Journal of Market Research, 53(4), 557-560. doi:10.2501/IJMR-53-4-557-562. This report on Marketing Research and Marketing Assignment was written and submitted by user Ben Reilly to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Presidents and Conflict Resolution essays

Presidents and Conflict Resolution essays The term negotiation has been defined as a formal process that occurs when parties are trying to find a mutually acceptable solution to a complex conflict. People and parties, throughout time, have come to negotiate for two basic reasons. First, they negotiate to create something new that neither party could do on his own. Second, parties negotiate to resolve a problem or dispute between the parties. Although history lends itself to be more susceptible to the latter of the two, the former reason should and will be given some consideration. American history has encountered countless arenas for negotiation. From the founding of new constitutions and governments to the ending of world wars, America has had to compromise repeatedly to establish itself as a superpower. At the top of this bargaining hierarchy is the President of the United States. The actions of this office have implemented policy in all times of dispute. Different presidents have pursued this task in different wa ys. Some have elected bodies of peace commissioners in which they could voice their opinions through. On the other hand, a few presidents have acted strictly on their own behalf concerning times of dispute. Consequently, the results have varied. So, it must be asked, what method has proven to be most effective? An analysis of several major American wars and their respective peacetime results supports the view that those who elect negotiating bodies and communicate through them have been more effective in achieving their goals. The first war to be looked at is referred to as Mr. Madison's war, or the War of 1812. Before the war commenced, James Madison wanted to end impressment, gain Canada, and secure the repeal of the Orders-in-Council. In June of 1812, Britain repealed the Orders-in-Council thereby accomplishing half of Madison's war aims with no shots yet fired. But, as shots began firing, America's position was dwindling. By this time, with...

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He went far and beyond what any other teacher would do for their students. â€Å"When I began teaching photography at the Massachusetts College of Art in the mid 1980s, one of the strategies I used to get beginners excited about photography was to convert our cla ssroom into a camera obscura† (Morell). Camera Obscura might sound like a complicated technique but it really is very simple. One would be surprised how easily it can be done. Even though it can be done very easily and may seem like a new technique, the process has been around for many centuries. â€Å"In 1490, Leonardo da Vinci wrote the earliest surviving description of the camera obscura (dark chamber), a device designed to reproduce linear perspective. The camera obscura, the prototype of the photographic camera, was a large dark room that an artist physically entered. Light entered through a small hole in one of the walls and projected a distinct, but inverted, color image onto the opposite wall that could be then traced† (Hirsh). â€Å"The Camera Obscura seems little short of miraculous, even after the optical rationale has been explained. That one pinhole of light can carry all the visual information of a landscape into a darkened room is still, after many centuries, unknown to the great majority of humans and surprising when they learn of it† (Morell). To understand it better the camera obscura was a darkened room or chamber that allowed only a pinhole of light to enter into a light tight area through which is called an aperture. Diffraction is what allows camera obscura to work. Diffraction in this sense is the bending of light waves that enter the chamber or room and to appear on the wall opposite of the aperture. This image can be produced with exceptional quality if accomplished in the right way. When viewing the camera obscura while it is taking place, one will notice that the image presented on the wall is inverted due to diffraction. Leonardo da Vinci is said to have developed this technique for drawing but was not credited for it. Later on people began to use it more to render drawings to be perspectively correct. Artists at the same time had a hard time with perspective, so the camera obscura helped advance their skills in drawing with becoming perspectively correct. This device is important to the history of photography b ecause it was one of the first forms of photography and cameras. It showed that, at the same time, advances could be made in photography, something with the means of time and knowledge. The discovery of the â€Å"new† technique brought about a need and desire of photography to this day, especially for Abelardo Morell. When deciding to create a camera obscura there are a few things one should consider before jumping into the mind-boggling technique. The first thing you need to consider is the room that you will be photographing in. This room needs to have at least one window and one entry way. The second factor to consider is the time of day you will be photographing in. The time of day where the light is the brightest is the best time to pull off this magnificent method. Also, look at what is outside of the anticipating room. Is the landscape dull or is it astounding? Depending on how amazing you want your photograph to come out depends on the photographer and the landscape that will be captured.

Themes of Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney Essays -- essays researc

Blackberry picking by Seamus Heaney is about time, gluttony, limitations of life, and to some extent, the struggles of life. Heaney writes retrospectively about his life, with hindsight, about how he as a child, would go blackberry picking during a particular time of year. Throughout the poem and particularly in the first stanza, Heaney uses a wide range of literary devices such as intense imagery or sensory imagery, exceptionally meaningful metaphors and alliteration. Alliteration is used quite often in the poem. Throughout the whole poem, there is a frequent repetition of â€Å"b† words, such as â€Å"big dark blobs burned†. In the readers mind, this creates a more powerful image of the berries, and gives a strong impression of their shape and colour. There is quite a bit of imagery used in the first stanza, language that appeals to a sense or any combination of the sense. â€Å"Its flesh sweet like a thickened wine†, a glossy purple clot†. Apparently, thickened wine is tasty, so it appeals to the taste and so does the sweetness of the thickened wine. He also describes the blackberries as â€Å"Leave stains upon the tongue†. Throughout the whole poem, there is a constant repetition of the word blood or a metaphor or simile referring to blood. There is also reference to flesh on several occasions to make the berries sound desirable. Blood indicates the juice of the berries and flesh indicates what is within. An example of a metaphor is when Heaney describes the berries as a â€Å"glossy purple clot†. This smart use of an imagery and a metaphor at the same time gives an image of a ripe berry. There is also a smart use of a simile, â€Å"hard as a knot†, for the unripe berries. When Heaney says â€Å"hard as a knot†, it sounds rather short, sugge... ...mongst children, he had a hope in himself that this time it would be different, that this time the berries would not rot, an optimism of a naà ¯ve and inexperienced child. The final part of the poem, yet perhaps the most appealing which sums up what happens each year, is how he would always have faith inside himself the next year that they would not rot. There is a rhyme of the last word of the second last stanza,†rot†, and â€Å"not†. This is the only part of the poem that rhymes, and it is rather smart to end the poem on a rhyming note. In conclusion, Black-berry picking by Seamus Heaney is a fine piece of poetry set alive by metaphors, similes, alliteration, imagery and other literary devices. Heaney’s poem seems to be violent and brutal, and has a lesson to be learnt behind the poem, a message deep but not linked with childhood, linked to the struggles of life.

Person Centred Care Essay

On a female only respiratory ward in the West Midlands a patient was admitted to the ward with chest pain and shortness of breath. Her name was withheld in order to conform with patient confidentiality (Dimond, 2002). Due to being registered deaf, the patient had difficulty com municating verbally. She had a form of Aphasia resulting in stuttering. A friend of the family asked if the nurses could note down the procedures for the patient. The friend proceeded to use British Sign Language (BSL) to pass on information when trying to converse with the patient. The BSL use several movements which include hand gestures, lip patterns, fingerspelling and facial expression (National Health Services choices, 2013). The tissue viability (TV) nurses advised daily leg dressings for ulcerated legs and her personal care and medication were organised. She was kept informed by written notes. All NHS Policies, Procedures and The Code of Conduct within the Trust were followed as protocol. The patient began to refuse any care. It is the right of a mentally competent person to refuse treatment (Dimond, 2005, p142). Read more:  Essay About Person Centred Care After several attempts to change nurses, the patient still refused. This was done to see if she was more comfortable with one particular nurse. The patient was unable to sleep through the night. The nursing team followed person centred care. The nurses began trying to reason with her to give her consent for treatment. At this time the patient could have been lying in her own urine and faeces. If her leg was not attended to, further complications could occur. Her leg could become gangrenous and need operating on. All healthcare professionals want to adhere to safeguarding the patient. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) (2014) states â€Å"safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is fundamental to creating high-quality health and social care†. The nurses wanted to respect and think of the dignity of the patient. Eventually the patient allowed her observations, blood sugar levels and a urine analyses to be done. A urine sample is dipped using a â€Å"multiple combination strips – e.g., five tests on each strip (detects blood, ketones, glucose, pH and protein), or seven tests on each strip (tests for blood, ketones, glucose, pH, bilirubin, urobilinogen and protein)† (Henderson, 2004). The sample was sent to microbiology to be investigated into more for underling infection that could be causing her behaviour. At all times information was provided for the patient to make her own decisions and to use all communication sources in place. Manley et al (RCN) (2011) â€Å"Healthcare teams, healthcare provider organisations and governments often articulate an intention to deliver person-centred care. However, achieving it is often challenging and difficult to sustain†. HHHh This section aims to highlight Holistic and Person-Centred care with reference to the scenario. The paper will look at professional issues in nursing practice, and it is linked with ethical issues. It will then address the importance of effective communication skills. It is including the trust’s policies and procedures, The Royal Marsden hand book, Nursing Midwifery Council, The Royal College Nursing and Department of Health. To be able to plan appropriate nursing care the whole of the patient needs to be assessed, physically, medically and psychologically. This is Holistic assessment. All aspects of the patient’s lifestyle, age, gender and how they are feeling needs to be obtained. Whilst the nurse is doing the assessment they must use all of their senses. Therapeutic communication, hearing, visual and touching should be used (Smith, 2012, pp.5-7). The Health Foundation (2014) states that ‘Person-Centred Care show an important way to make the patient feel involved in their own care’. If the patient has control over their own body and mind, then they will have an understanding of what is happening to them. Person-centred care is in place for the patients, staff and families all to get involved in the planning, care and discharge. It involves compassion which is important in a nurse’s role as the patient enters unfamiliar territory. All staff needs to consider the patients respect and dignity is upheld, with closing curtains, covering up the patient and asking for consent to enter the patient’s bed space. Person-Centred Care was followed in the scenario. The Doctor and the nurses asked for the family to come in to discuss the care of the patient. The nurses communicated with a friend of the family because the patient’s partner also had a hearing impediment. Then they communicated with the patient and told her it was in her best interest if she allowed the staff to care for her. The leg began to weep through the dressing. It was over due to be changed. She still refused help. The student nurse who was helping the patient seemed to have a positive impact on her. Price (2006, p.50) states that the person centred care approach needs different frameworks to accommodate different patients. Making sure to look at the patient as an individual. This is what the student nurse did. The patient believed she had previously met with the student nurse. The patient refused to co-operate with other nurses. The patient was very co-operative with the student nurse. The student nurse began basic sign language in order to communicate. Then the patient responded, and allowed other staff to look after her. Eventually the patient co-operated, the test results were all fine, and Doctors were not concerned. Professional issues in nursing practice are linked with ethical issues. In the dictionary the definition of â€Å"professional† states â€Å"Worthy of or appropriate to a professional person; competent, skilful, or assured† (Oxford 2014). A nurse needs to be professional in their everyday role in work and in their personal life. The Code of Professional Conduct informs a patient what standard should be expected from a registered practitioner. (Burnard. and Chapman, 2004, p1). A competent and caring nurse. The student nurse noticed the patient was struggling to communicate and had difficulty with other nurses. The student nurse thought she would be professional and use her signing skills to help with communicating. According to Tschudin (1986) in (Burnard. and Chapman, 2004, p6). Claims that â€Å"ethics is caring† and that â€Å"to act ethically is to care†¦to care for ourselves and others†. The healthcare profession can not bring in their own ethics into the hospital; they may have certain religious or moral ideas. On the other hand the patient’s family may have ethical issues. The ethical issues of her understanding what was happening was taken into account by all communication sources in place for her to be in control of her own body and to give her consent. Medical staff needs to use effective communication with family or friends. They need to be their advocate, to help them to communicate. Active listening is a skill which is also needed to communicate. Look at body language and what the patient is saying. The speed one speaks has to be thought about and the tone. If as much information is given to nurses and doctors as possible then it all helps in the care process. Therefore, communicating with the patient’s friend helped the medical team to understand the health of patient before admittance. Family are encouraged to stay with the patients, to keep them company and bring in their own belongings to reduce the anxiety of being in strange surroundings. â€Å"Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship†(Collins, 2009).A nurse is often the one to explain to the patient what a doctor has just said, in a more simple way, to listen to any problems. All the policy and procedures that are in place at the hospital were followed. One particular policy that was followed is from the hospital hand book of leg ulcer management (2013). This ensures that her leg had been graded, reported and recorded. There had been photographs taken of the leg. Then the leg dressed with all the correct dressings for the grade and type of wound. The Tissue Viability nurses had been to check the wound then advised the nurses what was required to put on the area for healing. The patient was treated as seemed fit by her condition, making sure the antiseptic technique was used. It is necessary to use knowledge to provide a person and family centred care in The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures it states that â€Å"Poor communication with patients can negatively affect decision making and quality of life† (Dougherty, L and Lister, S (Eds) 2011; Fallowfield et al 2001; Thorne et al 2005,p198). It is not always possible to communicate face to face or to be seen or heard. Perhaps a gentle hand on the shoulder would help. In the case of a deaf person to make sure to stand in a good light so lips can be read. After all a patient has been taken out of their own surroundings and put onto a ward, in a strange bed with strange people around them. A nurse needs to find ways to help the patient to know what is being done without being frightened. The Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) is a governing body. The NMC, (2012) states that they have a â€Å"vision, mission and values†. Its vision is to make sure nurses and midwives always give their best healthcare to safe guard the public. Their mission is to maintain a register of nurses and midwives making sure they are fit to practice. The education of nurses fits the correct standard. If these are not adhered to then they are dealt with. The values are for those who need services of nurses and midwifes, they act in the best interest and are open and transparent in their actions and take responsibility. They show consideration and understanding and act with integrity. Also work to high standards and are experts in what they do. Modern health is used and works in partnership with others and provides equality (NMC, 2012, p.3). The hospital guidelines are â€Å"Vision, Values and Strategic Goals†. â€Å"They place their patients at the centre of all they do†, â€Å"work together to deliver top quality services† and â€Å"try to be innovative how they work and create an environment for people to thrive in†(The Royal Wolverhampton, 2014). The student nurse tried to deliver quality service by trying to use her skill in the small amount of sign language she knew. The Royal College Nursing (2012) state that the â€Å"people in your care must be treated as individuals and their dignity must be respected†. The medical team have to reach a certain level and to behave in a certain way. After the entire patient’s life is in their hands. The professional issue of the case is the delivery of care given to the patient was followed to the care plan in place everything was taken into consideration. The Department of Health states that â€Å"People who use health and care services have the right to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion by staff who have the skills and time to care for them† (DOH, 2013). The patient was treated with a high standard of care and alternatives to help with her communication needs were implemented. At a later stage the patient would be discharged from the hospital and transferred under the guide of Community Care Matron. The patient would need to be assessed in order to identify the specific care required. Conclution From a nursing persective it was evident that a good quality of Person- Centred- Care was implemented. It was taken into account that there were more complicated matters than the patient’s ulcerated leg. The staff worked well as a team, this showed in the way the nurses tried to alternate their care. Everyone worked with the professionalism that beholds a nurse,competent,skilful and assured. They worked effectively with the communication needs that were in their power to do so. Note taking and using the family and friend for help when signing.The communication problem caused by the patient’s deafness could have been made easer if all staff were trained in BSL. This training must be put in place to allow patient and staff to have better communication. References Burnard,P. and Chapman, C. (2004) Professional and ethical issues in nursing. 3rd ed. Oxford: Bailliete Tindall. Care Quality Commission (CQC)(2014) Safeguarding people. [online]. Newcastle upon Tyne: CQC. [Accessed 14 April 2014]. Available at: . Collins, S., (2009) Building relationships is central to nursing work. Nursing Times.net. [online] 19 June, p.1 [Accessed 17 March 2014]. Available at: . Department of Health (DOH)(2013) Treating paitents and service users with respect, dignity and compassion. [online].DOH. [Accessed 12 March 2014].Available at: . Dimond, B. (2002) Legal aspects of patient confidentiality. London: Allen Publishing. Dimond, B. (2005) Legal aspects of nursing. 4th ed. London: Pearson Longman. Dougherty, L. (2011). The royal marsden hospital manual of clinical nursing procedures student edition. 8th ed. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Health Foundation (2014) Person-centred care: what is person-centred care? [online]. London: [Accessed 27 March 2014]. Available at: . Henderson, R. (2014) Urine dipstick analysis. [online]. Leeds: [Accessed 14 April 2014]. Available at: . Manley,K. Hills, V. and Marriot, S.(2011) Person-centred care:principle of nursing practice ‘D’. 25 (31), pp.35-37.[Accessed 11 April 2014].Nursing Standard [online].Available at: . National Health service (NHS choices)(2013) Commuication sign language.Redditch:NHS [Accessed 11 April 2014]. Available at: . Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC)(2012) Guidance on professional conduct session theme for taught. [Online]. London: NMC.[Accessed 24 March 2014].Available at: . Oxford Dictionaries (2014) Language matters. Oxford University Press [online]. [Accessed 8 April 2014]. Available at: .‎ Price, B. (2006) Exploring personal-centred care. 20(50),pp.49-56.[Accessed 16 April 2014].Nursing Standard [online].Available at: . Royal College Nursing (RCN)(2012) Human rights and nursing. [online] London: RCN. [Accessed 12 March 2014]. Available at: . Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. (2013) Leg Ulcer Management. Version 1. Wolverhampton: Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (2014) Trust’s Vision and Values. [online].Wolverhampton: [Accessed 4 April 2014]. Available at: . Smith, P. (2012) Holistic Assessment Holistic. Assessment skills in nursing [online]. [Accessed 27 March 2014]. Available at .

On the Role of Women in Colonial Latin America Essays

On the Role of Women in Colonial Latin America Essays On the Role of Women in Colonial Latin America Paper On the Role of Women in Colonial Latin America Paper Early Latin America is a rich and complex social, political, economic, and cultural environment possessing a distinctly Western (European) core constantly influenced by those forces inherent within a colonial system. Out of a mercantist fueled drive for wealth and power arose a new culture dominated by Iberian (Spanish and Portuguese) presuppositions concerning religious ideology and cultural mores. At the same time, this newfound society was not fully European as it sought to contain an indigenous Indian population, an African slave population, as well as the increasingly intricate blending of the three. In looking at how the unique blending of groups helped shape the colonial way of life, one can look to the system of castas as the dominant sociopolitical institution and structure of hierarchy which still remains influential within the modern Latin American world view. During the colonial era, social castas intersected with gender to determine the boundaries between what was acceptable and what was not. In looking at the construction of the colonial way of life, women played a unique part in that their place was primarily defined by their relationship to a man or religious institution and yet many were afforded more progressive roles in Latin America then in Europe. While women had more potential to defy cultural norms, they did not enjoy social or sexual equality with men. In addition, they also served as a focal point for the pervasive honour system as they were seen as key to the maintenance of social castas. Thus, female-headed households, women working outside the home, and other such social freedoms were commonly practiced by the plebe but, despite occasional exceptions, were not practiced by those who had honour to maintain. Elite women and those who aspired to be among the gente decente (decent people) were enjoined to defend their virginity, combine motherhood with matrimony, be faithful to their husbands, and thus help maintain the honor of their family and their own purity. The most influential aspect of a womans life was the castas into which she was born. Castas originated from a need to organize people within the colonies, from the Europeans at the top, to the African slaves at the bottom, and the mixed races such as Mestizos and Mulattos throughout. The closer one got to the native Iberian (as opposed to the Creoles who were fully European but born in the Americas), the higher ones social status. This status was fungible as one could move up or down depending on marriage or the purchase of Gracias as sacar (essentially, buying a higher degree of whiteness). Though this one can see, the Latin American tendency to think of race as negotiable spectrum, a ladder through which families might ascend. (Chasteen, 86) This caste / class system permeated every aspect of a womans life. One area upon which a womans caste had a great degree of influence was marriage. Women did not have many choices concerning what to do with their lives. They could join with the church, remain with their families under their father or brothers, and most significantly, get married. Marriage was both a religious and social institution. The marriage contract was a pillar of the Spanish social structure, crucial to the distribution of property. Marriage was a religious sacrament, and religious conformity was serious business in the Spanish Empire. (Chasteen, 56) Socially, it allowed a woman or man to heighten, weaken, or maintain a place within society. In, A Glimpse of Family Life in Colonial Mexico, Kathleen A. Myers uses the life of Madre Maria de San Jose to offer a glimpse of how a womans social caste influences her choices. Because of the caste system, marriages were not made between just economic equals. Marias sisters married well above their social status because of the family prestige and descent from conquistadores. Likewise, her Mother had originally brought most of the wealth into the family but had married into a good family in return. (Myers, 69-71). In addition to bringing honour to the family she married into, a woman also remained a member of her own family after marriage (did not change last names, lose property rights, etc. ). Due in part, to the ability for a womans marriage to elevate or harm the social standing of her own family and her spouse, a womans purity determined the large part of her worth. Women only maintained their purity if they engaged in sexual intercourse after having received a formal promise of marriage; those that had not were forced to have private pregnancies to protect their honor and that of their families. Sexual and other behavior was therefore tightly controlled among elite women while all men and women of lesser value / lower social castas were allowed comparative freedom. The social value of purity was supported by the ideological hegemony of Catholicism. Chasteen, 70) Ideologically, the Judeo-Christian faith has long been used to repress the rights and roles of the female sex by equating the woman with Eve, a temptress whose weak willed sexuality led Adam / man astray from God. The redeemer of the sin brought by woman was born from a pure, non sexual, and subservient virgin. Christian womanhood was explicitly associated with such purity and subservience and priests encouraged women to stay in the house while men provided for the family. Only when placed under male religious guidance could a womans unbridled sexuality be prevented from wrecking havoc on society? (Socolow, 6) Therefore, even though this was not viable for the vast majority of the population, the ideal of female enclosure was applied to all women under Catholicism. This view is reflected in the system of castas. Because only the elite women could achieve the status of a gente decente, it helped to rationalize and reinforce the lack of honour (and thus lack of status) held by the majority. Honour was a cluster of ideas that along with military and religious conquest, justified the hierarchical colonial Spaniards (and their Creole descendants) place within it. (Burkholder, ) Whether slave or fre e, Creole, Spanish, or indigenous Indian, a unique set of ideas defined a womans honour and distinguished it from a mans honour. According to Chasteen, Honour was a measure of how well men and women played their prescribed, and very different, social roles. (Chasteen, 71) The system, with its roots in Christianity, was inherently patriarchic and fathers ruled on both a microcosmic and macrocosmic level. Thus honor for a woman was fixed on her ability to remain sexually pure whereas a mans honour was in defending, (even by bloodshed), the faithfulness of their wives and virginity of their daughters. Chasteen 71) Therefore, women who were without male control/oversight (widows), who worked (the poor, middle class, slaves), and who were part of cultures with different gender relations (indigenous peoples), were automatically see as less honorable, thus helping to maintain the social status quo of white elitism. While there was a system of white privilege and male privilege, it is interesting to note that with increased honour came a decrease in freedom for women. Women of higher class rarely left the home and di d not work. There were exceptions found among women of higher castas but lower income. Such single women, widows, and those with absent husbands would typically resort to those activities which kept them in the home and would have men to actually sell the product or interact socially. Because these economic activities avoided direct entry into public space, they were acceptable for those among the finer class. (Socolow, 114) While upper class women were confined to the private sphere, plebian women throughout the Americas worked in a variety of fields and while it was not the norm, women were allowed to own businesses and property. Women across races engaged in commercial activity, acted as merchants, grocers, and in agricultural positions. In Mexico City, one-third of all sellers of tobacco products were women (Socolow, 45) many women also worked in domestic positions such as maids and wet nurses which tended to be the highest paying. However, women who worked were not seen as having the same degree of honour as those who were protected and thus their lives were often categorized by humiliation, and verbal, physical, and sexual mistreatment. (Socolow p 118) Through all of this one can see the wide array of factors that influences the lives of colonial Latin American women. While there were some notable exceptions, most women remained firmly within their constrained social roles as ordained by the patriarchic hegemony of Catholicism. This worldview influenced the whole of Latin America, from the Brazilian slave, to the newly arrived Spaniard. The sphere in which one operated was entrenched within the cultural mores of the era and helped to maintain the system of castas. The responsibility of the woman was to keep pure, thus maintaining her honor and that of her family. Ideally this was achieved by isolation from potentially corrupting factors and thus it is ironic that more social freedom was afforded to those women who were deemed less worthy. Because so few women could afford the honorable lifestyle, women in the Americas experienced a much higher degree of social freedom then those in Europe as they often played an important part of the economic sector. Despite this freedom, women on the lower end of the social spectrum dealt with a variety of hardships and the legacy of race and gender relations remains difficult to overcome even in the present era.

Apartheid in South Africa

Apartheid in South Africa Introduction South Africa is one of the countries with rich and fascinating history in the world. It is regarded as the most developed state in Africa and among the last to have an elected black president towards the end of the 20th century. Besides its rich history, the South African state has abundant natural resources, fertile farms and a wide range of minerals including gold.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Apartheid in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The country is the world’s leading miner of diamonds and gold with several metal ores distributed around the country like platinum (Rosmarin Rissik, 2004). South Africa experiences a mild climate that resembles that of San Francisco bay. With its geographical location and development, South Africa is one of the most accessible African countries. All these factors contribute to South Africa’s global prominence, especially before and after the reign of its first black President, Nelson Mandela in 1994. However, these alone do not add up to what the country’s history. In fact, South Africa’s history sounds incomplete without the mention of Apartheid, a system that significantly shaped and transformed the country in what it is today. Without apartheid, many argue that South Africa would have probably been a different country with unique ideologies, politics and overall identity. In other words, apartheid greatly affected South Africa in all spheres of a country’s operation. From segregation to all forms of unfairness, apartheid system negatively affected South Africans and the entire country (Pfister, 2005). On the other hand, some people argue that apartheid positively affected South Africa in countless ways. This essay gives a detailed coverage of the issue of apartheid in South Africa and its impact to the economy, politics and social life of South Africans. To achieve this task, the analysis is divided into useful sections, which give concise and authentic information concerning the topic. Up to date sources were consulted in researching the topic to ensure that data and information used in describing the concept is up to date, from reputable and recommended authors.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Among important segments of the essay include but not limited to the literature review, history, background information and recommendations. Research questions In addressing the issue of Apartheid in South Africa, this essay intends to provide answers to the following questions: What was apartheid system? What are the factors that led to the apartheid system? What were the negative effects of the apartheid system? What were the positive effects of the apartheid system? Why was it necessary to end apartheid in South Africa? Literature Review Apartheid in South Africa is one of the topics which have received massive literature coverage even after the end of the regime. Most of the documented information describes life before 1994 and what transpired after Nelson Mandela took leadership as the first black African President of the state. This segment, therefore, explores the concept concerning what authors, scholars and researchers have recorded in books, journals and on websites as expounded in the following analytical sections. Apartheid in South Africa Apartheid refers to a South African system that propagated racial discrimination imposed between 1948 and 1994 by National Party regimes. During this period of decades, the rights of the majority â€Å"blacks† were undermined as white minority settlers maintained their supremacy and rule through suppressive tactics. Apartheid was primarily developed after the Second World War by the Broederbond and Afrikaner organizations and was extended to other parts of South West Africa, currently known as Namibia until it became an independent state four years before the end of apartheid. According to Allen 2005, discrimination of black people in South Africa began long before apartheid was born during the colonial era. In his survey, Allen noted that apartheid was ratified after the general election which was held in 1948.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Apartheid in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The new legislation that the governments adopted classified all South African inhabitants into four groups based on their racial identity (Allen, 2005). These groups were Asians, whites, natives and colored. This led to all manners of segregation that ensured complete distinction among these groups, achieved through forced displacement of the oppressed groups without necessarily thinking about their rights. The practice continued throughout the period, reaching heightened moments when non-whites were depriv ed of political representation in 1970, the year when blacks were denied citizenship right causing them to become members of Bantustans who belonged to self-governing homes (Allen, 2005). Besides residential removal and displacement, other forms of discrimination dominated in public institutions like education centers, hospitals and beaches among other places which were legally meant for everybody regardless of their skin color, gender or country of origin. In rare cases where black accessed these services, they were provided with inferior options as compared to what whites received (Allen, 2005). As a result, there was significant violence witnessed across the country, accompanied by internal resistance from people who believed that they were being exploited and languishing in poverty at the expense of white minorities. Consequently, the country suffered trade embargoes as other countries around the world distanced themselves from South African rule as a way of condemning it and ra ising their voices in support for those who were considered less human in their own country. Overwhelmed by the desire for equality, South Africa witnessed countless uprisings and revolts, which were welcomed with imprisoning of political and human rights activists who were strongly opposed to the apartheid rule. Banning of opposition politics was also adopted in order to suppress leaders who believed in justice for humanity (Edwards Hecht, 2010). As violence escalated around the country, several state organizations responded by sponsoring violence and increasing the intensity of oppression.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The peak of apartheid opposition was in 1980s when attempts to amend apartheid legislation failed to calm black people forcing President Frederik Willem de Klerk to enter into negotiations with black leaders to end apartheid in 1990. The culmination of the negotiations was in 1994 when a multi-racial and democratic election was held with Nelson Mandela of African National Congress emerging the winner and the first black president in South Africa (Edwards Hecht, 2010). Although apartheid ended more than a decade ago, it is important to note its impact and ruins are still evident in South Africa. Background Information Segregation took shape in the Union of South Africa in order to suppress the black people’s participation in politics and economic life. White rulers believed that the only way of maintaining their rule was to ensure that black people do not have opportunities to organize themselves into groups that would augment their ability to systematize themselves and fight back for their rights. However, despite these efforts, black people in South Africa became integrated into the economic and industrial society than any other group of people in Africa during the 20th century (Edwards Hecht, 2010). Clerics, educations and other professionals grew up to be key players as the influence of blacks sprouted with Mission Christianity significantly influencing the political landscape of the union. Studying in abroad also played a major role as blacks gained the momentum to fight for their rights as the move received support from other parts of the world (Burger, 2011). There were continuous attempts from the government to control and manipulate black people through skewed policies, which were aimed at benefiting whites at the expense of the majority. The year 1902 saw the formation of the first political organization by Dr Abdurrahman which was mainly based in Cape Province. However, the formation of the African National Congress in 1912 was a milestone a s it brought together traditional authorities, educationists and Christian leaders (Burger, 2011). Its initial concern was defined by constitutional protests as its leaders demanded recognition and representation of the blacks. Efforts by union workers to form organizations for the purpose of voicing their concerns were short-lived as their efforts were short down by white authorities. This led to strikes and militancy, which was experienced throughout 1920s. The formation of the Communist Party proved to be a force to last as it united workers’ organizations and non-racialism individuals (Beinart Dubow, 1995). Segregation of blacks was also witnessed in job regulations as skilled job opportunities remained reserved for white people. The introduction of pass-laws further aimed at restricting African mobility thus limiting their chances of getting organized. These laws were also designed to have all blacks participate in forced labor as they did not have a clear channel to ai r their views. According to historic findings, all these efforts were inclined towards laying the foundation for apartheid in later years. Noteworthy, there were divisions among whites as they differed with regard to certain ideologies and stances. For instance, they could not agree on their involvement in First World War I as the National Party dislodged from the South African Party (Beinart Dubow, 1995). Conversely, allocation of skilled jobs to whites targeted high productivity from people who had experience while pass-laws prevented aimless movement. Labor issues continued to emerge through organized strikes though these efforts were constantly thwarted by the government using brutal and inhumane ways like seclusion of migrant residential houses using compounds. Miners also protested against low payment and poor living standards, conditions which promoted hostility between black and white labor forces, culminating into a bloody rebellion in 1922 (Beinart Dubow, 1995). Intensif ied discrimination against blacks mounted to serve the interests of white rulers through reinforcement of the unfair government policies and employment bar in certain areas like the railway and postal service to address the infamous â€Å"poor-white problem†. The world depression of early 1930s led to the union of major white parties which was closely followed by the breakaway by a new Afrikaner led by Dr. DF Malan. The entrenchment of the white domination led to the elimination of Africans from the voters’ role in 1936 (Burger, 2011). These continued up to the end of the Second World War when the government intensified segregation rules in 1948 that led to the conception and birth of Apartheid in South Africa. Desmond Tutu against Apartheid As mentioned above, Mission Christianity played a major role in the fight against apartheid and restoration of justice in South Africa. This saw several leaders rise to the limelight as they emerged to be the voice of the voiceless in the South African State. One of these Christian leaders was Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has remained in the history of South Africa, featuring prominently in the reign of apartheid (BBC, 2010). He is well known worldwide for his anti-apartheid role and for boldly speaking for the blacks. He served a very important role, especially during the entire time when Nelson Mandela was serving his prison term making him nominated for the highly coveted and prestigious Nobel Peace Prize award in 1984 for his relentless anti-apartheid efforts. This was a real implication that the world had not only observed Tutu’s efforts but also raised its voice against the discriminatory rule in South Africa. After Nelson Mandela was elected democratically in 1984, he appointed Archbishop Desmond Tutu to steer the South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was mandated to investigate all forms of crimes committed by blacks and whites during the whole period of apartheid. Alth ough Tutu was a teacher by training, he dropped the career after the adoption of the Bantu Education Act in 1953 (BBC, 2010). The act was meant to extend apartheid to black schools around the country, causing several schools to close down due to lack of finances after the government discontinued subsidized programs for those that did not comply. To confirm and affirm that apartheid was not the best regime option in South Africa, Desmond Tutu was highly influenced by white clergymen like Bishop Trevor Huddleston, who strongly opposed the idea of racial discrimination that was being propagated by the white government (BBC, 2010). Although he was closely involved in active politics, he remained focused on religious motivation, arguing that racialism was not the will of God, and that it was not to live forever. His appointment as the head of the Anglican church in 1986 did not deter him from fighting apartheid as he risked being jailed after he called the public to boycott municipal ele ctions that were held in 1988. He welcomed President FW De Klerk’s reforms in 1989, which included the release of the one who was later to become the first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela and the reinstatement of the African National Congress (BBC, 2010). Nelson Mandela against Apartheid Nelson Mandela is regarded as a key player in the fight against apartheid in South Africa as he led black people together with other activists to publicly denounce and condemn the discriminatory regimes of the time. As a way of demonstrating his dissatisfaction and criticism of apartheid, Mandela publicly burnt his â€Å"pass†. All blacks were required to carry their passes as the government prohibited the movement of people to other districts (Atlas College, 2011). While working with ANC, Mandela’s involvement in anti-apartheid efforts was increased as he realized the need to have active resistance in dealing with apartheid. He was severally charged with treason and acquitted although in 1964, Mandela was life imprisoned a move that was considered to be ill-motivated to maintain the white rule supremacy. He continued his fight while in prison as his message penetrated every village and district in the country. Although he acted together with like-minded people, Nelson Mandela’s name stands high as the leader of the anti-apartheid campaign which culminated in his election as the first black president of South Africa in 1994 (Atlas College, 2011). Opposing opinion Although apartheid was highly condemned and still receives high-charged criticism, some people view it from a different perspective. Did apartheid have any benefit to the people of South Africa and to the nation at large? Apart from propagating injustices across the country, apartheid is one of the economic drivers of South Africa with some of the policies and strategies used during that time still under active implementation by the government. For instance, the Reconstructi on and Development Programme (RDP) was orchestrated by ANC and served as the core platform during the elections that were held in 1994 (Lundahl Petersson, 2009). The programme focused on improvement of infrastructure, improvement of housing facilities, free schooling, sharing of land to the landless, clean water and affordable health facilities among others. This led to the improvement of social amenities in the country. RDP also continued financing the budget revenue. It therefore suffices to mention that those who support apartheid base their argument on the status of the country after 1994 when subsequent governments chose to adopt some strategies from apartheid to drive the reconstruction agenda (Lundahl Petersson, 2009). As one of the leading economies in Africa, some of the institutions, factories and companies which were established during apartheid significantly contribute to development in the country. Even though new plans have been adopted, majority have their foundatio ns rocked on apartheid. As a result of these development initiatives, a lot has changed in South Africa. There has been substantive economic growth augmented by several factors which relate to apartheid (Lundahl Petersson, 2009). Improved living standards among South Africans cannot also be ignored in any discussion of apartheid. Many jobs have been created for the skilled people who never found an opportunity to work when the regime was at its operational peak. South Africa also prides on some of the most prestigious learning institutions in the region which are highly ranked on the world list. It therefore suffices to mention that apartheid had several advantages which cannot be overshadowed by its disadvantages. Against Apartheid Despite the advantages of apartheid discussed above, there is no doubt that the system negatively impacted South Africans in a myriad of ways. From undermining of human rights to promotion of hostility and violence among residents, there is enough evide nce to condemn the regime. It affected several social structures people were not allowed to freely intermarry and interact. This was coupled with limited expression rights as they were believed not to have rights. Movement was highly restricted as black people were to walk with passes and restricted to move within one district. Additionally, forceful evacuation was a norm as black people never owned land and houses permanently (Burger, 2011). What about employment? Many skilled jobs were strictly reserved for whites as black people survived on manual duties with little or no pay. This contributed to low living standards and inability to meet their needs, manifested through labor strikes which were continuously witnessed in several organizations. Consequently, violence escalated with police brutality hitting high levels and several people losing their lives as others spent the rest of their lives in jail. It was a system that needed more condemnation than just protesting in order to allow justice to prevail (Pfister, 2005). Conclusion Apartheid in South Africa is one of the most outstanding in the history of the country with millions of people with painful and remarkable memories. With its culmination in 1994 democratic elections which saw Nelson Mandela rise to power, the regime had severe negative effects, which necessitated the need to end it and pave the way for a fair nation that respects humanity regardless of skin color, ethnicity, country of origin and gender (Pfister, 2005). Based on the above analysis, it is important for a number of lessons to be learnt from it. World leaders need to establish and implement leadership mechanisms that would prevent recurrence of apartheid in South Africa or in other parts of the world. To the millions who suffered under rule, reconciliation efforts are essential in allowing them to accept themselves and move on with life as they mingle with thousands of white settlers who continue owning parcels of land in the country . It should however to be forgotten that apartheid was important in transforming South Africa into what it is today. From factories and infrastructure to a stable economy, it had lifetime merits that ought to be acknowledged throughout in history. References Allen, J. (2005). Apartheid South Africa: An Insiders Overview of the Origin and Effects of Separate Development. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse. Atlas College. (2011). Nelson Mandela and Apartheid. Atlas College. Web. BBC. (2010). Profile: Archbishop Desmond Tutu. BBC News. Web. Beinart, W., Dubow, S. (1995). Segregation and apartheid in twentieth-century South Africa. London: Routledge. Burger, D. (2011). History. South African Government Information. Web. Edwards, P., Hecht, G. (2010). History and the Techno politics of Identity: The Case of Apartheid South Africa. Journal of Southern African Studies, 36(3), p. 619-639. Lundahl, M., Petersson, L. (2009). Post-Apartheid South Africa; an Economic Success Story? United Natio ns University. Web. Pfister, R. (2005). Apartheid South Africa and African states: from pariah to middle power, 1961-1994. London: I.B.Tauris. Rosmarin, I., Rissik, D. (2004). South Africa. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.

Philosophy and literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy and literature - Essay Example tween the Creon, and Antigone because Polynice led the forces to invade the Thebes, it has been therefore argued by Creon that he should not be given a decent burial. Despite all that is, Antigone has dissimilar opinion and wants to give her brother a proper burial. The major conflict of Oedipus, the King began at time when Tiresias informs Oedipus that he is accountable of the plague, where he refuses to believe those allegations. The basic conflict that involves Oedipus at Colonus is among Oedipus and Creon. Creon learns from the oracle that for civil strife in Thebe (Oedipus two sons) to end will need Oedipus to return The conflict involving Ismene and Antigone is fearsome, as both girls are agemates with very different personalities. Antigone is critical, moody, brave as well as impulsive, whereas Ismene is lovely, fearful and good-looking. The two are viewed as elegant â€Å"good girl† also â€Å"bad girl† typecast, with Antigone finally tied Ismene to a tree, so as she could steal her sister’s makeup alongside with other things that will make herself further attractive to Haemon. Though, regardless of this vicious rivalry among the two sisters, at the time when Creon is jeopardizing Ismene with death also imprisonment if she continues her quest in burying her brother, Ismene is prompt in jumping to her protection, citing that if Creon locks Antigone up, Ismene will just conquest and die next to her for their disloyalty (Sorvino-Inwood & Christiane pg 139). What can be referred concerning the coincidence of their previous relationship and Ismene’s unexpected readiness for dying for Antigone? Is their antagonism may be less violent than projected since of their bond of sisterhood? Oedipus, King of Thebes, noticed that his marital wife is his own mother, having two sons and two daughters with her. He cursed his son in order to divide the inheritance with the sword. Eteoclesand Polynices, who’s sons had to shed blood, agreed to rule Thebes in alternating

International Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Finance - Assignment Example The dataset includes information about stock return, return on equity, and return on assets, total bank assets and amihud index. The data set used in this study is related to several banks that do operate in various parts of the world and this enabled the understanding of the interaction of these two variables that include funding liquidity and market liquidity risk. Firstly correlation analysis was undertaken between certificate of deposits for banks (funding liquidity risk) and Amihud index (market liquidity risk).Regression analysis was as well undertaken between these two variables. In addition, for further studies, a regression analysis could be performed between the dependent variable which was certificates of deposit and the independent variables that include, total asset, stock returns, Amihud index and return on assets. Literature on the interaction between the funding liquidity risk and market liquidity risk was searched on internet through Google. Important journals related to the topic were selected and summarized. The key words such as measurement of market liquidity risk and funding liquidity risk; the relationship between market liquidity risk and funding liquidity risk were used when searching the literature online. The below results from correlation analysis indicate that there is a positive correlation between the market liquidity risk and the funding liquidity risk during the given period. The positive correlation is indicated by 0.08 as the coefficient value between these two variables. It is also seen that the correlation between these two variables is significant since the p value is less than 0.05.The variable of market liquidity and funding liquidity have been represented by Amihud index and the volume of assets. Basing on the regression analysis results below where, Amihud index was taken as dependent variable and the certificates of deposit represented independent variable.