Beowolf essays

Beowolf essays Beowolf is the oldest piece of British literature, and has survived for over thirteen hundred years. Scops passed this epic for two hundred years until it was finally written down by a Christian monk in 700 A. D.. The hero Beowulf continually demonstrates bravery throughout this cartoonistic tale which eventually leads to foolhardiness, a characteristic of the human condition that is still valid This epic is a traditional good vs. evil story. Beowolf battles three monsters throughout the story. The first two he does for the good of the people. His army thanks God when things go their way and throughout the story there are references to both Christian and Pagan beliefs, which gives it universal appeal. During his battle with Grendal, his mail shirt has supernatural powers, like the power of God. Grendals ferocious claws cannot touch Beowulf due to his powerful mail shirt. When he battles Grendals mother, he is given the sword of God. This sword is so powerful that it is able to cut off Grendals head. Then Beowulf single-handedly carries his head back to the people, a head that reportedly would need four normally strong men. Beowolf has a third heroic attempt at killing another bothersome monster. However, during his fifty years as king he has grown somewhat egocentric. Instead of trying to kill the monster for the good of his people, he does is because he knows he can and to prove himself, yet again. He even goes as far as telling his army not to help him, that this is a job for one man only; him. During this fight, he is not aided by God and it leads to his demise. The monster dragon dies but not before ripping Beowulfs throat. This story has survived hundreds of years for many reasons. It has a cartoonistic quality to it due to the detailed scenes of blood and guts which gives it a humorous quality. It was ...

The Anglosaxons, William the conqueror and the celts)

The Anglosaxons, William the conqueror and the celts) The Anglo-Saxons were the first to be known as English. They arrived in AD 499, after the Romans left. They came from the very powerful Germanic tribes: The Saxons (Denmark), the Anglos (Northern Germany) and the Jutes. One of the important figures of the Anglo-Saxons period is William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, and King of England in 1035. Also the Celts played a great influence in their way of life. They followed the rules from the Magna Carta. One of the greatest vestiges of the culture is The Burial called "Sutton hoo" which was a ship where the nobility was buried. This research paper shows a general view of the English culture during the Anglo-Saxon period.William the Conqueror (1027-1087), King of England and illegitimate son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, was born at Falaise, France in 1027. William succeeded his father as a Duke the regrets who ruled for him were faced with rebellious nobles.RÃ ¦dwald's burial mound (Mound I), Sutton HooThe company in the royal or noble hall provided the audience for a literature which mirrored the age: Heroic lays recited by Professional bards. The surviving fragments include one major epic: "Beowulf" (Halsey, p. 491)In 1047 a serious rebellion of nobles occurred, and William with the aid of Henry, King of France, gained a great victory at Val-es-Dunes, near Caen, which led the following year to the capture of two strong castles, AleÂÆ'Â §on and Domfront. That was his base of operations. In 1054, the young Duke made himself master of provinces and acquired incredible power. After a couple of years of battles and training, William began to take a great interest in English Affairs. He married Matilda, the daughter of the Earl of Flanders, in 1503, but against the papal acceptances. King Harold found himself on Norman soil in 1064, was constrained...

Reagan and the 1983 Marines Barracks Massacre in Beirut

Reagan and the 1983 Marines Barracks Massacre in Beirut In 2002, the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs interviewed Caspar Weinberger about the six years (1981-1987) he spent as Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Defense. Stephen Knott, the interviewer, asked him about the bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut on Oct. 23, 1983, which killed 241 Marines. Here’s his answer: Weinberger: Well, that’s one of my saddest memories. I was not persuasive enough to persuade the President that the Marines were there on an impossible mission. They were very lightly armed. They were not permitted to take the high ground in front of them or the flanks on either side. They had no mission except to sit at the airport, which is just like sitting in a bull’s eye. Theoretically, their presence was supposed to support the idea of disengagement and ultimate peace. I said, â€Å"They’re in a position of extraordinary danger. They have no mission. They have no capability of carrying out a mission, and they’re terribly vulnerable.† It didn’t take any gift of prophecy or anything to see how vulnerable they were. When that horrible tragedy came, why, as I say, I took it very personally and still feel responsible in not having been persuasive enough to overcome the arguments that â€Å"Marines don’t cut and run,† and â€Å"We can’t leave because we’re there,† and all of that. I begged the President at least to pull them back and put them back on their transports as a more defensible position. That ultimately, of course, was done after the tragedy. Knott also asked Weinberger about â€Å"the impact that the tragedy had on President Reagan.† Weinberger: Well, it was very, very marked, there was no question about it. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time. We were planning that very weekend for the actions in Grenada to overcome the anarchy that was down there and the potential seizure of American students, and all the memories of the Iranian hostages. We had planned that for Monday morning, and this terrible event occurred on Saturday night. Yes, it had a very deep effect. We talked a few minutes ago about the strategic defense. One of the other things that had a tremendous effect on him was the necessity of playing these war games and rehearsing, in which we went over the role of the President. The standard scenario was that â€Å"the Soviets had launched a missile. You have eighteen minutes, Mr. President. What are we going to do?† He said, â€Å"Almost any target we attack will have huge collateral damage.† Collateral damage is the polite way of phrasing the number of innocent women and children who are killed because you’re engaging in a war, and it was up in the hundreds of thousands. That is one of the things, I think, that convinced him that we not only had to have a strategic defense, but we should offer to share it. That was another of the things that was quite unusual about our acquiring strategic defense, and which now seems largely forgotten. When we got it, we said he would share it with the world, so as to render all of these weapons useless. He insisted on that kind of proposal. And as it turned out, with this cold war ending and all, it didn’t become necessary. One thing that disappointed him most was the reaction of the academic and the so-called defense expert community to this proposal. They were horrified. They threw up their hands. It was worse than talking about evil empire. Here you were undermining the years and years of academic discipline that you shouldn’t have any defense. He said he simply did not want to trust the future of the world to philosophic assumptions. And all the evidence was that the Soviets were preparing for a nuclear war. They had these huge underground cities and underground communications. They were setting up environments in which they could live for a long time and keep their command and control communications capabilities. But people didn’t want to believe that and therefore didn’t believe it. Read the full interview at the Miller Center for Public Affairs.

When the Biblical Exodus Would Have Taken Place

When the Biblical Exodus Would Have Taken Place Exodus is not only the name of a book in the Old Testament but a momentous event for the Hebrew people- their departure from Egypt. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer as to when it occurred. Was the Exodus Real? Although there can be a chronology within the framework of a fictional story or myth, dating the events is generally impossible. To have a historical date, normally an event must be real; therefore the question must be asked as to whether or not the Exodus actually happened. Some believe the Exodus never took place because there is no physical or literary proof beyond the Bible. Others say all the proof that is needed is in the Bible. While there will always be skeptics, most assume there was some basis in historical/archaeological fact. How Do Archaeologists and Historians Date the Event? Archaeologists and historians, comparing archaeological, historical, and Biblical records, tend to date the Exodus somewhere between the 3d and 2d millennia B.C. Most favor one of three basic time frames: 16th century B.C.15th century B.C.13th century B.C. The main problem with dating the Exodus is that archaeological evidence and Biblical references do not line up. 16th, 15th Century Dating Problems Make the period of the Judges too long (300-400 years long),Involve extensive interaction with kingdoms which only came into existence laterMake no mention of the heavy local influence the Egyptians had in the area of Syria and Palestine 16th, 15th Century Support However, some Biblical evidence supports the 15th-century date, and the expulsion of the Hyksos favors the earlier date. The expulsion of the Hyksos evidence is important because it is the only historically recorded collective exodus from Egypt of people from Asia until the first millennium B.C. Advantages of the 13th Century Date The 13th century date solves the problems of the earlier ones (the period of the Judges would not be too long, there is archaeological evidence of the kingdoms the Hebrews had extensive contact with, and the Egyptians were no longer a major force in the area) and is the date accepted by more archaeologists and historians than the others. With the 13th century dating of the Exodus, settlement of Canaan by the Israelites occurs in the 12th century B.C.

Belkiz Feedaway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Belkiz Feedaway - Essay Example Assuming that I sell the portable feeding chair at the price of US$150 each, the company will have a demand of as much as 500 pieces of portable feeding chair per month. In case I decided to sell the portable feeding chair at the price of US$350 per chair, the company will be able to sell only 200 pieces of its portable feeding chair per month. (See Graph I – Investment on Price Elastic Product (Portable Feeding Chair) below) A portable feeding chair made out of strong recyclable cardboard is considered as a homogenous product. It means that the product itself can be easily copied by other cardboard manufacturers. For this reason, it is not advisable on the part of Belkiz Feedaway to sell its product as inelastic product. By maintaining the price elasticity of demand, the company will be able to continuously sell the product all year round. To determine the best pricing strategy for Belkiz Feedaway’s portable feeding chair, there is a strong need for the marketing manager to conduct a market analysis which includes market segmentation, targeting, and positioning of the product in the market. Since a portable feeding chair is designed for toddler’s use, the target markets for this product are couples or single parent with new born child. Based on statistics of newborn children each year, the company could estimate roughly how big its potential market is within the United States. Since this product is relatively new in the market, the company can take advantage of pricing the product not too high and not too low. Since there are no other substitute for this product in the market as of the present time, the company has more bargaining power over its target consumers. With regards to product pricing, it is important to consider the volume of portable feeding chair the company can produce. Even though demand for the product is high, the availability of supply could also affect the pricing of the product until such point that the

Cross Cultural Awareness for Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cross Cultural Awareness for Business - Essay Example Essentially, culture refers to the traditions, set of values, and norms or practices that tend to influence the ways in which individuals behave, think, make a judgement and also their perceptions within a group setting. The perception that employees may have about an organization tends to influence the way in which they tend to complete organizational tasks that may not be in line with the deadlines. This brings about the idea of cultural competence that refers to the ability for individuals within an organization to interact in an effective manner with people from different cultures. This may draw from their worldviews and the understanding of other people’s culture’s and also being tolerant of them (French, 2010). Based on this overview, this essay will delve into the emic approach in understanding and managing people in the workplace that have cultural differences by referring to the works of two writers. The focus will be on the value of their contribution to cross-cultural managers and also refer to four countries in which this approach is applied. Ideally, the emic and etic approach is a form of field research performed with the aim of obtaining various viewpoints within a social group from with the observer’s perspective and also from that of the subject at hand. In much detail, the emic approach determines the way in which people from a locality think, they way that they perceive and explain things, the way they behave as per their rules and also the things that bring meaning to them. These approaches to to manage cross culture within the workplace were developed by Kenneth Pike in 1954 to which his suggestion was that when both of them integrate then this is likely to yield more positive results (Ritchey, 2011). The emic approach requires the examining of each culture in order to determine the way in which those applying this approach interpret certain observable facts. The emic approach is drawn from the phonemic term and the etic

Email for Prescription for control system Coursework

Email for Prescription for control system - Coursework Example er relevant budgets that need to be prepared to analyze the movement of costs are: production budget; raw materials and purchasing budget; as well as labor budget (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, n.d.); 4. The production budget should contain the following the following information where the budget is â€Å"expressed in quantitative terms only and is geared to the sales budget. The production managers duties include: (a) analysis of plant utilization; and (b) work-in-progress budgets. If requirements exceed capacity he may: (i) subcontract; (ii) plan for overtime; (iii) introduce shift work; or (iv) hire or buy additional machinery† (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, n.d., p. 1); 5. The raw materials and purchasing budget should be evaluated in the light of factors that could influence and affect these, including production requirements; planning stock levels; storage space; and trends of material prices (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, n.d.). 6. The labor budget, finally, must be analyzed in terms of the following factors that influence and affect the costs: production requirements; man-hours available and used; grades of labour required; wage rates (union agreements); and the need for incentives (Agriculture and Consumer Protection, n.d.). 10. These costs should therefore be monitored on a regular basis, say monthly, quarterly and annually, against the budgets prepared to determine the factors influencing them and to institute the required courses of action to control and manage these costs. In response to your proposal to purchase an offset press to print manuals, instead of purchasing them from local print shops, please be advised that to enable management to decide on its feasibility and viability, the following information would be required for comprehensive and effective review: 2. The installation cost to be incurred should be determined. Some suppliers incorporate the cost of installation to their quotation price for the equipment. Since

Explanatory synthesis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Explanatory synthesis paper - Essay Example It is good to note that advertisements alone are not enough. Hence, advertisers couple advertising with branding. Branding involves the forming of an outstanding and unique image of the service or product so as to make a niche out of the target group that can identify with the service or product. Advertising and branding have both merits and demerits that affect the society on which they are expressed upon. This paper looks at the effects of advertising on society. The ideas on which these effects are based upon include health, psychological appeals, creativity and economic importance. Researchers have researched on the ways by which advertisements affect people mentally. By stating mentally, it means the way in which the perspective of people in the society towards what is being advertised is affected. Depending on their education levels, gender and age, people in the society are affected differently. Baker (2001) states that, the executives of advertising companies claimed that the advertisements that are broadcast affect the interests of students as the advertisements are delivered in manner that appeals to them. Advertisers make use of various appeals like power and status, and the appeal to a certain belonging so as to ensure that the aim of the particular advertisement is attained. Agencies that are involved with regulation of advertisements have stated that various advertisements are not in accordance with the promotion of healthy eating habits. They state that advertisers take advantage of the vulnerability of school going children and teenagers to lead them into eating junk food which is a major cause of obesity. Crary (2007), states that the Campaign for a Commercial – Free Childhood indicates that the advertisement Shrek the Third promotes the undertaking of unhealthy foods which is depicted by Shrek an animated ogre. This is complicated by the fact that Shrek is used in two advertisements that tend to

Urbanization, Population and the Environment Essay

Urbanization, Population and the Environment - Essay Example This increase as well as migration of the world population will have an effect on the natural environmental resources owing to the increased consumption of food, energy, water and land. It has increased the air, water and noise pollution levels and other phenomena such as global warming which is adversely affecting the health of the population (Torrey; Ichimura). In addition, urbanization has also resulted in extensive exploitation of the natural resources thus leaving irreversible ecological footprints that have long-term effects on the population (Ichimura). Thus both the quality of life and environmental degradation are the major effects of urbanization and as the population in the urban areas is poised to increase in the future suitable strategies need to be implemented in order to maintain agricultural yield, energy and utilization of other natural resources such as water to sustain life. Urbanization is defined as the â€Å"process by which rural areas become urbanized as a result of economic development and industrialization† (Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). However, urbanization is also defined in demographic terms as the redistribution of the population from the rural to the urban areas over a period of time (Ichimura; Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). Urban settlements are larger and denser and the population is a heterogeneous group of people coexisting in the area while rural regions are smaller and less differentiated (Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). According to estimates only about 2 percent of the world population lived in urban settlements during the 1800’s, however, within a span of 200 years it has rose to 50 percent with the development of 18 megacities as of 2000.

Effect of Service Content Quality Essay Example for Free

Effect of Service Content Quality Essay Introduction: The growth of Internet Mediated Environment (IME) based services has changed the manner in which firms and consumers interact. This paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the role service quality dimensions play in developing service enjoyment and loyalty in IMEs. We are in the era of service-based economies. The services sector has grown to dominate economic activity in today’s advanced industrial economies. Interestingly, within the growing service-dominated economies, increased innovation in Information Technology (IT) has dramatically altered services conceptualization, development, delivery and consumption. By extending the definition of an electronic service, we define IME services as being mediated via information technology (IT) where the consumer interacts with an appropriate user interface such as web site, mobile phone, iPhone, PDA, iPad, virtual world environment, tablets, etc., in order to gain a consumption experience and pursue desired benefits for another entity or the entity itself (self-service). Innovations related to IT and novel Internet-based service delivery in IMEs and consumption are fueling extraordinary growth in demand for existing as well as new services. Problem Statement: The study is to investigate the some of the dimensions of online service content quality and service delivery quality such as navigation, visual appeal, timeliness, access, content customization and reliability leading to enjoyment and loyalty. Significance of the research: Both Information Systems (IS) and Marketing scholars have recognized this paradigmatic shift from the exchange of goods toward a service-centered model of exchange in which the consumer plays a pivotal role, specifically in the case of online services. In this context, there is an increasing emphasis on service quality rather than manufacturing quality regardless of the industry. A customer’s willingness to maintain a relationship with a firm is contingent on his or her perception of the benefits of high-quality service that provides a continuous flow of value. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE Review of Literature: Service Content quality: Service content quality is defined as the extent to which complete, accurate, and timely content is provided to online consumers during the interaction process with the user interface in the IME. The user interface is a critical component in the IME service experience. In the context of the online environment, the store layout and design particularly influences the consumer’s service consumption experience. To capture service content quality we have identified the following three antecedents based on the literature: visual appearance, navigation, and preview. These dimensions have been found to be important in the context of online services in past IS studies. Visual Appearance: A consumer’s perception of the visual appeal projected by the service is driven by the design, physical attractiveness, and beauty inherent to the service interface. Visual appearance in IMEs can be defined as an overall output of image or personality generated from website components such as text, style, graphics, colors, logos, themes and slogans. Websites with a more visually acceptable interface often result in greater service quality and can influence a consumer’s IME experience and ultimately his or her long-term service provider relationship. Consequently, the interface appearance is one of the most important aspects of the IME experience. Navigation: Consumers want and demand websites that are simply designed and easy to use. Ease of navigation has surfaced as a critical element, since the IME lacks most of the interactional human elements so vital in offline service delivery. Navigation challenges, such as getting lost is often associated with a consumer’s confusion, frustration, and anger, and thus negative experiences. To negate this danger, IME navigation features have been developed to prevent consumers from becoming lost. A considerable amount of freely available information, if it is well organized and easily accessed, is frequently mentioned by consumers as an important reason to interact with an IME. The ease of navigation in the IME is expected to enhance service content quality. Customized Preview: Customized preview is the ability to tailor products, services and the environment to individual customers. Preview is expected to influence loyalty towards the service by creating the perception of an increased choice set by enabling quick focus, signaling high quality and lead to a better match of what the customer actually wants. Service Delivery Quality: Service delivery quality is defined as the manner in which IME functionalities are made accessible to consumers via the service provider’s website as a delivery channel. IME service providers have realized that consumers are concerned with the service delivery process and outcome. The following dimensions of service delivery quality: accessibility, reliability, and timeliness are taken. Accessibility: Accessibility is related to the actions taken by the service provider to ensure no service interruption. More and more customers now look for company access and support via IMEs. Potential service failures impact future business because they weaken the customer-company bonds and perceptions of service quality. In this research, accessibility is defined as the level of efforts taken to minimize service disruptions. Reliability: In offline contexts, reliability is defined as the â€Å"ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately†. Similarly, IME reliability is concerned with the delivery of the service in good condition, on time, and exactly as it was displayed. A study of online failures stated that consumers noted delivery issues as the most frequently stated problem. Consumers place significant emphasis on service outcome and service quality, which will suffer if a service provider fails to deliver as expected. Such failures can result in significant costs to the firm, such as lost customers and negative word of mouth. Consequently, service failure is a driving factor explaining customer switching behavior. Timeliness: One of the significant IME benefits is the near-time or immediate service delivery. IMEs lack most of the interactional human elements so vital to the traditional service experience which typically lead to service delivery lag times. In terms of online versus offline purchasing, online purchasers’ beneï ¬ t in the fact that they receive timely information directly from the website without having to seek a salesperson. Access speed and performance appear as critical to the assessment of quality in IMEs. Service Enjoyment: Just as shopping enjoyment is important in offline environments, it can be equally important in IMEs. Hirschman and Holbrook introduced the Hedonic Consumption concept which designates â€Å"those facets of consumer behavior that relate to the multisensory, fantasy and emotive aspects of one’s experience with products† to explain enjoyment’s role in the consumer experience. IS research has suggested that intrinsic enjoyment associated with website usage can positively impact a consumer’s web usage over time. Koufaris applied the model of flow and found that the emotional reaction to a website (intrinsic enjoyment) influenced the intention to return. Thus, service enjoyment is suggested to influence the IME consumer experience. Service Content Quality and Enjoyment: Service content quality is a critical component in the IME experience. In the context of the online environment, the store layout and design influences the consumer’s online activity and service consumption. In IMEs, the spatial layout and functionality are especially important since availability of direct human employee assistance is minimal. Mathwick, Malhotra, and Rigdon suggest that in online environments, the use of color, graphic layout and photographic quality combine to influence a desirable consumption experience. Éthier, Hadaya, Talbot, and Cadieux demonstrates that web site content quality has a significant positive impact on the cognitive appraisal including liking, joy, pride, dislike, and frustration. Van der Heijden found that perceived enjoyment affected intended and actual use of the website. Service Delivery Quality and Enjoyment: IME delivered services have increased convenience in terms of time, place and use. For example, consumers can now pay their bills online, setup automatic mortgage payments or track packages at any time of day. Therefore, service delivery quality pertains to the consumer-website interaction during the process when the consumer is looking for information, selecting from available options or carrying out a transaction. According to Luong, â€Å"Service delivery seems to imply service encounters that entail more intense and deliberate use of emotions.† Loyalty: Loyalty is yielded through the process of repeated interaction between consumers and the online service. Achieving customer loyalty is critical for IME service provider economic success. The fear in the online environment is that the inherent low switching costs enable competing online firms to be just a click away. Loyalty can be defined both behaviorally and attitudinally. Behaviorally, loyalty consists of repeated purchases of a brand, whereas attitudinally loyalty includes a degree of dispositional commitment in terms of some unique value associated with the brand. Perceived service quality has been suggested to be positively related to loyalty. According to Garbarino and Johnson, consumer perceived service enjoyment and commitment are believed to summarize consumer knowledge and guide subsequent loyalty actions. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Title: A study on the effect of service content quality and service delivery quality, leading to loyalty in online banking system. Objectives: Main Objective: To study the effect of antecedents of service quality leading to loyalty in online banking system pertaining to South Indian Bank Specific Objectives: * To study antecedents such as visual appeal, navigation and customized preview effect on online service content quality * To study antecedents such as accessibility, reliability and timeliness effect on online service delivery quality * To study service content quality and service delivery qualities effect on consumer’s perception of service enjoyment * To study service content quality and service delivery quality mediated by service enjoyment effect on consumer loyalty in banking websites.

BOH Tea And Consumer Behavior

BOH Tea And Consumer Behavior BOH Plantation Sdn Bhd was found by John Archibald Russell in the year 1929, together with A.B. Milne, a veteran in tea planting from Ceylon they succeeded in obtaining a concession of land in Cameron Highland in order to start the tea plantation business. Together the duo transforms steep jungles slopes into a tea garden known as BOH Plantations, which is the 1st highland tea garden in the country. BOH Plantations business begins to bloom and currently is the leading tea grower in the country. The plantation expanded and owns four tea gardens, of which three is located 5000 ft above sea level and is situated in Cameron Highlands, and the fourth is centralizing in Bukit Cheeding, Selangor. Collectively, the gardens size in total is 1200ha. BOH Plantation has been firmly entrenched that most Malaysia drinks BOH tea moe re than any other brand. BOH tea are available in 3 different forms ( tea packets, tea bags, tea dust). The company currently produces 4 million kg of tea in a year. Malaysian consumes 10million kg of tea which makes BOH tea largest producer locally of black tea, in terms of cuppage, BOH tea produces about 5.5 million per day which almost meets 50% of tea consumption requirement in the country. The success story of BOH Plantation continues to be Malaysias leading brand in tea and is also exporting to Brunei, Japan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and also the US. Consumer Decision Process BOH tea Consumer Decision Process is basically known as a cognitive process. Consumer is aware of a need or wants and search for possible ways to satisfy it. Awareness of consumer is not an automatic process; it is actually selective external procedure. Example, consumers are expose to thousands of messages that persuades them from advertising, political organization, religious groups , food products and many more other resources. This mass information that seeks out consumer attention then filtered out by individual in order to make the decision in buying a product. In order for a consumer to purchase a product, he or she has to go through the 5 stages of consumer decision process. These 5 stages of consumer decision making process are very important for consumer to make an accurate decision in satisfying their needs and wants. The stages flow in sequence beginning with problem recognition and ending with post-purchase evaluation. The 5 stages are as graph above: Problem Recognition Information Search Evaluation and Selection of Alternatives Decision Implementation Post-purchase Evaluation Problem Recognition The consumer decision process begins when a consumer is aware of satisfying their needs or wants. Example, Jason might need a new football shoe to replace the old depreciated one or Sarah need s a new computer to replace the her old want which is not performing as well as it was before. These kind of problem shows that consumer have recognized and identify their problem such as actual state and desired state. BOH tea inspires the consumer by tackling the health benefits of drinking tea and how BOH provides quality and innovative tea products. For the past decade, health benefits have caught the attention of the wide coverage of media. Numerous studies have shown that the antioxidant polyphenols of tea has the anti-cancer properties and also able to reduce the risk of gastric, and also skin cancer. This health benefits has increase the demand of tea in the market. Prevention is better than cure; this statement has drive consumers to seek for solution in reducing the chance of getting sick and that is mainly the problem face by consumer. This is where tea becomes the problem solver. This is where BOH tea as Malaysian leading brand provides with high quality tea that satisfies and produce a healthier lifestyle for the consumer in Malaysia. Tea may protect cancer caused by smoking Tea drinker has lower blood pressure Green, Black and Oolong tea Tea can lower cholesterol level and protect against heart diseases Tea believed to boost the bodys defense system Health benefits from consuming tea (http://www.2basnob.com/health-benefits-of-tea.html) Information Research When consumers identify a problem, they will find ways to solve the problems. Example, Sarah would pay more attention to product information of a personal computer. She will be more aware and attentive towards computer advertisement, friends choice of computer brand, and online information regarding different brand of computer. In the process of gathering this information , Sarah as a consumer will began to learn more about the brands of computers that compete in the market and their features and characteristic that satisfy the needs and wants of various consumer. However, awareness itself is not strong enough to guarantee the continuation of process decision making, unless he or she believes that there is a solution to solve their problem. If high level of involvement is engagement, consumer will advance to seek more resources regarding the product that they want. Internal and external search take place within consumer memory system. In the case of BOH tea, since it is the leading t ea brand in Malaysia it is important to strengthen the brands leadership by capturing the attention of consumer through innovative tea products. BOH tea has to provide extensive information about their quality and innovative tea products, in order for consumer to obtain knowledge of their tea easily Internal Research Internal research is an attempt to seek information in the form of pre-existing knowledge such as attitudes and beliefs of the problem. However, if the problem is new to the consumer, then it is inadequate to make the decision making and external research is a necessity. This research is not entirely resourceful because consumer might be unable to recall the reason of purchasing the product or opinion made during the consumption process. In order for BOH tea to leave a good impression, their catchy phrase ada Ummph which literally means more than words can describe kind of feeling to show the great quality of tea that is produce by BOH tea. This phrase will strongly register the brands name in the mind of consumer, so that the next time they want to purchase tea, BOH tea will be their 1st choice as the ada Ummph phrase shows that consumer will never regret in consuming their tea . External Research External research provides more resourceful information from organization, friends, families, society and many more. Consumer are willing to access for secondary information from online resources, advertisement, brochures and many more in order to provide them with the excess knowledge to purchase the computer of their choice. Tea drinker in Malaysia will not escape the attention of BOH tea, as their product can be obtained from most retail outlets. BOH tea has also promoted their tea in the form of newspaper advertisement, television commercial, and also campaigns. BOH tea promotes their tea with bonding with love ones by creating moments of togetherness with loved ones. This is to show that a cup of tea can unite everyone together without any restriction . All this information plays an important role in the mental processing of the mind which includes short term and long-term memory storage. Example, information gain regarding the personal computer will only be in Sarahs mind for a brief moment if it is not stored in the long -term storage. Once Sarah stores it in the long term storage, she will be able to recall the characteristic of the computers brands and make the decision making without it being lost in a minute. Three main operation takes place in the memory so that the information can be retrieve later on Rehearsal Mental repetition of product information. Example, BOH tea ade Ummph phrase remind consumer of their good quality of tea Encoding Information interprets which allows long-term storage. Example, consumer will register the types of tea products so that consumer can pick the choice that they like. Storage Information stored in long-term memory. Example, when it comes to tea consumption, Malaysian consumer will remember BOH tea, as the tea with high quality and creates bonding between family members. Graph below shows the choice that is choice that has to be made by Sarah after obtaining the desired information that is needed by her. Computer brands that is aware by Sarah. Example, Acer, Apple, Compaq, Dell, HP, Sony, and Toshiba Subset of computer brands that is aware by Sarah in the market Affordable and high performance brands will be Sarahs best choice of purchasing a computer. Example, Dell and Acer which is affordable and high performance With more information, only selective few strong candidates are remain Choice Set Sarah might make her decision on a Dell computer because it is cheaper and long lasting compared to Sony which is too expensive and unaffordable Brands that satisfy her buying criteria of a computer. Example, the price is affordable and high performance Evoke / Consideration set Awareness Set Evaluation and Selection of Alternatives The following step allows the consumer to evaluate the brands from the information that is obtained. However, there is no specific evaluation process is applied by all consumer in buying situation. Thus, consumers sees product as a bundle of attributes such as the need, benefits, and attributes in order to make the right decision that satisfy their needs and wants. This bundle of attributes is actually a products objective and subjective factors. Objective factor BOH tea provides high quality tea that provides health benefits Subjective factors Comparison of BOH Tea and Lipton tea, BOH tea being the outstanding as product is a national brand. It is also cheap and easily obtain. Purchase Decision Purchasing the brand BOH tea satisfies the entire spectrum of the non-alcoholic beverage in Malaysia and encourages tea to be consumed including, cold, instant, traditional or in any other form that is preferred by consumer. This satisfies the consumer by providing choice of tea consumption according to their taste This is the stage where consumer has decided which brand of product that he or she wants after a making comparison with all the availability of product brands. Consumer will then have to select 2 specific elements which is purchasing the brand choice and purchasing time. Purchasing Time Product can be purchase in most retail outlet in the form of packages. Consumer can also buy it in bundle during promotion period too. Post purchase evaluation In this stage the level of purchase involvement of consumer is very important, it is often known as the level of concern for or interest in the purchase and heavily depends on the extensive information that is seek by the consumer in making a purchase decision. Low purchase involvement process Example, suppose if a buyer buys a certain brand of product (e.g., BOH tea) as a matter of habit, this means the drink is a low purchase involvement situation and consumers do not have to evaluate and seek information extensively. This case consumer will simply buy and consume the product and generates a high level of repeating the same purchase of product. Graph above shows low involvement purchase process that takes place. The benefit of low purchase involvement process is BOH tea has become consumers loyal brand for tea consumption products as repeat purchase has been taking place from time to time. However, if the level of purchase is high and the consumer is involved in extensive decision making, consumer will be more likely to face a more elaborated post-purchase evaluation. High Purchase Involvement process This graph shows that there is a post-purchase dissonance where consumer are unable to commit to the decision of choosing the brand that they want and it will create anxiety among consumers as it is difficult to make alternatives choices. In order for consumer to reduce this dissonance, consumer has to make approaches such as to increase the desirability of the brand that they want to purchase and reject the desirability of rejected alternatives and also reject the negative data on brand purchased. If dissonance is not reduce, the anxiety experience may turn into a dissatisfaction and leads to a new problem. That is why high purchase involvement needs extensive research of information to reduce anxiety and increase the confidence level in purchasing the product they want. Consumer will stay loyal to BOH tea because the company is constantly doing research in order to satisfy the future consumer needs . Psychological Core BOH tea Attention Attention is a concept of cognitive psychology that helps us to actively process information present in our environment. Attention is an unconscious process where consumer can automatically scan the features of the environment surrounding them. Attention can be classified into 2 which are voluntary and involuntary. Selective attention is voluntary where relevant information is focused. Involuntary is orientation reflex where something surprising is put in front of a person and allocates the attention towards it. Selective Attention Selective attention is the study of why people pay attention towards things, and how deep is their attention towards things that they focus. Example, being in a classroom, or a busy highway, it is impossible for a person to note everything down. What a person pays attention is actually what they select to pay attention to, thus, selective attention is not entirely conscious. In order to capture the attention of consumer entirely, BOH tea pays attention towards animal and environmental conservation and have won numerous awards. Example, the companys packing facility in Bukit Cheeding has receive the ISO 9002 certification, this can further assured of quality tea every time consumer open up a packet of BOH tea. BOH also won the Super brand Excellence Trophy Award in Food Beverage category in 2004. Orientation reflex Orientation reflex is very important in capturing the attention of consumer. The aim of this involuntary action is to create stimuli that surprise the expectation of consumers. Example, BOH Tea is able to capture the attention of their consumer with their advertisement in television which focuses on family bonding where family members can socialize through a cup of tea. Health benefits offers by BOH tea also has direct their attention towards consumer automatically because they are aware the importance of health Perception Perception is a process that begins with consumer being exposed to information, attended to the information and ending with comprehending the information that is focus on. Perception consists of 5 major elements which is exposure stage, attention stage and comprehension stage. Exposure stage Beginning process of perception process where consumer is exposing to information in the environment that is observed by the human senses. Example, when we are driving on the freeway we are expose towards numerous commercial messages such as bill boards, radio advertisement, bumper- stickers on car, banners on shopping mall and many more . However, exposure towards surrounding is not enough to give a major impact towards consumers. BOH tea attracts consumer by promoting their products in television commercial, newspaper advertisement, BOH tea website, and also campaign. Example, BOH tea has done numerous televisions commercial by targeting the culture of tea regardless of religious or political options and also not to forget the moment of togetherness by the bonding of family members. However, this has allowed zapping and zipping away of television commercial to occur and consumer might miss the television commercial. This mean attention is needed to draw the attention of the people. Attention Stage The matter of degree that consumer pays attention towards something, this stage consumer will allocate processing capacity to a stimulus. Example, if we are driving on a freeway and we are running low on gas, our attention immediately becomes high towards signboards that say how far is the next petrol station, but low when commercial regarding shopping or movies on the billboards. However, our attention towards something can be instantly escalates from high to low when we are in need of something. Example, an advertisement for a product that we are interested is on television programs. In order to capture the attention of consumer, BOH tea has involve in animal and environmental conservation. One of their successful story is when BOH Plantation was the first tea company to be awarded ISO22000 certification , an international standard designed to ensure safe food supply chains worldwide. BOH has also strengthened the leadership of their brand by embarking on numerous marketing campaig ns. Example of a successful campaign the BOH Ummph! campaign, a tagline that is still remembered by young Malaysian right until today. This campaign has brought attention towards consumer as BOH focuses on family values. Interpretation stage The final stage of perception where consumer organize and interprets the information obtain from their environment. BOH tea comes in the mind of consumer when they hear or sees the Ada Ummph! phrase in advertisements. Memory 2 types of memory Short-term memory The decision is instantly made, and if without repetition information will be forgotten. Long-term memory Information that is repeated will be interpret and stored in the long-term memory, information can be use later on as it can be change to short-term memory for making decision. Consumer that remembers BOH tea can purchase it when tea supply is needed at home Purchase and consumption decision Consumer is very clear of the products that benefits or satisfies their need, and purchase process begins when consumer buys the product Nature of perception The graph above shows the nature of perception from exposure until purchase and consumption decision of consumers. Exposure provides opportunity for attention but not guarantee that is seen by consumer. Exposure can be then categorise into 2 element which is selective and voluntary. Selective exposure is where there is vast amount of information given but choices is up to consumers interest, and voluntary exposure is consumer is willing to accept the information as to satisfy purchase goal, and entertainment. Information provided by BOH Plantation may not be consumers interest, but it is their duty to attract consumer to consume their high quality tea. Attention is where the information is selected and focus by consumer and information is send to the sensory system to interpret that data. Interpretation of information begins when consumer allocates the information that is necessity for their purchase goals or objectives , the information is receive from the stimulus of the consumer. The information that is generated is then stored in the memory. Memory has two elements which is short term and long term. Short term memory is where the information is stored for a shorter period of time in order to make a instant decision and is forgotten quickly after that. Long term memory is where the information generated is stored for a longer period of time where consumer can make decision later on in time and does not have to be instant. Finally, the purchase and consumption stage, consumer will decide to buy the product once they have understand the criteria that satisfy their purchase goal . Motivation Motivation refers to an inner drive that reflects the goal of a person, which consist of the urge, wishes, or desire that allow them to strive to achieve the goals and aims that is set. The two motivational theories that is famously known to express the motivation of people are the: Maslows Hierachy of Needs W.J. McGuire psychological motives Maslows hierarchy of need is actually a theory to satisfy the human needs . In order to be at the peak of the hierarchy, a person has to satisfy the lower needs in order to achieve higher needs in the hierarchy. We will now study and go through each stage of Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of needs Basic needs/ Physiological needs Basic needs of human. Example, food, water, sex ,sleep, and also Exercise Safety needs Security, shelter, and normalcy in life Belongingness and love needs A persons affection and acceptance as part of family or group, intimate relationships and also friends Esteem or status Prestige, accomplishment , self respect, and the respect of others. Confident, appreciated and also the need of feel competent is also important Self actulisation The need to realise ones own potential, to achieve dreams and ambitions The next theory is McGuires Hierarchy of Needs, a very detailed set of motives to understand the specific aspects of consumer behavior. This theory consists of 4 major categories with 16 sub-categories which explain the behavior of consumer. The 2 criteria that satisfy the 4 main categories are as follow: Is the mode of motivation cognitive or affective? Is the motive focus on preservation of status or on growth ? Cognitive Preservation Motives Need for Consistency (active, internal) Need for Attribution (active, external) Need to Categorize (passive, internal) Need for Objectification (i.e., cues) (passive, external) Cognitive Growth Motives Need for Autonomy (i.e., Independence) (active, internal) Need for Stimulation (active, external) Teleological Need (i.e., desired outcomes or end states) (passive, internal) Utilitarian Need (i.e., problem solvers) (passive, external) Affective Preservation Motives: Need for Tension Reduction (active, internal) Need for Expression (active, external) Need for Ego Defense (passive, internal) Need for Reinforcement (passive, external) Affective Growth Motives: Need for Assertion (active, internal) Need for Affiliation (active, external) Need for Identification (passive, internal) Need for Modeling (passive, external) Learning Motives Motive arouses individual to respond and engage in learning activity. Goal that are achieved will reduce arousal but will have tendency to occur again. Marketer put product in a way that can satisfy the arousal of consumer Example, when a person is in need for tea consumption (motive) , BOH tea will provide the tea in many form for choices of consumer Reinforcement Tendency of motives to re-occur again in a similar situation. Elements of learning Response Physical activity in reaction towards stimulus, Example, the process of going to retail outlet to purchase tea Cues Provides direction, respond towards motive. Example, tea can be obtain in the retail outlets Cognitive Learning ( Thinking ) This learning process focuses on acquiring knowledge and skill is by mental, which is creating metal presentation of physical object and events in our heads. Individuals learn by listening, watching, touching, reading or experiencing then processing and remembering the information. We can conclude that this kind of learning emphasizes on the role of memory and thinking There are 3 types of learning process : Iconic role learning Interrelationship between two or more concepts without conditioning learning and without reasoning. Vicarious learning Behavior are formed by observing the outcomes of other behavior or imagining the outcome of potential behavior Analytical learning New information are updated when new theories or studies are formed. Behavioral Learning ( Conditioning) Classical conditioning A learning process between environmental stimulus and natural occurring stimulus. Unconditioned stimulus happens automatically, unconditionally and naturally triggers a response, Example, when you smell your favorites food you may immediately feel hungry. Smell of food is unconditioned stimulus. Unconditioned stimulus is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in respond towards unconditioned stimulus. Example, hungry in response the smell of food. Conditioned stimulus is the neutral stimulus that has no connection with the unconditioned stimulus. Conditioned response is learned from the neutral stimulus. Operant conditioning Learning method that occurs through punishment and rewards behavior. Example of operant conditioning can be seen around us, consider employees finishing project with excellent result receives praise or promotions. Reward here increases the behavior.Behavior can also be reducing for example, a student to be told to lose recess privileges if they did not finish their homework. This leads to a decrease in disruptive behavior. Memory Memory consist of 2 component which is Short-term memory (STM) and Long-term memory (LTM) Short term memory Short term memory which also known as working memory is the portion of total memory that is currently in use or activated. Rehearsal of information is needed to ensure it is encode in the long-term memory is the information is important for later usage. If information in short term memory is not repeated it will be lost in 30seconds. Example, if we were to see an advertisement regarding fast food delivery , we will not pay much attention to the advertisement but only remember the number for future usage Long term memory Long term memory has essentially unlimited capacity to store information permanently. Stored information is either semantic or visual. Semantic memory deals with encoding and storage of words , while visual deals with storage of images. Memory here is stored permanently and can be use when needed to make a decision. Rehearsing is important to register something in the long-term memory. Example, if we move to a new house and change our phone number, we ourselves probably have to repeat it until we register the number in our memory storage. Learning process consist of 3 element Schemes It stores facts and generalize information such as verbal information, concepts, rules, principles, and problem solving skills. Information that stored here is simply meaningful and helps consumers to make decision. It is well-establish schemata Scripts A special issue in the memory that is also known as procedures we remember for doing things. Scripts involve a series of sequences in doing something. Example, the manufacturing of tea in the BOH tea plantation to where it is distributed so that consumer can purchase it. In general, it is important for firms to have their brand names incorporated into scripts. Example, consumer reflexively can search for BOH tea in the shops rather than unspecified brand of tea Repositioning Repositioning is an attempt to change the consumers perception of their brand; this is because the existing products position is less attractive towards consumer. Example, a product that has great quality but the price is not affordable has low return in profit to the firms, this means they have to change their strategy to lower the price of their products. Repositioning is a very tough process as large sum of money is needed for advertising and promotion of their products. Attitude Attitude is feeling or affection against a stimulus; it is stored in the long-term memory. The 4 function of attitude consist of Utilitarian function, which is use to obtain reward and avoid punishment, Ego-Defensive function is self-protection, knowledge function is simplifies decision such as brand, and value expression which is express identify towards others. Culture The direct definition from textbook about culture is That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man person as a member of society. From this definition, we can learn several important characteristic of culture such as Culture is comprehensive This means that everything must have a connection in order to create culture. Example, bowing and a strong desire to avoid the loss of face are unified in their manifestation of the important of respect. Boundaries of acceptable behavior Everyone must understand their surrounding before taking action. Example, a person cannot be naked while attending class, the least outfit will be shorts and a T-shirt to wearing suits and tie. However, if a person is to wear a suit in the beach, they will definitely be laugh at . So it is very important to know your environment. Cultural characteristics as a continuum. There is a tendency to stereotype cultures as being one way or another (e.g., individualistic rather than collectivistic). Note, however, countries fall on a continuum of cultural traits. Hofstadters research demonstrates a wide range between the most individualistic and collectivistic countries, for example-some fall in the middle. Subculture Identification with core culture Identification with a subculture Mass market behaviors Unique market behavior Core culture values and norms Subculture values and norms Individuals A subculture is a section of a larger culture whose members shares distinguish values and pattern behavior. Social history and current situation of the groups generates the unique values and pattern of behavior which they practices in their subculture. Subculture members exist from the core culture where they share their unique value the most. Figure above shows to which degree an individual behave in manner of unique dependent to the extend which individuals reach out towards that subculture. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/images/cb/STP.png Segmentation, targeting, and positioning comprise is a three stage process, this process will helps us in Determine which kind of customer exist Which customer

Walt Whitmans Relation to the Romantic Period Essay -- Romanticism an

The time of Romanticism brought upon many trends extending from the idea of individualism as a rebellious separation from the classics, an idealistic outlook and finally to a strong religious base. Most of the writers of the Romantic period followed Pantheism "God is everything and everything is God ... the world is either identical with God or in some way a self-expression of his nature" (Owen 1971: 74). The idea of Pantheism was that everything in the world worked in unity. In some of the works of the Romantic period the expression of nature and humans are not separate entities, but one in the same. Even though in reality it did not work this way Pantheism was the ideal of most these writers and idealism in itself was yet another trend in the Romantic period. Another trend in the Romantic period was religion and the idea of sprits. Many writers of the Romantic Period such as Rousseau, Montaigne and Walt Whitman all shared this idea of being individualistic and in most their works it came out as an ego of self expression. Being an individual at the time was a popular thought of people living in the 19th century; thus, the start of the Civil War after most of poetry from this period was published. During the 19th century Walt Whitman was known as an unconventional writer. His work was rebellious and did not stick to any trends of poetry before his time. However, in this technique or lack of technique Whitman marked a new trend of free-verse. Whitman's anthology Leaves of Grass caused a conservational uproar which was no surprise due to his repetitive use of slang, angry diction and an all around "savage" style, (Matthiessen, 181). This now is too lamentable a face for a man; Some abject louse, asking leave to be-cr... ...rns of the poetry before him. For Whitman he felt he did not need to stick to a pattern, likewise he wanted his poetry to come to him randomly, "like music." For Whitman expression was the only purpose to his poetry and everything else was not important, (Allen, 212). Works Cited Allen, Gay Wilson. The New Walt Whitman Handbook. New York: New York University Press, 1975. Greenspan, Ezra, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Walt Whitman (Cambridge UP, 1995), Matthiessen, F.O. American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman. London, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1941. Owen, H. P. Concepts of Deity. London: Macmillan, 1971. Saintsbury, George. Review of Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman. Academy 10 (1874) http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pantheism/

The Significance of Family Meals in Faulkner’s Barn Burning, Shall Not Perish, and Two Soldiers :: Barn Burning Shall Not Perish Two Soldiers

The Significance of Family Meals in Faulkner’s Barn Burning, Shall Not Perish, and Two Soldiers The meal, and more specifically the concept of the family meal, has traditional connotations of comfort and togetherness. As shown in three of Faulkner’s short stories in â€Å"The Country†, disruptions in the life of the family are often reinforced in the plot of the story by disruptions in the meal. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, Abner enters the house at dusk and â€Å"could smell the coffee from the room where they would presently eat the cold food remaining from the afternoon meal.† (14) A warm meal would indicate fulfillment and cohesiveness within the family. The inclusion of the detail that the food was cold represents an inversion of these associations. The cold meal symbolizes the family’s distaste with Abner’s actions. The memory of the dinner lingers with the family as they get ready for bed and appears linked with negative images of â€Å"Where they had been were no long, water-cloudy scoriations resembling the sporadic course of a lilliputian moving machine.† (15) In addition, the emphasis that this dinner was in fact a left-over meal symbolizes that the pattern of Abner’s destructive behavior and its effects on his family will not change. In â€Å"Shall Not Perish†, Mother, Father, and the narrator receive news that Pete has died at war. Upon hearing the bad news, the family â€Å"fed and milked an came back and ate the cold supper.† (103) In this short story, the eating of cold food represents the cold, harsh realities of death and mourning. The family has been left with a permanent void and the disruption in the family meal serves to further illustrate this point. The mother in "Two Soldiers" is preparing to send her son Pete off to war. As Pete’s younger brother recalls, â€Å"Maw was getting Pete ready to go. She washed and mended his clothes and cooked him a shoe box of vittles.† (85) The mother’s desire to make sure Pete leaves with one last meal, shows her desire to still be able to nurture her son. This desire is inherent in the same way that faith is.

Ergonomics And The Workplace Health And Social Care Essay

The pattern of safety in workplace has seen unbelievable progresss as clip has gone, due to advancement in engineering, although there is still considerable sum of challenges that comes in signifier of hurts and unwellnesss ( Hopwood and Thompson, 2006 ) . This is where biotechnologies comes to play a function in doing the workplace safe for activities that would be carried out by the employee. Biotechnologies draws on many subjects in its survey of worlds and their environments, including anthropometry, biomechanics, mechanical technology, industrial technology, industrial design, kinesiology, physiology and psychological science ( Wikipedia, 2010 ) . Unsafe, unhealthy, uncomfortable or inefficient state of affairss at work or in mundane life are avoided by taking history of the physical and physiological capablenesss and restrictions of worlds ( Dul and Weerdmeester, 1993 ) . Human wellness and safety is at optimal scope when the workplace environmental parametric quantities are suited for the employee ( Story, 2010 ) . Each twelvemonth, ill designed merchandises and workplaces account for 1000s of hurts and skyrocketing costs. That is why biotechnologies the human factor in merchandise and workplace design is fast going a major concern of makers ( Gross, 1995 ) . This study is about how is about using and proper preparation on the usage of biotechnologies to mundane workplace can forestall life endangering unwellnesss, uncomfortableness, accidents, and how employers can salvage money by cut downing costs related to issues like workers ‘ compensation, absenteeism and bend over, as it makes operations more efficient by making work topographic point designs with fewer mistakes and better on workplace user friendliness ( MacLeod, 1995 ) , with the end of cut downing musculoskeletal uncomfortableness, addition work productiveness, efficiency and comfort, as an employee who is more comfy is more productive ( Meriano and Latella, 2008 ) . 1.1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to cognize what biotechnologies is all approximately and how it can be incorporated into the wellness and safety sector. The aims of this study are ; Reduce hazards factors associated with ill designed work Stationss and, To plan a workplace that is suited for the human organic structure instead than the human organic structure accommodating to workplace. To be able to place, step, control and supervise the occupational wellness hazards/agents in the workplace which may do ill-health to employees. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS? Biotechnologies is the scientific discipline of suiting workplace conditions and occupation demands to the capablenesss of the working population, it tends to look into work related jobs that poses a hazard of musculoskeletal upsets and ways of relieving them ( Cohen et al, 1997 ) . It is besides the applied scientific discipline that is devoted to supply comfort, efficiency and safety into the design of points in the work topographic point ( Shelly and Vermaat, 2010 ) , ergonomic intercession can profit both employer and employee ( Meriano and Latella, 2008 ) . The International Ergonomics Association defines biotechnologies as follows: Biotechnologies ( or human factors ) is the scientific subject concerned with the apprehension of interactions among worlds and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, rules, informations and methods to plan in order to optimise human wellbeing and overall system public presentation. A big figure of factors play a function in biotechnologies ; these include organic structure position and motion, environmental factors, information and operation every bit good as work organisation. Biotechnologies differs from other Fieldss by its interdisciplinary attack and applied nature ( Dul and Weerdmeester, 1993 ) . The benefits of biotechnologies include occupation satisfaction and enhanced worker motive, added problem-solving capablenesss, and greater credence of alteration. Involving staffs can assist to place occupation jeopardies, suggest ways to command these jeopardies and working with direction in make up one's minding how to set this control in topographic point. 2.2 WHO IS AN ERGONOMIST? An Ergonomist is one who has equal cognition of the relation between worlds ‘ wellness and worlds ‘ public presentation ( Schlick, 2009 ) taking into consideration the occupation, equipment used and information used ( hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomics ) . Harmonizing to Dul and Weerdmeester, 1993, the professional ergonomists can work for the governments ( statute law ) , developing establishments ( universities and colleges ) , research constitutions, the service industry ( consultancy ) and production sector ( occupational wellness services, forces sections, design sections, research sections, etc. ) , they besides wrote that the ergonomist highlights the countries where ergonomic cognition is indispensable, provides ergonomic guidelines and advises interior decorators, buyers, direction and employees, on which are more acceptable systems. 2.3 HISTORY OF ERGONOMICS: Science of Ergonomics dates back to 1717, when Bernadino Ramazzini, male parent of occupational medical specialty, speculated on factors within the work environment that contributed to his patients ‘ unwellnesss, he described violent and irregular gestures, dead set position and tonic strain on the musculus as factors that contributed to musculoskeletal strivings in his patients ( Meriano and Latella, 2008 ) . However, in the United Kingdom, biotechnologies started in 1917 in World War I when the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Medical Research Council were asked to look into industrial conditions, peculiarly of weaponries workers, this led to the constitution of Industrial Fatigue Research Board who performed research on above subject in 1929 because of the expanded range of work ( hours of work, preparation, accidents, illuming and airing, and design of the machinery. In 1949, the Ergonomics Research Society was established at a meeting held by a little group of research workers at the Admiralty ; this made the society the earliest to be formed in the universe ( Meister, 1999 ) . 2.4 LEGAL CONTROL OF ERGONOMICS: The jurisprudence serves as a critical map in complex societal scene as it provides criterions or guidelines that define unacceptable and acceptable human behavior. A breach in this jurisprudence can be considered misdemeanor of the jurisprudence and the transgressor could confront civil or condemnable punishments the legal system of every governmental legal power and at every degree of organized society must invariably accommodate to altering demands, so at that place has and will be a go oning gush of commanding Torahs. It is for this ground that the legal system is based on constructs of human mistakes. Liability bar or extenuation is the turning away of mistake by probe, analysis, rating, hazard appraisal, disciplinary action, and preventative redresss. The chance of a scientist or applied scientist holding contact with jurisprudence is high, it is wise to go familiar with the country of web ( Marras and Karwowski, 2006 ) , as there are a myriad of functions that can be played in province or federal common jurisprudence actions, workers ‘ compensation instances, allegations of statutory misdemeanors, arbitrations or mediations, authorities bureau hearings, or commendations affecting Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) , Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) ( Vinal, 1999 ) . Harmonizing to Health and Safety at Work ( HASAW ) Act 1974, which is statute law, it states that ; it is the responsibility of the employer to transport out a hazard appraisal in the work topographic point. Failure to this is regarded as a breach in the jurisprudence and has its effects. 2.5 METHODS OF UNDERTAKING ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT The cardinal end of human-centered technology is to fit human features such as organic structure size, strengths and failings, and capablenesss and penchants with the relevant properties of equipment, undertakings, and process ( Kroemer, 2006 ) . The different methods used in the appraisal of biotechnologies include ; I Physical methods II Psycho physiological methods III Behavioural and Cognitive Methods IV Team methods V Environmental methods VI Macroergonomics methods ( Stanton et al. , 2005 ) All these methods make usage of the following techniques listed below ; Measurement squads Anthropometric techniques Measuring energetic capablenesss Measuring musculus strength Measuring mental work load Measuring vision capablenesss Systematic assemblage of information The ideal field appraisal tools used should possess the undermentioned properties ; Predictive: the tool should supply prognostic step of hazard of musculoskeletal hurt, Robust: can be used in any work state of affairs, Cheap: tool can be available at minimum pecuniary cost, Non-invasive: should non impact when worker performs or procedure work flow, Quick: appraisal could be performed rapidly, Easy to utilize: tool could be used with minimum preparation, ( Marras and Karwowski, 2006 ) . 3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.1 INTEGRATED ERGONOMICS ASSESSMENT FOR THE WORK STATION For the intent of this appraisal to be done, several protocols would hold to be met. The first thing that would be done is to acquire a work station that can be used to transport out an ergonomics appraisal, and the Help Desk in the Learning Resource Centre ( LRC ) has been selected. A proposed meeting was set up with the Manager of the LRC to acquire permission to transport out the appraisal, the director approved of this and forwarded necessary messages to the supervisors in the LRC who helped in finishing the undertaking. A confidentiality questionnaire was handed to one of the supervisors, which was filled and returned and would be used as a point of mention in the consequences. Using anthropometric method of ergonomic hazard appraisal, measuring of the work station would be taken utilizing a measurement tape and images snapped for farther grounds of the work station for biotechnologies assessment. Ergonomics appraisal on the work station would be done on the footing of the under taking carried out. The undertaking carried out in the Help Desk in the LRC involves assisting pupils use the computing machine systems to turn up books in the library and assisting to set up books in shelves. For this ground, there is the demand to jump between sitting down and standing. Below is a chart that shows a program on how the work would be carried out. Observation Hazard Identification Biotechnologies Assessment Evaluation Hazard Validation Control and proctor Reappraisal Chart 1: Flow Plan on the methodological analysis of the ergonomic appraisal. 4.0 RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATION The peculiar work station selected for this biotechnology was carefully observed for the different undertaking carried out to see if there is any job associated with the work topographic point. Anthropometric technique was used to transport out this work by acquiring measurings of the work topographic point. 4.1 Observation: The aid desk offered aid in transporting out this work after permission was granted by the Manager of the LRC. Looking carefully at the manner work was done and inquiring inquiries from the staff being monitored were put into consideration, besides exposure were taken to besides acquire a clear image of how the employee carries out the undertaking. Fig 1: A Staff transporting out her responsibilities on a Ocular Display Unit. 4.2 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION: jeopardy designation was obtained chiefly by inquiring inquiries from the employee on the work station, doing usage of a questionnaire and sing the work station for possible activities that may do wellness upset ( s ) and affect the employee. Health and Safety at Work ( HASAW ) Act 1974 demands that the employer should do certain that employers carry out a hazard appraisal in the work environment to guarantee safety of staffs. See consequence in table 1 below. Table 1: Hazard Identification on the aid desk.HazardHazard facetImpact/ EffectPosition Hunched position ( ensuing from weariness and long hours of working ) Stiffness of the dorsum, cervix, and carpus from working excessively long on the Visual Display Unit Assortment of wellness jobs, like caved shoulders, muscular instabilities, rounding of the upper dorsum and a inclination to tilt frontward while walking. Incidence of lower dorsum upsets. Motion Distortion of the waist, cervix, stretching the manus and retention in that place for a long clip ( striving musculuss in the manus ) Pain and strain on cervix musculuss and waist. Stress on musculuss of the weaponries while stretching causes weariness of the arm musculus. Ocular Display Unit ( VDU ) , keyboard and mouse. Fixed place of the cervix when staring at the VDU, and emphasis on fingers from excessively much typewriting, writhing and flexing of the carpus when managing the mouse. Makes the employee aware of some oculus defects that he/she was non cognizant of. Striving of the weaponries to make the mouse and distortion of the carpus to acquire to the keyboard and catching the mouse. 4.3 ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT: Biotechnologies appraisal on the work station showed that the design of the station has a moderate mark as it accommodates the employee and has a low hazard degree. Below is a tabular array of the entire ergonomic hazard factor and how it was derived. Table 2: Ergonomic Work Position Evaluation. Assessed by: Igho Date:14/12/2010 Ergonomic Evaluation Risk Factor Static Points Comments/Action Work Positions ( Siting ) 0 platinums 2 platinums 4 platinums v if 20 secs + X 3 if inactive Neck ( Flexion ) flexing caput frontwardvv6 Moderate Shoulders ( Raising cubituss )vv6 Moderate Wrists/Handsvv6 Moderate Back ( flexure ) flexing frontward at the hipsvv12 High Hiking Shouldersvv0 Low Writhing ( falsely with pess stationary )vv0 Low Table 3: Undertaking factor Evaluation Undertaking Factors Points Awarded Muscle force Low v Moderate High 0 Vibration Low v Moderate High 0 Lighting Good v Fair Poor 0 Workplace Temperature Comfortable v Warm/Cool Hot/Cold 0 Table 4: Hazard Factor sum on the work station. Risk Factor entire Risk Factor Points Total Comments/Action 0 platinums 2 platinums 4pts Work Positions 0 – 7 8 – 15 16 pts+ = 4 High ( 8-12 ) Undertaking factors 0 – 8 9 – 15 16 pts+ = 0 = 4 Moderate ( 4 – 7 ) Raising 0 – 7 8 – 13 14 pts+ = 0 Low ( 0 – 3 ) Table 5: Key Descriptor Scale Form Consequence Control 0-3 Low Little or no ailments of musculus achings and strivings Taking of short clip interruptions 4-7 Moderate Stress and weariness on musculuss which is tolerable Choice of an employee to supervise how undertakings are being carried out 8-12 High Work Musculoskeletal upset, inactive burden on musculuss leads to painful weariness on musculuss Decrease of work that can do musculoskeletal upset and preparation of staffs to go more cognizant of ergonomic hazard factors related to musculoskeletal upsets. Below is a study on the work station used in the LRC, measured in centimeter. 48cm 24cm 96cm 48cm 72cm Floor Fig 1: Sketch and measuring of the work station. The study above can be compared to the British criterion dimension to cognize if the mensural work station meets up with the criterion. Table 6: Work topographic point measuring compared with British Standard Dimension Measured Work Station British Standard Dimension ( 5th – 95th Percentile ( assorted Population 19 – 65 year ) Popliteal tallness 48cm 44cm Thigh Clearance 23cm Table Height ( Popliteal height + Siting Elbow tallness ) 72cm 68.5cm Siting Shoulder Height Position 57cm 59cm Back remainder 48cm Hazard VALIDATION Based on the production of a well ergonomically equipped work station, a good control and reappraisal of the work station, and everything put in order, information and preparation of employees there may still be a job that can present as a menace to the work topographic point. This can be seen in workers habit ; sitting frontward on the chair, sitting in the center of the chair, tilting on arm remainder and back remainder, weaponries resting on the tabular array are some illustrations of employees habit, and this can ensue in intervertebral phonograph record hurts and back jobs as the musculuss of the dorsum are easy stressed. CONTROL AND MONITORING To command occupational wellness and safety hazards, betterment of public presentation and benefits in work topographic points in order to extinguish or minimise hazard to employees and other interested parties exposed to hazards associated with its activities, it is necessary to implement, keep and continually better occupational wellness and safety in the work topographic point. The followers can be used to command and supervise ongoing activities and undertakings in the work topographic point ; Avoid Unnatural Position: flexing the trunk/head sideways is more harmful than flexing forward The on the job country should be located so that it is at the best distance from the eyes of the operator. Hand clasp, stuffs and tools should be arranged in such a manner that the most frequent motions are carried out with the cubituss set and near to the organic structure. Manipulations can be made easier by utilizing supports under the cubituss, forearms or custodies. Padded/soft warm stuffs that can be adjustable to suite people of different sizes. It is indispensable that the workplace should be suited to the organic structure size and mobility of the operator/employee, since neutral/natural positions and motions are a necessary portion of efficient work. Neck and caput position: caput and cervix should non be dead set frontward by more than 30 grades when the bole is vertical, else weariness and problems may happen. 4.6 Reappraisal Having seen that ergonomically, the work station is tolerable, and staffs have been informed on how to place themselves whilst working, there is need to reexamine work pattern every three months to guarantee and implement that the manner of working is still in topographic point to avoid hurts that may hold built up with clip. 4.7 Recommendation After mensurating the work station and comparing with the British criterion measuring, it is recommended that the chair ( adjustable ) should be adjusted to suit the user so as to acquire the comfortability needed in order non to emphasize and strive musculuss in the dorsum and pess. The mouse and Visual display unit should be ergonomically put in topographic point to the comfort of the operator, to cut down tenseness and strain to the eyes, custodies and carpus Biotechnology POLICY AND CONCLUSION 5.1 ERGONOMICS Policy: The intent of this policy is to endeavor staffs to adhere to guidelines in the work topographic point with the purpose of guaranting a safe working environment every bit good as to convey wellness jeopardy to a lower limit. It is the direction ‘s duty to transport out responsibilities under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and other statute law including amendments to guarantee safe working patterns and work environment. For this ground, the aid desk shall stay to the undermentioned guidelines ; Biotechnologies attempts shall be embedded, maintained and preserved on the aid desk in Learning Resource Centre ( LRC ) to guarantee a safe and healthy work topographic point environment for employees. Cooperation of work force in doing certain that ergonomic betterment is realised. ( Joint attempt of directors, supervisors, employees and other back uping staffs ) Appellation of station to a responsible employee to look into that workers are good positioned, to forestall Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the work station. Training of staffs to be more cognizant of ergonomic hazard factors related to Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders. Informing staffs about biotechnologies and its hazard factors can assist to cut down cost of intervention of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders, as the budgeted cost can be used as employees ‘ benefits. This policy would be implemented and reviewed three times a twelvemonth to guarantee that the wellness conditions of the employees are in order, to cut down money spent on handling employees for work related musculoskeletal upsets. This policy would be handed to each staff through information and preparations and in written signifier. 5.2 Decision After a thorough ergonomic scrutiny of the aid desk in the LRC, and measuring the working environment, proper biotechnologies rating was done and command steps put in Topographic point every bit good as a policy for the safety and wellness of the employees so as to cut down opportunities of the hazard of holding a staff complain about a work related musculoskeletal upset. Control measures used after ergonomic appraisal and hazard proof was carried out is to assist in cut downing the opportunities of acquiring a work related musculoskeletal upset and cost of intervention from hurts sustained ( if any at all, sing the tolerable sum derived from the rating and opportunities of any hurt sustained, this is as a consequence of proper preparation of the staffs ) .

An essay about a social world

An essay about a social network Faceable is one of the most important social network today, and one of the most popular sites from the internet. Social network sites (Sons) were always popular and people seemed to be attracted by the idea of creating a profile where they can put information about them and keep in contact with their friends, or even look for dates, jobs and many others. But with Faceable, the idea of a social network site became much more important, because it grew so big that it became a link that people accessed every day, and in a way or another, it is an important thing in many people lives.It all started with the young Mark Seersucker and his college roommates. In the beginning it was called Faces, which was comparable to Hot or Not, a website where Harvard's students could vote between two pictures Of girls from college, deciding which one was hotter. The site was created with the help of hacking, and this was the reason why it was shut down. After this failure, Mark tried a new site that was called tablecloth. Mom, but he was caused of stealing the idea from three Harvard seniors, Cameron Winkles, Divvy Narrated and Tyler Winkles, who asked him to help them create Harmoniousness's com that was based on a similar idea as Faceable. This led to a lawsuit that became huge and created a lot of problems with time. But still, nothing stopped the growing of Faceable. Soon, it was opened to other big colleges and even then it was easily noticeable that the site had something extremely addictive. In 2005, Mark launched a high-school version of Faceable and soon after that the membership was expanded to employees of several companies.Faceable was officially opened to everyone of age 13 and older with a valid email address. The value of the site constantly grew and most of the important companies wanted a share of it. The number of people that had a Faceable profile increased shockingly. If in august 2008 there were 100 million users, and this year i n September there were 800 million, a number that is actually almost unbelievable. It even seems that this website can easily become the most important â€Å"list' of people in the world, a huge contact book of almost everybody that lives in civilization.One of the most important things that Faceable did, was the fact that they asked their users to use their real name, and for the internet that was a big deal. Before Faceable, most people that accessed the World Wide Web were anonymous, and many of them enjoyed it. People could say anything and be anyone on the internet, and even if it was fun and interesting to be whoever you wanted online, in many ways it was dangerous. It is not healthy, especially for children to be able to be and say anything on the internet, because in a way or another it can bring out the worst in them and not only.Faceable changed that, not completely but it made a pretty big impact. The fact that it expanded all over the internet at the point that you can connect to Faceable from most besides, made the internet a little more real, the anonymity not being such a big problem anymore. One of the questions that is on everybody mind is why and how is Faceable so popular and successful? When there were many other Sons that had almost the same idea before it and weren't as close as huge. Sons are popular for a number of reasons and one of the most important one and actually the main one is the human need to socialize. people love to know things about each other, love to â€Å"stalk† their acquaintances, to look at pictures with them, to see what they like, where hey were what they did and in the same time they love to show other people things about themselves. People are so addicted to watching other people that they wake up looking at profiles of persons that they don't even know. They actually tend to use social networks to show who they are, but mostly the social profiles cannot really be trusted, because they don't usually define a person.People put on their profiles what they want others to think about them, they choose the pictures that they want to show and so and, in the end, creating maybe a different virtual person. O, we can Say that Sons are popular because Of the need Of humans to gossip about relationships and the need to know everything about everybody. But why Faceable is so popular? Probably because it's very easy to use, it's accessible to everybody and it's very simple. Everything is clear and it has all the necessary things that a Sons has, and even more.After it became popular, the reason why everybody created a profile was because all of their friends had one too. Faceable without people you know on it would be very boring, because that's the main reason why we use it. Its not a dating site, ND it's not a site where you go to meet new people, its a site were you go see your existing ones and connect with them. It's very useful because it's a great way to always keep in contact with people you know, even from the past. Another thing about Faceable†¦ Well, Faceable took stalking to a completely another lever.If you don't have good intentions and you are searching on Faceable†¦ For example rapist or thieves, they are in the perfect place, just like a little kid in a pool of candy. If you are a regular F-casebook user or an addicted one which is worse, they know were you are, where you are going to events for example), what places do you like, who are your friends, when you are out of country and many more. All of this makes it easier for thieves, who can rob your home because they now you are not there and for creeps and rapist that can find you easily.No more old school stalking behind a wheel, now it's behind a monitor. Faceable changes the way we socialize in a radical way. Before, when you met somebody you had to talk with that person for hours to know things about him/her, like what kind of movies does that person like, what sports he/her practice, who ar e their friends, ex legislations and so on, but now, they are at a click away, all this information. Now, most people when they meet somebody new, go after and check their profile and in a way or another think that they already know that person.I think this is not a good think, it influences alarm it makes face to face communication not so important anymore and supports the concerning problem of young people that have a problem of communicating â€Å"live?', as in they are so used to typing and not talking that they find the second one as natural as the first. Yes, it's the need to socialize, to communicate, to show strictures of us, to see pictures of others, to let everybody know what are you listening to, what are you doing at the moment, the need to see how many people like that you are in a certain place, or that you are eating soup.Like most things in life, it's good, but not in a excessive way. As anything that people like, at some point it creates addiction. The question is , is Faceable a real addiction danger? A lot of people check their Faceable dozens of times a day and stay for hours and hours just checking profiles, posting things on their wall, looking at pictures and so on. I don't say that having a Faceable ND spending some time on it it's bad, but losing hours and hours of your life just studying what other people do its actually bad. But honestly, I don't think it's actually dangerous.In life, anything can be addictive, and accusing something Of being entertaining enough to become addictive its stupid and unnecessary. It's the people who are the problem, when they feel the need to spend so much time on Faceable, not Passbook's. As a conclusion, we can ask many questions. Why is Faceable so popular after all? Is Faceable a good thing? Does the internet becoming a concerning important part in our life? There are a lot of answers, but we have to admit that today, we can't imagine a life without the internet and without social networks and this is a reality we have to accept.It's an amazing thing what we can do today with all the technology and with everything that we can do online, the thing is that we don't have to let it lose control. I think that with us spending so much time on the internet, we leave a lot of information about us there that can be easily traceable. Is that dangerous? It could be, but after all, how much is safe to share on Faceable? There are a lot of questions that we want to find answers o, and with time, we will find them. Faceable, from my point of view, it's a good thing.

Economies Of The Middle East. Essay

According to the CIA world Fact Book Bahrain is located in the Middle East on the eastern side of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain’s climate is arid though characterized by hot and humid summers while the winters are pleasant. (CIA,2008). According to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Bahrain is an archipelago which is comprised of 33 islands and is sandwiched between the east coast of Saudi Arabia and the Qatar peninsula. Bahrain has an advantage in as far as tourism is concerned given her richness in geographical features like the sandy beaches as well as the coral reefs. It also has various museums, archeological sites and traditional markets which are all a plus to her competitiveness. Bahrain is also well known for her liberalistic tendencies in the Middle East region. (Council for International Exchange of Scholars). Being an Arab country, Islam is the most practiced religion although other religions which form less than 25% of the total population are allowed to take place. They include Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism as well as Judaism. In such a set up, where 85% of the total population is Muslim it is only natural that Arabic is the official language. However, English is used in the learning institutions as well as when conducting business. This paper will give an in depth analysis of Bahrain. The US department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs pointed out that in 2007 the population of Bahrain was 708,535 out of which a tune of 32% comprised of non nationals. Statistics of the same year also indicated that annual population growth rate was at 1. 39%. In accessing the composition of the Bahrain population by ethnic background it was established that Bahrainis recorded the largest proportion at 63%, Asians were next with 19% while the Arabs and Iranians were 10% and 8% respectively. The US department of State estimated that Islam is the religion observed by approximately 98% of the total population. It also estimated that other languages used in addition to English and Arabic included Farsi and Urdu. A unique characteristic of the education system in Bahrain is the fact that although it is not compulsory, it is offered for free at all levels. Estimates taken in the period 1991 to 2001 indicated that there was a high rate of school attendance at 84%. In the year 2003 it was established that the overall adult literacy levels for those aged 15 years and above stood at 89. 1% while the rate differed across the genders. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Males had a higher rate at 91. 9% while females registered a lower rate at 85%. Bahrain finances her citizen’s educational needs from incomes attained from her generous investment in oil reserves. The importance of the year 1920 in as far as the education of Bahrain cannot be underscored as it was at this time that the first public school which served both sexes was introduced. There are 2 universities or high learning institutions where people are able to improve their credibility levels in the job market. To cater for the health needs of her population there is a health science college which offers specified skills in the various medical fields like nursing, pharmacy. According to the 2007 statistics the infant mortality rate was at 16. 18 deaths/1000 live births while the life expectancy for males was 5 years lower than that of the females which was 77 years. Statistics from 2006 estimated that approximately 352,000 people formed the Bahrain labor or work force out of which a tune of 44% was foreigners. The US department of State also estimates that Bahrain is among the highly dense populated states and most of her population settled in the capital city Manama. A considerable percentage of Bahrain’s workforce is comprised of foreigners due to the ‘foreigner – friendly’ policies by the government. Although the naturalization process evokes contrasting views among the Bahraini’s it has seen approximately 10% of the total populations attain Bahraini nationality. Critics argue that the procedures or rather criteria applied could jeopardize the country’s security especially when foreigners previously working with sensitive departments like security are naturalized. There are 2 types of Muslims in the Bahrain state. About 2/3 of the people from the indigenous group are shi’a Muslims while prominent people in the society like the ruling family, numerous members of the government and the military as well as leaders in the state form the Sunni Muslim. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). According to the CIA world fact book, the birth rate using 2008 estimates was 17. 26/1000 population while the death rate at the same year was at 4. 29deaths/1000 population. The rate of net migration was estimated to be 0. 4 migrants/1000 population. CIA also estimated that the sex ratios for the total population stood at 1. 25 males/females in 2008. 2008 estimates also had it that the total infant mortality rate was at 15. 64 deaths/1000 live births while that of females was at 12. 93 deaths/1000 live births. In 2006, the school life expectancy of both primary levels to tertiary education was 15 years though it varied across the genders with males recording a lower expectancy at 14 years while females lagged behind at 16 years. 2001 statistics indicated that approximately 86. 5% of the total population could read and write with males recording a higher rate at 88. 6% and females at 83. 6%. In 1991 the government spent approximately 3. 9% of the GDP to finance the education sector. (CIA,2008). The government in Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy with 5 administrative divisions namely Asamah, Janilyah, Muharraq, shamliyah and wasat. She attained her independence on the 15th of August 1971from the UK. In 2002, on the 14th of February she adopted a constitution that was to be followed. The laws consist of the English law but blended with the Islam laws. The universal suffrage is at 20 years meaning any one above that age has the right to vote. There are three branches of government, the executive, legislative as well as the judiciary. The executive is comprised of the King Hamad bin Isa al- Khalifa who took over in March 1999. the king is the chief of the Bahrain state. The Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa is the head of government and he has held this position since 1971. The monarchy has the responsibility of appointing the cabinet and the prime minister too but the monarchy is hereditary. (CIA,2008). King Hamad Isa al- Khalifa succeeded his father who died in 1999 after being in power for approximately 38 years. King Hamad can be commended for various reforms in Bahrain especially his zest to introduce democracy by changing the current system that was purely a ‘hereditary emirate’ to a ‘constitutional monarchy’. (CIA,2008). His efforts precipitated to a referendum in 2001 for the National Action Charter which approximately 94. 8% of the Bahrain voters endorsed. Another significant act by King Hamad was setting free of most political detainees and prisoner most of whom had been exiled, detained or imprisoned from as early as in the 1970’s for posing ‘security threats’ to Bahrain. Kind Hamad did away with the state security law and court which made it possible to detain people for up to 3 years without trial. The constitutional reforms Hamad introduced saw to it that a bicameral parliament which had a representative from the lower house was operational. Another aspect different from what was initially the trend was the creation of an independent body which was to act as ‘watchdog’ over corruption allegations such as the embezzlement of public funds. This was a way of increasing accountability and transparency in the region. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Hamad’s efforts were however not without challenges as for instance there were protests against the provisions he enacted on the constitution from members of the Shi’a community. The 2002 election made a mark in the political history of Bahrain as it was at this time when the first woman was elected in parliament. The legislature branch comprises of the 40 member consultative council and the 40 member chamber of deputies. The election of the two councils is different in the sense that the former is elected by the kind while the latter is determined through a direct election. Elections are held after 4 years with the last one in 2006. The judicial system of Bahrain is comprised of a combination of courts adhering to the English laws as well as the Islamic laws or religious and tribal laws. Hamad also made significant reforms in the judiciary when he set a separate branch to over see it. The king’s son or crown prince is the head of the commander in chief of the state’s defense force and the king’s successor. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Democracy in Bahrain, however is limited to the fact that political parties are discouraged and this had been the case for many decades but with the rise of Hamad to power political societies were allowed to operate (CIA) According to the CIA world fact book Bahrain attracts foreign direct investment a factor that has made various multinational companies settle there and carry out business. This is to the country’s advantage economically. Similar to other gulf countries the role of petroleum in stirring economic growth and development cannot be underscored. It is estimated that petroleum products attribute to over 60% of her total exports which contribute to a tune of 70% of the total government revenues. The petroleum industries directly contribute to approximately 11% of the country’s GDP. Bahrain is also rich in aluminum which is the second largest export. (CIA, 2008). The US department of state noted that other natural resources in Bahrain included textiles, natural gas, fish and pearls. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007).