Saturday, August 31, 2019

Formulate and implementation of research question following agreed procedures and to specifications Essay

How can Ferrero attract more customers to its brand therefore increasing its market share in Shanghai? Reason to choose this working titleï ¼Å¡ China’s economic development and social openness is growing, and larger imports of goods from abroad. Rising income levels and growing interest for western products have been driving chocolate confectionery demand in the last decades. With double-digit growth year after year, the market offers huge opportunities for development but also requires foreign companies the implementation of consistent marketing strategies and proper targeting to meet local consumers buying patterns. As for Ferrero, there are already many chocolate brands in China market, such as Dove and Mï ¼â€ M. So, it is really important to ensure the present strategy of Ferrero is appropriate for China market, and the methods of how to attract more customers. In order to appeal to more customers by enhancing Ferrero’s market sale in China becomes the mainly concept in my research. Background of Ferrero History of Ferrero In 1946, Pietro Ferrero invented a cream of hazelnuts and cocoa, derived from Gianduja and to be spread on bread, and called it Pasta Gianduja. Ferrero created the new company to produce and market it. Later on his sons became joint chief executives. Michele Ferrero modified his father’s recipe to produce Nutella, which was first sold in 1964 and has become popular around the world. The company places great emphasis on secrecy, reportedly to guard against industrial espionage. It has never held a press conference and does not allow media visits to its plants. Ferrero’s products are made with machines designed by an in-house engineering department. Products In addition to Nutella, Ferrero produces many other products, including Ferrero Rocher, Pocket Coffee, Mon Chà ©ri, Giotto, Confetteria Raffaello coconut cream candy, Hanuta chocolate hazelnut-filled wafers, the Kinder line of products, as well as the Tic Tac breath mints. Ferrero also produces the Kinder product series and The company received an innovation award for the frozen products called â€Å"Gran Soleil† in March 2011. The main background and related research content Ferrero is an Italian manufacturer of chocolate and other confectionery products. It was founded by confectioner Pietro Ferrero in 1946 in Alba, Piedmont, Italy. Reputation Institute’s 2009 survey ranks Ferrero as the most reputable company in the world. Ferrero is a private company owned by the Ferrero family and has been described as â€Å"one of the world’s most secretive firms†. The Ferrero Group worldwide – now headed by CEO Giovanni Ferrero – includes 38 trading companies, 18 factories and approximately 21,500 employees. Ferrero International SA’s headquarters is in Luxembourg. Its German factory is the largest of all and Pasquale Giorgio is its current CEO. High quality, crafted precision, product freshness, careful selection of the finest raw materials, respect and consideration for customers: these are Ferrero’s â€Å"key words† and values which have helped make its confectionery well-known and loved by millions of cons umers all over the world. And I will focus on how to attract consumers through the advantages of products for Ferrero in the competitive market. Purpose The aim of this essay is to conduct a market research to explore the opportunities that Ferrero can still exploit in the chocolate market in China. Moreover, the objective of my tentative research will be listed as follows. Theories and marketing concepts are used to analysis the Chinese consuming behavior, which plays a very important role in shaping the market of chocolate. Environment has to offer in relation to the features and the objectives of the company analyzed, the research focuses on the marketing strategy adopted by Ferrero in China. The evolution of its marketing approach is studied into details, in order to highlight what are the key success factors for Ferrero. Ferrero’s marketing tools, data collected from  the survey and a case study are applied to develop viable marketing strategies that aim to take full advantage of a market that offers considerable resources still unexplored by the company. Findings reveal that the possibilities for Ferrero to expand in t he market of chocolate for self-consumption in China are enormous. According to these, this essay is going to analysis the SWOT and PEST of Ferrero. And find out how Ferrero takes into consideration local consumers’ needs and wants in the formation of the marketing mix of its products. Scope Ferrero is an international company, and Corporation engages in a diverse range of businesses, so I just research the Ferrero’s market sale in China chocolate market. I will find out a theoretical review regarding the implementation of a complete and sound market analysis, executed through the application of theoretical models, information and data collected from appropriate and academic research and surveys conducted on the field. Besides, I am going to gather information from outside through questionnaire format to investigate local customers in two weeks. Not only hand out questionnaires to the public in the open, but also distribute them by e-mail or website. And I will interview some marketing personnel who worked in hypermarkets to perfect the information resources. Theoretical framework For the part of theoretical framework, SWOT and PEST will full-scale propose about advantage and disadvantage of Ferrero’s market sale in China. a) SWOT S: 1. Brand advantage: being the first company to introduce chocolate in the country soon after its reopening to the outside world, Ferrero succeeded in establishing its chocolate as a luxurious and exotic product. 2. Marketing benefit: do not have joint venture enterprises and manufacturers in China. Make the decision more flexible with fewer risks. 3. Source of origin in Europe: the country of origin is Italy. 4. Technological superiority: possesses of more than 60 years’ experience and advanced craft technology of making chocolate. 5. Quality advantage: regardless of cost, has always been sticking to the best natural raw material, including hazelnut, cocoa, and  coffee beans. W: 1. Sales disadvantage: there is no production factory in China, so it carries many time-consuming in the transport. 2. The price is too expensive. 3. Without some sort of specific policies: compared with China’s domestic brands of chocolate, Ferrero lack of government policies to protect its market sale. 4. The lack of brand management: copies are full of Chinese market. For example, intellectual property rights cases of Montresor (zhangjiagang) food co. Ltd. O: 1. The chocolate market in China has great development potential: Rising income levels and growing interest for western products have been driving chocolate confectionery demand in the last decades, the China chocolate market offers huge opportunities for development. 2. For competitors: for example, Leconte did not set up the premium brand image. And it is a opportunity for Ferrero. T: There are too much competitors in the chocolate high-end market; Ferrero has only a limited presence in China’s marketplace, which is 2.32%. b) PEST Political: China’s entry into the WTO, international trade and further strengthening of internal and external communication become more and more. Also it is the main reason that Ferrero can enter the Chinese market. Italy is in the European Union: In recent years, China trades more with the EU than any other partner. The products of Ferrero certified by SGS, food safety certification, IOS and GMP Economic: There is an expanding market in China for chocolate Cost-conscious Increasing of average Chinese income Social-cultural: Chinese customers become more health conscious Chocolate shows how people’s physical and cultural lives are changing Have been retained by Ferrero loyalty Technology: Strengthen the development of new tastes Continuous improvement in terms of chocolate preservation Growth of internet use to increase demand for online and mobile phone shopping Conclusion (size 14) (Insert conclusion text here – size 12) Recommendations (size 14) (Insert recommendations here in BULLET POINT FORMAT – size 12) List of references – Harvard References (size 16) (List references here in Harvard format – size 12) (If you are having problems with referencing – see your lecturer for guidance)

Friday, August 30, 2019

Worldview Assignment

I. Worldview is the manner in which an individual (or society) philosophy in regards to life and their environment. Each person, due to upbringing or life experiences, has a manner in which they interpret the environment around them. Due to these differences, every person’s perception of the world is different. While some worldviews may share common interests, none are the same. II. 1. The Question of Origin – The Christian Worldview of Origin speaks of the manner in which God created the earth and all that lives. This can be detailed in the book of Genesis 1:1:31 (ESV) â€Å"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, â€Å"Let there be light,† and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. † 2. The Question of Identity – The Christian Worldview of Identity is that God created us to his image and likeness, and in this way we are made to represent Him and honor Him.This can be detailed in Genesis 1:27 (ESV) â€Å"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them† and Matthew 5:48 (ESV) â€Å"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. † 3. The Question of Meaning/Purpose – The Christian Worldview of Meaning and Purpose is that we must strive to develop and strengthen our relationship with God. This can be described under 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) â€Å"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness†. 4. The Question of Morality –The Christian Worldview of Morality lies in the fact that as we must b e righteous, forgiving and always do the right thing for the right reason. This is detailed in Romans 13:8-10 where it says â€Å"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, â€Å"You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,† and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: â€Å"You shall love your neighbor as yourself. † Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 5. The Question of Destiny – The Christian Worldview of Destiny states that God predetermines our destiny and that failure is not a permanent state, since redemption is always possible. This can be seen in Psalm 138:8 (ESV) â€Å"The  Lord  will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O  Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. † III. Part Three: How might/should a biblical worldview influe nce the way you [Refer specifically to how biblical worldview beliefs influence your answer] choose only two of these: 6. think about, treat, and speak to others on a daily basis? Biblical Christian Worldviews influence my daily habits in positive ways that have made me more ethical and less judgmental. As a Christian, our identity is defined as being in likeness with our creator. God forgives, teaches and loves us as we are, and I in turn, try to do the same to everyone I encounter. Further, the morality aspect of our Christian Worldview asks that I be truthful and do everything for the right reason. My worldview beliefs keep me grounded and my spirit in peace.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Equilibrium Experiments

Aim: To investigate the theory of equilibrium via the completion of two experiments which rely on the use of equations TPLcos? +TPMcos?, which can be rewritten as (Mass Ag) cos?+(Mass Bg) cos?. For the second part of the investigation I will try to prove the equation (W*x)/d +weight of a ruler. Introduction In this investigation I will carry out two experiments, which in each case will prove a different aspect of the theory of equilibrium. There are two theories' I wish to prove. The first is † tension (Tpl) in the string Pl is equal to the weight of A and tension in the string pm (Tpm) is equal to the weight of B. For equilibrium the sum of the vertical components of these two tensions must be equal to the weight of c. Which means that: Tpl cos? + Tpmcos? = MassCg which can be written as (MassAg) cos ? +(MassBg) cos ? = MassCg (equ 1) Also: the moment of a force about a point is equal to the magnitude of the force x its perpendicular distance from the pivot. For equilibrium, the moment of the weight about the pivot will be equal to the moment in the opposite direction due to the weight of the ruler. Therefore (W*x)= weight of the ruler times distance d Weight of ruler = (W*x)/d. (equ 2) Diagram Method for experiment a 1. Set up the arrangement shown in figure 1, check that the point p is in equilibrium. 2. Note the value of masses A, B, and C and measure the angles LPO ? and MPO ?. 3. Keep masses A and B constant and note the new value of angles ? and ? for different values of mass C 4. Record results in tabular from. Method for experiment b 1. Set up apparatus as in fig 2. 2. Find point of equilibrium. 3. Note value for the mass used and the distances x and d. 4. Repeat last two stages for several sets of masses and record results in tabular form Calculation These where done on paper by hand for ease of presentation Error Analysis I have generated my errors on the fact that I thought that I could only read the I choose the error of. The way in which I got the final answer out was to run through the calculation twice, once with the answer I got – the error and then again this time with the answer I got + the error. I think that in the first experiment I was a little over the top with the error. I said that I could read the angle to about 5. But when I did the calculation again with the new values. I found that the gap was quite large. And that I was quite close to the true value and that although the value did fall in the gap, the gap could have been a lot smaller. This say to me that the error need not have been so large, and that I read the angle quite well. For exp B Conclusion In conclusion I have found out that equ 1 stand true. In the aim I set out to see if I could prove it I have put in all the results. The answers I get out are generally good. They are the same as the mass or in the cases were they are not they are close and fall well in the range of the errors. Problems with this experiment: the main problem I had with this experiment is the way I was told to find the angle. This way was not that accurate. It left a large margin for error. This is some of the anomalies may have crept in. For the second of the two experiments I found that the mass of the ruler was 0.128g. This was obtained by weighting the ruler on a set of scales. After putting the numbers through the formula for weight of ruler, and then dividing the output by g, which was 10, I managed to get a value for the mass of the ruler. On average this value was 0.119g, which is only about 7% away form the real mass of 0.128g.on farther analysis and after calculating the upper and lower bounds by changing the results by adding or subtracting the errors I found that the outcome from adding the errors to the results and the outcome from subtracting the errors was the same, 0.119g. This meant that the error was not a large enough value to affect the results a significant way. Therefore finally I found that the mass on the ruler to 0.119g this is 7% out for the value, which I recorded as the mass for the ruler. The reason for this is unknown. I can only guess to the reason. One possibility is the mass I recorded for the ruler was out. And as my results are so consistent this is a large possibility.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Role of Women in African Society Term Paper

The Role of Women in African Society - Term Paper Example According to various kinds of literature published on development issues by The International Monitory Fund and the World Bank, the conditions of African women living in Sub-Saharan Africa is probably the bleakest on earth (Blackden 34) One cannot but recoil in shock and revulsion at the way women have been facing the twin trauma of being denied their basic human rights that every nation is supposed to guarantee to their citizens and the misfortune of being subjugated with callous disregard and disrespect in their own families. For many African women, daily life is a nightmarish reality and sheer horror, with diseased and impoverished children and community living in appalling conditions. To add insult to injury, African women customarily face the demeaning prospect of being abandoned by their husbands whose behavior could even unreservedly turn violent. Recent observations in Africa reveal that it is not uncommon for a woman to be banished from their homes and even community, resulting in untold pain, suffering, and humiliation to the woman. (Blackden 34). Nevertheless, the story does not always end in despair and tragedy. The story revolves around Ramatoulaye, a prototype of the writer herself, and the enigma and frustration she goes through as a result of abandonment by her husband for a younger girl who happens to be his daughter's friend. The consequent events in the story poignantly weaves the destiny of a woman who prefers to stay back by her errant husband's side enduring the trauma and finds solace in her religion which she faithfully follows in spite of the ordeal she is made to undergo in a society claiming to follow the very religion she also adheres to. While the author portrays Ramatoulaye's stoic handling of her unfortunate situation, she also goes a step further and provides a dash of rebellion by the character of Aissatou, Ramatoulaye's friend, who divorces her husband and migrates to the United States to pursue a more cheerful and rational environment.  

Taxi driver(1976) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Taxi driver(1976) - Essay Example The story that is portrayed and the various themes it shows. Furthermore, a look at what the film evokes about the nation it comes from and the formal decisions that the director uses in shaping the story and its various themes. The Taxi Driver film presents a true to life portrait of what the city of New York was and the inhabitants. The film is like an art house picture depicting the events and the 1976 historical, social, political and economic activities of New York (\Taxi Driver movie). It immortalizes the city through the eyes of the Taxi driver, even though, according to the film, the view is skewed and influenced by his perspective. It showcases the city as a vastly different one from the New York that is evident today. The film is a depiction of the events that occur during the late 1970s, a period that is referred to as the era of psychological portraits in cinematic history. It is called a psychological portrait because they are a personal vision and express the creative insights of the directors and the actors in depicting their views (Corrigan and White 79). The film showcases various scenes that indicate how the New York environment may have been at the particular era. For example, during the mid-1970s, there was a dramatic increase in the number of pornographic theaters that were aptly named â€Å"adult cinemas†. Their establishment and the dramatic increase are shown in the film because the Taxi driver Travis Bickle spends some of his time there. In the beginning as he was seeking the Taxi driving employment, the person conducting the interview urges him to spend time at the adult cinemas in order to pass the time. The beginning of the sexual industry facilitated the growth of the pornographic or as they were called â€Å"adult cinemas," however, these cinemas decreased with the introduction of VCRs at

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Why auditor must to be objective and independent Essay

Why auditor must to be objective and independent - Essay Example In order to successfully carryout this feat, it can be seen that independent auditors play a significant role in the functioning of global capital markets. As such, this paper has been designed to evaluate the main reasons why auditors must be independent and objective in their operations. The main part of the paper will focus on why focus in terms of auditing financial statements of different companies is put on aspects such as objectivity as well as independence of the auditors who carry out different tasks related to financial reporting in the company. According to Kueppers & Sullivan (2010), the audit profession plays a very significant role in the functioning of the global capital markets and it also adds value to various roles played by different stakeholders in financial reporting in an organization. However, the effectiveness of an audit is reflected by the absence of failure of business or fraud after it has been completed. This can be achieved if an independent auditor is h ired to perform such a task in the organization. Ussahawanitchakit (2012, p.1) posits to the effect that during the recent years, â€Å"auditors have become important professions for directly and indirectly promoting the growth of economics in the countries.† These professionals significantly help the stakeholders and other people to assess the value of the firm’s financial information in all aspects of business. This can be achieved through the implementation of accounting and auditing standards that are within the dictates of the financial rules and regulations in a given country (Intakhan and Ussahawanitchakit, 2010). In most cases, independent auditors are more appropriate in carrying out this particular task. In as far as auditing is concerned, it is imperative for the auditors to have some form of independence so that they can impartially dispense their duties. Basically, â€Å"audit independence is defined as an objective and trustworthy arbiter of the fair pre sentation of financial results,† (Falk et al., 1999 as cited in Ussahawanitchakit (2012, p.12). This is a critical factor in the audit profession given that it is comprised of objectivity and is often free from bias. Audit independence is very important in the preparation of financial statements since it helps to generate investor confidence if the financial statement has been carried out by an outsider or independent person. Beattie et al (1999), suggest that in general, audit independence includes independence in fact, which is an unbiased mental attitude of an auditor, and independence in appearance, which is the perception by a reasonable observer that an auditor has no relationship with an audit client which would suggest a conflict of interest audit independence can be achieved if there are no conflicts of interests among the parties involved. It can also be noted that independent auditors are mainly concerned with upholding the principles of ethics, fairness and other p ractices and operations for presenting audit quality which plays a role in improving the quality of auditing that would done. Independent audits are also important since they help to promote fairness in the creation of financial statements and are likely to go a long way in sustaining integrity in terms of financial reporting. Georgiade (2011), states that the responsibilities of the independent auditor when conducting an audit of financial statements in accordance with GAAS include the following: â€Å"Obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial sta

Monday, August 26, 2019

Iris recognition system using principal component analysis Dissertation

Iris recognition system using principal component analysis - Dissertation Example This gives a fine demarcation between the inter class and intra class irises and hence the recognition becomes easier. Principal component analysis has been used to reduce the dimensionality. This enables choice of appropriate features from the iris templates and improves classification. The iris recognition accuracy has been described in terms of False Reject Ratio and False Accept Ratio. Table of contents Chapter 1 – Introduction of Project 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Project background 1.3. Problem Statement 1.4. Project aim and objectives 1.5. Significance of the project 1.6. Scope of project 1.7. Overview of project 2. Chapter - 2 Review of Literature 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Human Iris System 2.2.1. Iris and Biometrics 2.2.2. Artificial Intelligence for Iris recognition 2.3. Scanning the Iris 2.3.1 Localization of Landmarks 2.3.2 Digital Imaging 2.4. statistical dependence 2.5. Principal Component Analysis 2.5.1 Covariance 2.5.2 Normality and Residuals 2.6. Chapter summary Chap ter 3 – Methodology and framework of the Project 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Method 3.3. Requirements 3.4. Project Design 3.5. Hardware Design 3.6. Software Design 3.7. Chapter summary Chapter 4 – Project implementation and testing 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Image Segmentation 4.3. Image Normalisation 4.4. Feature extraction and encoding 4.5. Dimensionality Reduction 4.6. Iris matching Chapter 5 – Analysis and Discussion of Results 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Effect of the Parameters 5.3. Analysis of Hamming Distance 5.4. Recognition performance Chapter 6 – Project Management 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Project scheduling 6.3. Time management 6.4. Risk management 6.5. Quality management 6.6. Cost Management Chapter 7 - Critical Appraisal 7.1. Achievements 7.2. Future Research Chapter 8 – Conclusion Chapter 9 – Student Reflection References Appendices List of Figures Fig. 2.1. The Iris marking process. Fig. 2.2. Iris Localization/ Hough Transform Figure 2.3. Ir is Recognition Method Fig. 2.4. Iris Recognition in Java Fig.3.1. Sample eye images from CASIA database Fig. 3.2. Waterfall diagram Fig. 3.3. The UML Class diagram for the project in Smart Draw tool. Fig. 3.4. UML activity diagram for this project in Smart Draw. Fig. 4.1. Segmented eye image. Fig.4.2. Eye image with isolated iris region. Fig.5.1. Variation of intra class Standard deviation with number of shifts. Fig.5.2. Histogram of Hamming distance (intra class) without shifting of bits. Fig.5.3. Histogram of Hamming distance (intra class) with 8 times shifting of bits. Fig. 5.4 Histogram of the hamming distances (inter class) with 8 times shifting of bits. Fig.6.1. The Gantt chart for project schedule. List of Tables Table 2.2. Characteristics Index of Biometric Variations Table 2.1 False Rejection Rate Table 6.1. Risk Management Chapter 1 – Introduction of Project 2.3. Introduction This chapter presents a brief introduction about the project in terms of the project backgr ound, the scope of the project, the aim and objectives of the project and the overview. Researchers have developed several methods to develop Biometric tools. â€Å"A biometric system provides automatic identification of an individual based on a unique feature or characteristic possessed by the individual† (Majumder, Ray, & Singh, 2009). Among the various biometrics the Iris Recognition System uses

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Work experience and Impact statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Work experience and Impact statement - Essay Example Together with the support groups, we designed simple engineering structures like incinerators for public institutions’ use. On education, the activities acted as an encouragement to young people who are still at school because I conducted presentations, workshops and/or conferences meant to create awareness. In this case the society has embraced engineering to address their social and economical issues. I plan to pursue a career in transportation and cabinet whereby my main aim is to obtain a position that will enable me maximize my strong civil engineering skills in the field of transportation. I would also like to be challenged in an environment that demands engineering innovation, interpersonal, self-directed and team oriented tasks. This mainly entails ensuring smooth operations and design of highways, airports, railways and public transit (Juan et al 87). It will ultimately ensure safe and efficient movement of people and

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Qualitative vs. Quantitative - Research Paper Example Quantitative research can be defined as a method of systematic experimental inquiry of social phenomena with statistical, mathematical or other graphical techniques. Furthermore, the prime objective of quantitative research is to generate and to utilize mathematical models, hypothesis and theories among others to appropriately derive accurate findings related to any phenomenon (Sukamolson, 2005). The paper intends to discuss and to differentiate between qualitative and quantitative research. The differences of the research methods will be recognized through the types of questions and methods used in these research methods. A review of pertinent literatures will be conducted to comprehend the prevailing distinctiveness between the two research methods. Furthermore, the paper also includes analysis of the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods in terms of certain factors such as selection procedure of samples, data collection methods and data management along with data analysis as well as instrument and purpose. The aspect of requirement of any kind of training of the researcher to properly execute the assessment process through quantitative and qualitative research has also been highlighted. The paper takes into consideration the aspect that how these two research methods are used in nursing. Types of Questions Question is a form of query statement which helps to elicit certain reply from the respondent. In relation to the aspect, it can be recognized that question is used by every person in their livelihood for expanding knowledge or to help others to expand their understanding (Skow, 2010). With reference to the context of qualitative and quantitative research, researchers generally prefer to use certain forms of questions in order to collect information for their research. Moreover, the questions in qualitative research are often based upon the present scenarios or trends. Generally, the questions of qualitative research are identif ied when they emphasize more on individual’s perception and thought. Similarly, those questions which help to gather in-depth knowledge upon certain problems are also considered under qualitative research questions. Additionally, the questions of qualitative research are formulated with the help of why and how statements (Creswell, 2008). Examples of qualitative research questions can be: why the circumstances occurred? And how did this happen? Quantitative research questions are those questions which are based upon present and future aspects. The quantitative research question is identified by its nature because it prevails the upcoming facts or consequences of the undertaken problem which means it essentially comprises predictive type of questions. Moreover, the questions of this research are those questions which reveal the relationships and comparatives (Nenty, 2009). Examples of quantitative research questions can be: Do you agree to the fact? Which aspect you like? Type s of Methodology Methods in research can be stated as the systematic process of collecting and analyzing the data along with interacting with the respondents. Moreover, qualitative research methodology can be classified as the process of collec

Friday, August 23, 2019

Strategic Plan for a Popcorn vending business Research Paper

Strategic Plan for a Popcorn vending business - Research Paper Example The names of management team members are John Smith, Jessica Wilson, Michelle Williams, Peter D’Souza and Tracy Crosby; the company was founded to meet the growing demand of high quality and efficient popcorn vending machines. The company has grown from one location in a shopping mall to five different locations in various parts of the town; the expansion has been done in a period of two years and it is expected that the number of locations will expand further in future as vending machine industry is expected to grow at an accelerating rate of about 10% (Gerdees, 4). In order to penetrate further in the vending industry, the company aims to introduce new and innovative commercial vending machines for restaurants along with food and beverage equipment. Currently, the company is employing a secretary, one general manager, two supervisors, ten paid line employees and an accounting manager. Since the company is small, there is also one Human Resource Manager, one Production, Operations & IT manager and one Marketing & Sales manager. The span of control and line of communication is shown in the following figure: The management team ensures that the communication in the organization is open so that the employees can have easy exchange of information and the business plans are effectively developed and implemented. With the help of the organization chart, everyone within the organization will be aware of their reporting responsibilities that who will be evaluating their job and performance. The chart will even ensure that everything is well-organized and co-ordinated. At present, the company is manufacturing the pop corn vending machines for small organizations and it is planning to design customized popcorn vending machines in the next two years that can be placed in public places so that the pop corns are easily accessible by the people. However, the company will offer newly designed coffee vending machines along with soft drinks vending machines so

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Satisfied and Motivated Employees Create Satisfied and Loyal Customers Essay Example for Free

Satisfied and Motivated Employees Create Satisfied and Loyal Customers Essay Abstract In Corporate America, organizations vie to maintain their competitive advantage within their perspective industries. In the current economic downturn, organizations have come to rely heavily on the competitive advantage they receive from their employees, or human capital. Organizations are investing more of their funds towards satisfying and motivating employees in the hopes that these employees will create satisfied and loyal customers. To ensure employees are satisfied and motivated, organizations may recognize employee contributions with pay and a package of employee benefits. These forms of compensation work to ensure increased employee satisfaction and motivation, decreased voluntary turnover, and, therefore, the overall success of the entire organization. In Corporate America, organizations vie to maintain their competitive advantage within their perspective industries. In the current economic downturn, organizations have come to rely heavily on the competitive advantage they receive from their human capital. Human capital is defined as â€Å"an organization’s employees, described in terms of their training, experience, judgment, intelligence, relationships, and insight† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 3). Highly skilled and developed employees are an organization’s most valuable resource in the fight to maintain their competitive advantage. Therefore, organizations are investing more of their funds towards satisfying and motivating employees in the hopes that these employees will create satisfied and loyal customers. In an effort to satisfy and motivate employees, organizations may recognize employee contributions with various forms of compensation including pay and an employee benefits package, and through recognition pro grams. These forms of compensation and recognition work to ensure increased employee satisfaction and motivation, decreased voluntary turnover, and, therefore, the overall success of the entire organization. â€Å"If we take care of our employees, they will take care of our customers.† During the current economic downturn, many organizations have experienced decreased sales and profits. Many of those organizations responded with spending cuts, which included layoffs and decreased investments in employees. The restaurant chain, Texas Roadhouse, was not immune to the economic downturn and also experienced decreased sales. However, the chain did not respond with spending cuts aimed at employees. In fact, the chain continued its existing spending relative to employee satisfaction and motivation. The text indicates, â€Å"Spending to promote job involvement and organizational commitment remained intact† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 319). The decision to maintain spending relative to employee satisfaction and motivation reflects the chain’s commitment to their employees. The chain’s commitment to their employees has been best expressed by Texas Roadhouse Chief Executive Officer (CEO), G. J. Hart. Hart, who realizes the value his employees bring to the organization, has stated, â€Å"If we take care of our employees, they will take care of our customers† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 319). Hart’s phrase may seem like a common clichà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ in Corporate America; however, organizations focused on satisfying and motivating employees are actually gaining the competitive advantage that only their employees can provide. The text indicates, â€Å"Every organization recognizes that it needs satisfied, loyal customers. In addition, success requires satisfied, loyal employees† (Noe et al., p. 293). Texas Roadhouse is not alone in its commitment to its employees. SAS, a privately owned software company, is also highly committed to its employees. Bev Brown, who works in the company’s external communications department, indicates â€Å"People do work hard here, because they’re motivated to take care of a company that takes care of them† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 385). More organizations are beginning to realize the advantages associated with satisfying and motivating their employees. And, as the realization becomes more prevalent in Corporate America, more organizations will begin to demonstrate their commitment to their employees by offering generous rewards and recognition programs. Alternative Motivation Methods Their Effectiveness Texas Roadhouse uses money as a primary motivator for its employees. The chain holds a yearly competition to identify its best meat cutter, who is awarded $20,000. The chain’s managers are allotted $500 to host barbecues or outings for their employees. The chain also holds an annual motivational conference to recognize and reward its top performers. The text indicates, â€Å"The company invites about a thousand employees, managers, and vendors to bring their spouses to a four-day conference as a way to recognize and reward its best people† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 320). The retreat was costly; and, the chain’s CEO, Hart, was publicly criticized for such lavish spending. The text indicates, a reporter â€Å"†¦ criticized Hart for wasting $2 million on luxuries during lean times† (Noe et al., p. 320). However, Hart stood firm in his commitment to his employees as he replied that â€Å"†¦ the effort to inspire employees was precisely the kind of investment that enables his company to succeed† (Noe et al., p. 320). Texas Roadhouse’s strategy is certainly effective in ensuring they retain their top talent. The text indicates, â€Å"†¦ turnover among the company’s on-site recruiters tumbled by two-thirds after the company put in place a program to recognize and reward these employees† (Noe et al., p. 320). Pay is certainly a motivator for employees; however, organizations may also utilize employee benefits as a means of motivating employees. Employee benefits are â€Å"†¦ that part of the total compensation package, other than pay for time worked, provided to employees in whole or in part by employer payments† (Milkovich Newman, 2005). The text indicates that benefits serve functions similar to pay in that benefits â€Å"†¦ contribute to attracting, retaining, and motivating employees† (Noe et al., 2011, p. 384). For instance, SAS offers a generous employee benefit package as a means of ensuring their employees are satisfied and motivated. The company’s benefit package includes access to the on-site recreation and fitness center, a subsidized day care center and summer camp, and a subsidized cafeteria. The company has established an on-site lactation room for nursing mothers, and an on-site health care center for employees and their family members to have medical concerns addressed at no cost. The text indicates that these generous benefits are â€Å"†¦ part of a strategy to hire and keep the best people without paying top dollar in salaries† (Noe et al., p. 385). The SAS strategy is certainly effective in regards to ensuring the company retains its top talent. The text indicates, â€Å"Compared with 22 percent employee turnover in the industry, SAS reports turnover of just 2 percent† (Noe et al., p. 385). The SAS strategy is also effective in ensuring the company remains profitable. The text indicates that every year the company has been in business â€Å"†¦ it has turned a profit† (Noe et al., p. 385). Transferring the Texas Roadhouse Motivational Methods The Texas Roadhouse method of using pay to motivate its employees is certainly transferrable to other organizations in Corporate America. Organizations should demonstrate their commitment to their employees by offering competitive and rewarding pay and recognition programs. Doing so will ensure the organization has the ability to attract and retain top talent, which will provide the organization with a definite competitive advantage in their perspective industry. References Milkovich, G., Newman, J. (2005). Reward systems: Theory and administration. (8th ed., p. 400). Mc-Graw-Hill. Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P. M. (2011). Fundamentals of human resource management. (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Class Inequality Essay Example for Free

Class Inequality Essay Social class is one of the oldest and most persistent inequalities in British society. In the past, people were very aware of their social class and their expected roles and responsibilities. People would have worn different clothes, behaved in different ways and had a very different culture from each other and they would have accepted this as a perfectly normal element of behaviour. We are still aware today of some of the cultural differences between the social classes so that rich people and poorer people have different accents, are educated differently and wear different styles of clothes from each other. These cultural differences that separate the classes are known as indicators of class. In the past, many people also believed that people of the highest social classes were better than other people and should be respected because of their social position. This idea is known as deference. People nowadays are less willing to admit that social class is important. Poorer people may imitate the styles and behaviour of wealthy people by buying copies of their expensive clothes in cheaper shops or buying replicas and fakes. However, rich people often copy the street style of the working class people and their fashions. The differences between the classes seem to be blurred to such an extent that many people would not define their social class in the same way that sociologists might. Sociologists mostly believe that despite the way that people reject the idea of social classes, it is still important in our society. We are just less aware of it than people were in the past. It affects our life chances and our life styles, with high earning people enjoying a superior standard of living and better life chances than those from more deprived backgrounds. Subjective class can be measured by attitudes, beliefs and political opinions. This generally consists of the vague notions upper, middle and working class and most people would identify themselves as belonging to one of these groups. This type of description does not explain the full range of  differences between these groups. People may be middle class and have access to huge wealth, whereas others have the education, lifestyle and manners of the middle class but are relatively poor. Equally, people from a working class background who achieve very good professional jobs may well still feel themselves to be working class. In contrast, sociologists are concerned with objective class. This refers to our occupations, education, possessions and our wealth. It can be measured in the data put out by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys such as mortality lists. Sociologists have had limited success in attempts to measure social class objectively. There are two generally used scales of social class, though a very wide number have been devised by sociologists in the past. The Registrar Generals Index of Social Class was used by government statisticians till 2001, and is still widely used as a rough indicator of peoples background. It uses occupation as the basis of differentiation. People are placed in a five point scale. This is still used by advertisers and manufacturers who target products to certain markets. There are weaknesses with this class indicator because it does not take into account peoples income or their job security. In addition, women take their class from their male relatives. Most people are in class C or class 3. Since 2001, the class structure has been amended to take into account employment conditions including: job security, promotion opportunity and the ability and opportunity to work on their own and make own decision s about tasks. This new scale is known as the NS SEC. Goldblatt suggested alternative measures of class including home ownership, access to a car and educational status and he has shown that all of these can be correlated to inequalities in health. One of the most recent attempts to define the class system in a new and radical way was by Will Hutton (18995). Hutton is a critic of the New Right. He argues that social inequality, in the form of low wages, low skill and high unemployment, has resulted in a clearly divided and economically unstable society. Hutton has put forward the 30-30-40 thesis to show the three-way split in contemporary British class relations. He says our society can now be seen to consist of: 30% unemployed, low paid, insecure work; 30% with some job security and quality of life; 40% privileged workers in secure and regular employment. In addition, the nature of work which is a traditional measure of a persons class position is changing so the debates have become complex and theoretical. Certainly, inequality is an important social dynamic, but there is a question mark over whether this is related to social class or whether people even recognise class as significant in their lives. Marxists argue strongly that it is but that people do not recognise it for reasons related to deskilling and proletarianisation; feminists suggest other dynamics influence inequality and post-modernists suggest that the important dynamic is not class but the ability to spend money. 2 What is the link between class and occupation? Traditionally class has been linked to the type of work a person does. The debate as to the nature of class has therefore become more complex as the nature of work has changed. The upper classes are able to live off unearned income such as rents from land or property. There are so few of the upper classes that they are more or less invisible to sociologists. Very little research has been done on these people. Upper class people usually keep themselves to themselves and are not willing to participate in studies. Recent work by Adonis and Pollard (1998) stresses the significance of the upper class in modern British society and they consider that there is an emerging superclass that consist of an elite of extremely high paid managers and professionals. According to Adonis and Pollard, this new superclass is linked financially to the City of London, a male and upper class world that has many links with the traditions and heritage of public school and Oxbridge elites of the past. This superclass emerged from the financial changes of the 1980s and is composed of people who benefited from low taxation and privatisation of industry to become significant in international trading with global companies. They earn multi-million salaries and have large financial bonus packages. Papers tend to refer to them as Fat Cats. The middle classes live off professional work such as law, medicine or the ownership of a business. Generally they earn more and have better working conditions than the working class. Working class people work with their hands as tradesmen or labourers. Work with the hands is known as manual work. We still call professional people who sell knowledge rather than skills, non-manual workers. This is the basic social class division in society between manual and non-manual work. Middle class work requires educational qualifications and skills. Most people who are members of the middle classes will have been to university and gained higher level professional qualifications as well. Generally, middle class professional work is well paid or has good conditions and terms of service. In the past, there would have been quite serious differences in pay between professional workers and manual workers though these differences have been eroded. C Wright Mills (1956) and others have seen the middle classes as divided into two groups. The higher professions have the potential for high earnings and who are self-employed or employed by large corporations. These are people such as judges, accountants, lawyers, dentists, doctors. These people tend to control entry into their occupations. The lower professions are often, though not exclusively, feminised and work in the public sector. They have limited access to high earnings and include teachers, nurses, and social workers. The lower middle classes have become more like the working class according to the Marxist, Braverman (1974) who points out that many of the professions, such as architects, have become vulnerable to redundancies. He also claims that skills are being lost (de-skilling) because mechanisation means that individuals are now being taken over by technology. People are no longer required to undertake tasks that traditionally required talent. Tradesmen have lost their skills to machines, and architects plans can be created by computer programmes. Others, such as teachers or opticians who are unable to control entry into their professions are no longer able to claim high rates of pay as there is always demand for work and people who are willing to  accept low rates in return for employment. Oppenheimer (1973) has also suggested that the middle classes have lost power and authority in work. Working class work may require high levels of skill and effort: however, because it is manual work, it is not generally well paid and often is of relatively low status. In addition, although years of on-the-job training may be involved in such work, people will not have been to university or college. Hairdressing, for example, is one of the worst paid occupations on average. Unskilled work is very low value, low status work and there are few openings for people who have no educational qualifications. Work which once was done by people is now done by one person with a qualification who operates a machine. In the 1930s, digging was done by teams of men with shovels. We would be surprised to see people do work of this kind today. Even much check-out work is now done by machine alone. In the 197Os, it was commonly believed by many commentators that the working class were becoming more middle class as their incomes were higher than previously earned by the working class. This theory was known as the affluent worker thesis or embourgeoisement and was supported by Galbraith. This theory was disproved by Goldthorpe, Lockwood, Bechofer and Platt (1968) who conducted detailed research on car workers in Dagenham. They found that that the workers worked longer hours and had different attitudes to work from middle class management. Fiona Devine (1992) repeated the work and found that redundancy and unemployment were a real concern for working class families. The gap between professional work and working class work was widening. Another debate has opened up in terms of occupation and class in the last thirty years. Unemployment and benefit dependency has become more common in British society. This has led to the development of a significant underclass of people who have never earned their own money. In the early 1970s, the term was used sympathetically by Giddens and other members of the developing New Left (1973) to describe those who faced massive deprivation and social inequality with working conditions and income levels below even those of the working class. At the same time, other social commentators from the New  Right were using the term underclass negatively to describe a class of people who have little self-sufficiency but rely on social security benefits to survive. The term dole scrounger was widely used in the press to describe those who lived on benefit. What is the relationship between work, class and income? There is a common belief that those who earn more money have worked harder for it. In reality, the low paid are often extremely hard working but unable to gain an acceptable income from the work that they do. One of the reasons is to do with the changing nature of the work that is available. The structure of the British economy has undergone radical change since the end of World War 2. There has been a massive move away from employment in primary industries such as agriculture and coal mining. Manufacturing or secondary industry has also experienced a drop in employment. There has been a reduction in traditionally male heavy industry and a growth in light industry and assembly work that can be automated and which employs more females. The real growth sector in the economy has been in service sector jobs. Many of these are middle class jobs in management and training; however, more are jobs which offer long hours, low pay and casual part time work in restaurants and pubs. Ivan Turak (2000) points out that the actual number of manual jobs fell by 11% between 1981 and 1991 while non-manual jobs have expanded. Certain sectors of the workforce have been more vulnerable to unemployment, and he points to the older male manual worker as being particularly vulnerable. Paul Gregg (1994) has claimed that one of the main causes of poverty in Britain is unemployment and that the UK had a third more families out of work than other developed countries. Statistics suggest that in a fifth of households, there is no adult in employment and although in the rest of Europe, 80% of single parents work, in Britain the figure is closer to 40% of single parents in work. Figures based on social class alone are difficult to access, as emphasis is placed on other forms of inequality in official data. However, there is a  clear link between a persons social class and the opportunities or life chances that they may experience. As Wilkinson (1996) identified, people at the bottom of the stratification system in the UK have severely reduced life chances: In Britain people in the poorest areas have death rates that are age for age four times as high as people in the richest areas. Among Whitehall civil servants, junior staff were found to have death rates three times as high as the most senior administrators working in the same offices. In 1994, it was established that 2.2 million workers in the UK earned less than 68% of the average gross weekly wage that stood at less than  £6.00 per hour in that year. These low paid workers tended to be female, the young, the disabled, single parents and members of ethnic minorities. Their work was part-time, homework or casual labour and they tended to be found in certain areas, and in smaller firms. After much pressure on government, National Minimum Wage legislation was introduced by the Labour government with effect from April 1999. It is currently set at  £5.73 (2009). Employers organisations had predicted a massive increase in unemployment following the introduction of a minimum wage, but this did not occur. Even so, people still resort to desperate measures to obtain satisfactory income. Evidence presented to the Low Pay Commission by the Greater Manchester Low Pay Unit (2000) described one woman who had taken on three low paid jobs at one time in order to make ends meet. Wadsworth (2007) suggests that around 10% of British households rely on minimum wage income. He also points out that many minimum wage earners take a second job to supplement income. Bryan and Taylor (2006) suggest that those who earn National Minimum Wage (NMW) tend to stay in NMW work jobs when they change employment. In addition, low pay workers spend time out of work. More than 80% of NMW workers are female, and many are over the age of 50. Most of these workers had no qualifications. There is also some evidence that employers can evade minimum wage legislation through a variety of semi-legal tactics and pay their workers less than they are entitled to. Migrants are very vulnerable to this kind of abuse. We are clearly a long way from Tony Blairs claim in 1999 we are all middle class. Where class convergence has been greatest it has been at the margins of the classes with a blurred area between the upper working class and lower middle class. The term embourgeoisement is less discussed than it used to be, but Goldthorpe et als conclusion that the working class has fragmented into a new and traditional working class commands general support to this day. Another factor worth remembering when considering the embourgeoisement debate is what is happening at the other end of the working class. At the bottom of society many see an impoverished underclass of those living on the minimum wage or in receipt of long-term welfare. This impoverished group has seen their living standards deteriorate relative to the rest of society. 3 How does social class affect educational attainment? As the ESRC point out, British sociologists all tend to agree that qualifications are the best predictor of whether a child will gain a high earning middle-class job. However they also point out that there are unequal success rates between social classes at school and unequal entry and success rates in post-compulsory education. Government data reveals significant differences between the educational attainments of the differing social classes. In 2008, 35% of the working class pupils obtained five or more good-grade GCSEs, compared with 63 per cent of children from middle class families. While the proportion of poorer children getting degrees has risen by just 3 per cent, the increase among those from wealthier backgrounds is 26 per cent. The reasons for the development of this pattern are complex. It could be to do with home or schools, or it could be related to cultural or material deprivation. Sociologists, Bynner and Joshi (2002) used longitudinal birth cohort data and discovered that the link between class and educational underattainment is clear and years of government policy have had little impact on this inequality. In 1999, West et al found that there was a 66% correlation between free  school meals and low school attainment. Levacic and Hardman in 1999 also pointed out the relationship between free school meals and poor GCSE grades. OKeefe found that there was a measurable relationship between free school meals and higher levels of truancy. Jefferis (2002) found an unarguable link between class and attainment. She studied nearly 11,000 children born from March 3 to 9, 1958. Maths, reading and other ability tests measured the educational attainment of the children at ages seven, 11 and 16. At the age of 33 their highest educational achievement was recorded. Her research team found the gap in educational attainment between children of higher and lower social classes widened as time went on it was greatest by the age of 33. At university level, social class inequalities still have an effect. Wakeling suggested in 2002 that a lower class degree and rich parents are more likely to lead to a student taking up post-graduate studies than the highest level university degrees and a modest background. Boliver (2006) found that only 35% of candidates from semi/unskilled manual class origins applied to a Russell Group university (one of the top 100 universities in the UK), in contrast to 65% of those from professional backgrounds. Machin and Vignoles (2005) conducted research on links between higher education and family background, focusing particularly on the experiences of two cohorts of individuals born in 1958 and 1970. They claim that links between educational achievement and parental income / social class strengthened during this period. The Social Mobility Commission, reporting in 2009, found that social class accounts for much of the gap in attainment between higher and lower achievers. They reported that the gap widens as children get older. In addition, it was claimed that increased spending on education has favoured the middle classes. In other words division between the social classes is widening. 4 What is the relationship between social class, criminality and inequality in the UK? Maguire points out that the prison population tends to consist of young,  male, poorly educated people who are likely to have experienced difficult or deprived childhoods and many of whom come from ethnic minority or mixed ethnic backgrounds. In 1992, 40 % of male prisoners had left school before the age of sixteen. People from lower social class backgrounds are significantly more likely to appear in victim and conviction statistics than people from wealthier backgrounds and it is a matter of argument as to whether they commit more crime, or they are more likely to be convicted if they do commit crimes. In the past, much analysis of criminal behaviour worked on the false assumptions that crime statistics were an accurate representation of crime and that conviction rates gave a fair representation of criminal behaviour. Self report studies show that the majority of the population have broken the law and that middle class crimes can often be very serious indeed. For example, Murphy et al (1990) showed that football hooliganism is not limited to the working classes and Pearson (1987) found that drug offences occur in all social classes. White collar crime and corporate offences receive very little attention from the news media in comparison with youth crime such as knife crime. Levi (1993) pointed out that official statistics do not include tax fraud cases as these are rarely prosecuted by the police or followed up by the criminal justice system. Snider points out that capitalist states are unwilling to pass laws that regulate business or challenge the rights of the rich to make money. Karstedt (2004) estimates that middle class crimes such as car tax avoidance, tax fraud and damaging items once worn in order to return them to shops may cost the UK something in the region of  £14 billion each year. Braithwaite, as early as 1979, concluded that working class children and adults commit the types of crime that are targeted by the police and do so at higher rates than middle class people. There is also research evidence to show that some forms of crime are linked to poverty and deprivation. Gang crime is especially prevalent in areas of deprivation where there are fewer opportunities for work. Brodie et al (2000) and Hope and Shaw (1988) found disadvantaged communities to be vulnerable to youth crime. It is estimated that 40% of crime takes place in about 10% of local authority areas. Stratesky (2004) links this phenomenon to the concentration of power and social exclusion in post industrial communities. Willott and Griffin (1999) found that working class men in prison justified their criminal behaviour by claiming that they were supporting their families. Furthermore, because they were effectively excluded from society, they could not then be expected to follow its rules. It could be argued that these accounts are self- serving because the victims of crime are often the very weakest in the community. Living in a poor and deprived community is also to live at risk of being a victim of crimes such as car theft, vandalism, anti-social behaviour, burglary and violence. Hughes et al (2002) suggest that more than half of victims of crime have already previously been victimised. This acts as evidence that some types of crime are more likely to be associated with working class status than others, particularly crimes against property and the person. 5 Are there class inequalities in the experience of health? The over-arching factor affecting health inequality in the UK is social class. Study after study shows that people born in poor families are low birth weight, are more likely to die as babies, grow up with poor health, are vulnerable to disabling disease and impaired development and they die early. Their children will experience poor life chances so health inequality runs in families. Some of these health inequalities are due to patterns of poor life style so that obesity and smoking related illnesses are also diseases of poverty and deprivation. Children born in poverty and deprivation are also vulnerable to high risk behaviour such as drug abuse, binge drinking and sexual transmission of disease. Furthermore, in 2002, the Office for National Statistics said that inequalities of health and life expectancy between social classes were widening. Spicker points out that figures from the UK show that people in lower social classes, including children, are more likely to suffer from infective and parasitic diseases, pneumonia, poisonings or violence. Adults in lower social classes are more likely to suffer from cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease. He also underlines the point that there are inequalities in access to health care according to social class, so that the  poorest people live in areas with fewer doctors, more difficult access to major hospitals and poorer services. Wheeler et al, working on 2001 Census data also found that areas with the highest levels of poor health tend to have the lowest numbers of doctors and other health professionals (other than nurses). They also discovered that areas with high levels of poor health tend also to have high numbers of their population providing informal care for family and friends. There is lower take-up of preventative medicine such as vaccination and routine screen ing for disabling conditions among working class people. This called the inverse care law. Discounting theories that suggest the working class are genetically weaker, then the unavoidable conclusion is that poverty leads to ill health through poor nutrition, housing and environment. This is exacerbated through cultural differences in the diet and fitness of different social classes, and in certain habits like smoking. Tim Spector (2006), an epidemiologist found that social class has an impact on how the body ages, irrespective of diet and bad habits. In a study of 1,500 women, he discovered that there is a link between class and poor health. He claims that the cause is that people from lower social backgrounds are more likely to feel insecure, especially at work, and suffer low self-esteem and a sense of lacking control over their lives. He claims that the stress this causes creates damage at a cellular level that accelerates ageing. Support for this theory can be found in the fact that studies consistently show that people from lower social classes experience higher levels of mental ill-health, with particularly high rates of depression and anxiety. There is additional health risk from many working class jobs. Males in manual jobs are more than twice as likely to get occupational lung cancer. Bladder cancer is also work-related, associated with work in industrial settings. For nearly all conditions the risk of heart disease, cancer, stain injury and stress is higher for those in working class occupations rather than managerial jobs in the same industry. 6 Class change and sociological theory Social class is undoubtedly changing significantly and this has prompted a  number of debates as to the meanings of these changes and the impact that they have on class. Marxists have a problem because Marx suggested that people would develop a class consciousness and overthrow capitalism. Clearly, this has not happened, in fact people are less aware of class as a social dynamic. There are different explanations for this. 7 8 What is proletarianisation? Proletarianisation is a Marxist concept that sees the middle-class as identifying increasingly with working-class identity. Applied research has focused upon using case studies to examine whether non-manual work is becoming increasingly similar to manual work. Neo-Marxists like Erik Wright or Harry Braverman claim that proletarianisation is progressing at a reasonable pace. In contrast, neo-Weberians like David Lockwood and John Goldthorpe have always vigorously argued against it. One reason for this conflict of views is that different meanings of proletarianisation are adopted in order to measure it. Neo-Marxists such as Wright and Braverman argue that routine white-collar workers are no longer middle class. They consequently see such jobs and even some professions, such as nursing and teaching, as particularly prone to proletarianisation. Braverman argues that deskilling in the workplace affects both manual and non-manual work, causing him to argue that routine white-collar workers have joined the mass of unskilled employees. As such they are part of the working class, they are proletarianised. Braverman argues that deskilling and the loss of the social and economic advantages non-manual jobs enjoyed over manual work, are the key factors behind the growth of proletarianisation. In addition, many workers have lost the control and autonomy they enjoyed 20 years or so in the workplace. A good example is the university lecturers Wright cited as example of semi-autonomous workers in a contradictory class location. Many university lecturers are very poorly paid and on short term contracts. Many earn less than primary school teachers. In addition they are subject to performance  scrutiny and time monitoring. Many professionals in education are now subject to clocking in and out like factory workers. It has been argued by some feminists, such as Rosemary Crompton, that women are more prone to proletarianisation than men, in the sense that they experience poorer promotional opportunities. In examining the work of clerks (Crompton and Jones) they found that only a low level of skill was required and that computerisation seemed to accentuate proletarianisation. However, Marshall et al have challenged the idea of proletarianisation. They found both male and female routine white collar workers reported greater levels of autonomy than those in the working class. They found that it was mainly manual workers who felt their work had been deskilled. In contrast, the perceptions of over 90 per cent of male and female non-manual workers were that neither skill levels nor autonomy had significantly diminished. However, they did find that personal service workers such as receptionists, check-out operators and shop assistants lacked a sense of autonomy in a manner similar to the working class. Since this group is composed primarily of female workers, this supports the idea that women are more prone to proletarianisation. Recent research by Clark and Hoffman-Martinot (1998) has highlighted a growing number of casual or routine workers who spend their working day in front of a VDU and/or on the telephone. †¢ Marxists would see such workers, especially those is call centres as working class despite the white-collar working environment. They would see the low morale and general worker discontent as evidence of class consciousness and a sense of collective work-place identity. †¢ A Weberian analysis would identify class in terms of a group sharing a weak market position in the labour force. Weberians might identify any internal competition between workers and factors such as performance-related pay as designed to fragment the workforce. Any attempts at unionisation, they might argue, could reflect the pursuit of sectional interests (party) rather than evidence of class consciousness. 9 How have contemporary models of class developed? As we have seen a range of neo-Marxist and neo- Weberian models of class have developed in the past 50 years or so adapting and interpreting the ideas of Marx and Weber. There is a consensus that the size and make-up of the working-class is shrinking as we move to a post-industrial society, however, there are markedly different interpretations about the meanings and consequences of this change. †¢ Neo-Weberians such as John Goldthorpe and David Lockwood have focused upon occupational categories within a market power context. †¢ Neo-Marxists argue that the critical issue is whether the working-class are falsely conscious. †¢ A third group, the postmodernists have argued that class is dead; having lost its significance as a source of identity. Consumption, they argue, has become the main definer of people in society. What do postmodernists say about class changes?  Postmodernists would question whether class and class identities are meaningful concepts anymore, arguing it makes more sense to speak of a fragmented society with identity increasingly derived from consumption rather than issues associated with production, such as occupation. According to a Postmodern vision, people are seen to acquire their identities as consumers rather than as producers. Status differences (now based on consumption) were seen no longer as sharp and divisive, but loose and cross-cutting. Peoples consumption became home-centred in the post-war period, rather than communal, and their identities as consumers became constructed from images that came into their homes through the rapidly expanding media. The mass popular culture that resulted seemed more real than experiences outside the home and at the workplace. The French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu researched the relationship between consumption and class. He found that consumption patterns varied not only between classes but within them too. He argued that people thus use consumption to both establish and express their social difference. Bourdieu draws from both the work of Marx and Weber in his analysis that consumption and class are interrelated influences on identity. He argues social  divisions are not shaped by economic capital alone but introduces his important concept of cultural capital that he sees as shaping lifestyle including promoting education success, sports and leisure activities. However, he argues that cultural capital has to have symbolic status and be recognized within the society as having high status.

Domestic Violence A Recurring Problem In Modern Society Criminology Essay

Domestic Violence A Recurring Problem In Modern Society Criminology Essay Discuss its causes, effects and the legal and other remedies available to deal with the problem. Analyse whether these remedies are sufficient or not and set out how you feel the issue is best dealt with. Domestic violence is undoubtedly a serious problem in modern society. Crime statistics in Ireland indicate that the Gardai record an average of twenty three incidents of domestic violence every day (Watson and Parsons 2005). However, domestic violence is certainly not a modern phenomenon. It has existed throughout the centuries but remained largely hidden and unrecorded. Traditionally, domestic violence has been considered a private matter rather than a criminal offence. Until the 19th century it was legal and socially acceptable for men to beat their wives (Dobash and Dobash 1979). Domestic violence is often associated with physical abuse only. However, research indicates that it can take different forms: physical, sexual and psychological/emotional. In the course of this essay the causes and effects of domestic violence will be explored, drawing on research carried out in Ireland and internationally. The legal and other remedies will also be outlined and evaluated. 2. Many theories have been put forward as to the causes of domestic violence. One theory is idea of circular causality (Pressman 1989). This view implies that a woman is as responsible for her own victimization as the man who assaults her. The violence is seen as something they have both created and are both responsible for modifying. Another view explains violence by reference to the mans personal history. Research shows that men who witness their parents domestic violence are three times more likely to become wife beaters and women who witness violence as children seek out abusive men because they saw their mothers being abused (Pressman 1989). Pressman (1989) suggests witnessing violence against a Mother may make sons more prone to violence themselves as adults, they may be quick to perceive conflict and slow to see non-violent alternatives for dealing with it. However, there are no firm conclusions about childhood experiences of domestic or other abuse as a cause of adult abuse or v ictimization. Pressman (1989) points out that it is not simply a matter of modelling whereby a child witnesses a set of behaviours and proceeds to replicate them: there are powerful mediating factors that can shape a variety of outcomes. She concludes that not all violent families and not all children are the same and the replication of violence from generation to generation is not inevitable (Pressman 1989). Domestic violence is often associated with alcohol consumption, but it is unclear as to whether alcohol is the root cause of this problem. Reporting 3. on a study of married couples, Leonard finds support for a causal relationship between a husbands drinking and physical abuse of wives. However, he cautions that: †¦despite the support that the current research program has provided for a causal role of alcohol on marital aggression, it would be a mistake to overstate this role. Alcohol is neither a necessary nor a sufficient cause of marital aggression. The majority of aggressive episodes occur without alcohol, and men who have behaved aggressively with alcohol have often behaved aggressively without alcohol as well. The role of alcohol†¦appears to be one of a facilitative nature, a contributing cause. (Leonard cited in Watson and Parsons 2005 p.67). In their study of domestic violence in Ireland, Watson and Parsons identify a number of triggers of abusive behaviour. A trigger is an immediate precursor to the behaviour and not necessary the ultimate cause of violence (p. 174). They found that in about two out of five cases the abusive behaviour had no specific trigger or was triggered by minor incidents. In about one third of cases abuse was associated with the consumption of alcohol. The authors conclude that the results are not strongly suggestive of a primary causal link between consumption of alcohol and incidents of domestic violence. In only one quarter of cases was alcohol consumption always involved. Similarly, Margaret Martin, director of Womens Aid, points out that while there is a strong link between alcohol abuse and domestic violence, treating or dealing with the alcoholism does not necessarily stop the violence (Martin 2009). 4. However, she does acknowledge that alcohol greatly increases the risk to a woman and has clear links to increased severity in relation to physical and sexual abuse. Other contributing factors to domestic violence include social exclusion, gender inequality, poverty and having a criminal background. A number of theorists work from the understanding that domestic abuse is caused by social structures, cultural norms and other factors that endorse or do not challenge the use of control and abuse by men against their female partners (Debonnaire et al. 2004). Pressman (1989) suggests that violence against women has persisted in our society precisely because it does not contradict cultural norms in any fundamental way. She suggests that to some degree we have all been acculturated to perceive violence as an acceptable means of exercising control. Wife abuse also reflects power differentials in our society, played out in the family. Pressman (1989) points out that the groups against whom violence is accepted are groups that are socially and economically disadvantaged including women, children, racial minorities, the poor, the mentally ill. In particular she looks at the economic inequalities that affect women and their continuing exclusion from positions of power in very many sectors o f society. According to Pressman (1989) there is an obvious link between this systematic disempowering of women and their continued victimization. Domestic violence simultaneously expresses and reinforces their 5. disempowered state. The basic problem as she sees it, is not just to end violence as a behaviour (although it is obviously important) but more importantly to alter the social arrangements that violence expresses and reinforces. Women cannot be safe when at the same time they are defined as inferior and subordinate to men. The impact of domestic violence is far reaching and complex. Domestic violence is a major cause of injury, disability and death for women worldwide. Between January 1996 and June 2005, one hundred and nine women were murdered in Ireland, seventy two of these in their own homes. In those cases which have been resolved, all were perpetrated by a man and almost half were perpetrated by the womans partner or ex-partner (Debonnaire et al. 2004). Ireland is not alone, domestic violence is one of the greatest causes of death and injury amongst women worldwide (Amnesty International, 2004). The World Health Organisation has estimated that 70 per cent of female murder victims are killed by their male partners. Their recently released World Report on Violence and Health notes that whereas men are much more likely to be attacked by a stranger or an acquaintance than by someone within their close circle of relationships†¦.one of the most common forms of violence against women is that perfor med by a husband or male partner (World Health Organisation 2001). The Council of Europe has stated that violence in the family is the major cause of death and disability for women between the 6. ages of 16 and 44 years. Domestic violence results in more death and ill- health in women than cancer or road traffic accidents (Kerr 2004). Similarly child homicide is often linked to domestic violence, where the male abuser is abusing the women and the child(ren). Children who are not being abused may be physically harmed when they try to protect parents or are caught in the crossfire (Debonnaire et al. 2004). Apart from physical injury, domestic violence is also linked to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems. Both women and men who have been abused report negative emotional consequences (Watson and Parsons 2005). However, women are more likely than men to have been very frightened or distressed by this abuse and to report that the experience had a major impact on their lives (ibid. p25). Watson and Parsons also found that more women than men reported a loss of confidence. In some instances emotional abuse was found to be even more traumatic than physical attacks. Almost half of the severely abused respondents including those who had suffered severe physical or sexual abuse listed an emotional incident as being the worst thing that had happened to them (ibid. p.25). The research also found a clear link between abuse and marital breakdown. Domestic abuse can have an impact on other aspects of the victims life, including work and accommodation. Watson and Parsons found that two 7. in five of those severely abused had to take time off work, while nearly one in eight had to leave a job. In some cases it can lead to homelessness (OHalloran 2009). It is also a major cost to the exchequer in health care for the victims (Debonnaire et al. 2004). Ireland now has a network of womens support services and mens programmes, a civil and criminal justice framework, a specialist policy for the police and other elements of domestic abuse intervention. There has been public debate about effective ways of responding to and preventing domestic abuse (Task Force Report, 1997). The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform of the government of Ireland coordinates a Steering Committee on Violence against Women. Various sub-committees of the steering committee include one focused on work with perpetrators (Debonnaire 2004).. Traditionally attempts to intervene in domestic violence focused on abused women and their children. In recent years, however, there has been a shift to include a focus on the man who has perpetrated the abuse. on the perpetrator of the abuse. New policies have been adopted which focus on pro-active forms of intervention and prosecution. As part of these interventions treatment programmes for men have been introduced. The Dulaith Abuse Intervention Project (Dulaith DAIP) was the worlds first project to place intervention programmes as part of a co-ordinated 8. community response that aimed to hold men to account for their behaviour, enhance womens safety, sanction abusers appropriately and teach men not to abuse (Debonnaire 2004). There are currently fifteen intervention programmes working with domestic abusers in Ireland. Through working with perpetrators, these organisations are trying to increase the safety, and reduce the risks to their partners and children (Debonnaire et al. 2004). Numerous evaluations of intervention programmes have been carried out. Some results appear to show that programmes had limited or no effect on mens behaviour or womens safety. Others show that some programmes can have a positive effect on womens safety and on reducing mens abuse, particularly as part of a co-ordinated community response involving the criminal justice system and womens support services (Dobash et al, 2002; OConnor, 1998 cited in Debonnaire 2004). The legal protection for victims of domestic violence in Ireland includes elements from both the criminal and civil systems. The Domestic Violence Act 1996 enables spouses, cohabitees and parents to apply for orders, with certain property and residency restrictions. It enacted provisions of the Family Law Act 1981, making breach of domestic violence order an arrestable offence and allowing Gardai to arrest an offender for suspected actual bodily harm or grievous bodily 9. harm without witnessing the violence. The Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 addresses criminal aspects of domestic violence, making most forms of physical violence used by domestic abusers a crime. Victims of domestic violence can apply for three type of civil orders: protection orders (an interim order, which the court can make while a full hearing is pending for one of the other orders), safety orders (which prohibits violence or threats of violence, molesting or watching the place where the applicant or dependant person resides) and barring orders which prohibits the person from entering the place where the applicant resides also prohibits violence, threats of violence, molesting or watching the place where the applicant or dependant person resides). According to Nester (2007) it is clear from a High Court decision in the case of McA -v- McA (1981) that it is not necessary to prove actual or threatened violence in order to avail of a barring order. The wife in the above mentioned case claimed that her health had been adversely effected by her husbands continued lack of communication. Judge Costello granted a barring order on the grounds that the husbands conduct had seri ously affected the welfare of the wife. In cases where the Court believes there is an immediate risk of significant harm to the applicant or dependant child, or that a protection order may not be sufficient to protect the applicant, an interim barring order may be granted. This order has the same effect as a 10. barring order, and lasts until the Court determines the application for the barring order. Safety orders can last up to five years and barring orders for up to three years and can be renewed after that (Nester 2007). According to Margaret Martin (2006) Director of Womens Aid, the 1996 Domestic Violence Act falls short in a number of significant areas, leaving many victims of domestic violence unable to access protection in the civil courts. She states the Act specifies where a cohabitee wishes to apply for a barring order, two key conditions must be satisfied: the applicant must have lived with the respondent for six of the previous nine months in aggregate. They must be able to prove an equal or greater interest in the property. To apply for a safety order, the applicant must have lived with the respondent for six of the previous 12 months in aggregate. Ms Martin (2009) argues that these restrictions have prevented many women from accessing protection. Some may have been living with their partners for too short a period or many may be separated from him too long. Others may not have lived with their abuser at all. Separation she says is often the most dangerous time for a woman with the abuse becoming more frequent, severe and dangerous. Ten per cent of callers to the Womens Aid helpline in 2008 were being abused by former partners who were not married. Ms Martin (2009) also points out that there are no legal provisions for women in dating relationships. She states that the law is powerless to protect women who were never married or have never 11. lived with the abuser. This also applies to women who have children but do not live with the father of the child, they cannot apply for domestic violence orders because they do not fit the cohabitation requirements. This falls short of UN guidelines for domestic violence legislation, which state that legislation should apply at a minimum to individuals who are or who have been in an intimate relationship, including marital, non-marital, same-sex and non-cohabiting relationships (Martin 2009). A number of groups including Womens Aid, the Law Society, the Law Reform Commission, the Government Task Force on Violence against Women and Amnesty Ireland, have called for the 1996 Domestic Violence Act to be amended in order to address these issues. Holland (2009) states that unacceptable delays in the family courts are causing women, intimidated by violent spouses and partners, to drop applications for barring orders. She points out that the first port of call for a woman seeking a barring or protection order against a violent or abusive man is the District Court. Currently women face an eleven week wait between applying for an order and a court hearing. Within that period she says many women come under enormous pressure to withdraw their applications. She argues that the abuser has a lot of time to work on the victim. She said once an application is withdrawn it is unlikely the woman, who would be further demoralised, would re-enter it. A report published by Amnesty Internationa l points out that of 8,452 incidents of 12. domestic violence reported to the Garda in 2003, less than half resulted in barring orders from the courts. It looked at convictions of perpetrators in the courts, figures indicate that successful prosecutions occurred in only 7.7 per cent of these cases. The report also states that there has not been a single conviction for marital rape in this country, despite specific legislation making it a crime since 1990 and its frequent occurrence as reported by victims to organisations such as Womens Aid (Raferty 2005). Womens refuges prov

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Olympia, Greece :: Geography Geographic History Essays

Olympia, Greece ?Here in the States, if we find a penny from 1964, we think that we have found something extremely old, and will probably save the penny with audacious hopes of its worth skyrocketing in the distant future.? Contrary to our Americanized minds, 1964 is not old. . .at all.? However, the site of the first Olympic games, dating back to 776 BC, is extremely old.? ?Olympia is in the southern half of Greece, near the western coast towards the Mediterranean Sea near the Alpheus (now Alfi��span>) River (Columbia).? It has become a hot spot for tourism because of its historical significance and its shear beauty.? Olympia is about a five hour bus ride from capital city Athens. Home of the first Olympic games Olympia, as we will soon see, is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Greece.? New tourists flood the home of the first Olympic games by land and by sea, coming in on buses and on cruise ships that dock at the nearby port of Katakolo.? The town is filled with tourist shops, cafes, restaurants, and a Historical Museum of the Olympic games.? Olympia is definitely most noted for its being the host of the first Olympic games in 776 BC.? This event put Olympia on the map and it became internationally renowned as the site of the first Olympic games.? The Olympic games where ceased in 393 AD after an edict issued by Theodosius the Great, but were revived for the first time, after fifteen centuries, in 1896 in the all-marble Stadium of Athens.? The festival was open to only Greek born men but later Romans were allowed to compete most likely because they were running the country by then.? Slaves and women were not even allowed to be spectators and women caught sneaking in were apparently thrown off a cliff!? The events included foot races, wrestling, discus, javelin, long-jump, horse and chariot racing, and a type of boxing called pancratium. Also unlike the Olympics of today, There were not only atheletic events but also writing, poetry and history readings, plus business transactions and treaties were made between leaders of city-states (Vaughan). The very first and only competition of the first Olympic games was a 200 meter race, won by a man named Coroebus, thus becoming the first Olympic champion.? The Greeks decided to hold the race at Olympia every four years.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Benefits of Play Time for Children Essay -- Cognitive, Social, Psy

The best way for parents to teach their child is to play with them. Because indoor and outdoor play is a child's opportunity to explore his new world, it is very important for his growth. In order to help their children develop cognitive, social, and psychological skills, parents should actively participate in their child's playtime. The first step for parents to take is to give the child enough room to play. Enough play space will give way to paths, ramps, bridges, hills, etc (Strickland par. 3). Because the child will have extra room to move, his body will engage in actions, which is important for him to learn how his mind cooperates with his body. Provide tools like plastic shovels, sand buckets, or blocks of wood to encourage him to build anything he wants. Such things as sand, water, blocks, and boxes for construction are moveable. Since they are moveable, they are also changeable; he can calculate in his head what needs to go where (Strickland par. 1). The balancing, lifting, and carrying will help develop his cognitive skills because he will be using his mind to complete his project just the way he imagines it (Strickland par. 2). The movements and strategies that are accompanied by outdoor projects will enhance his motor coordination, and hone his timing skills (Muller par. 38). Dr. Katheleen Al fano, director research at Fisher Price, states that â€Å"a great deal of research has been conducted recently into the link between play and movement, and intellectual development† (Muller par. 37). Of course, the parents' role in this activity is to monitor their child's play, but to not hover or intervene. The parents may feel urged to correct the child's method of construction, but it is vital for the child to ... ...k. There is no time commitment, and the child savors the play-time just the same (Bush par. 4). There are many things to do outside to help define the child's character: read outside (Bush par. 8), gaze at the sky (Bush par. 9), listen to animal sounds (Bush par. 10), look at the many bugs, and much more. When a child sees an eccentric insect, his reaction will portray his character and personality. It also helps him explore his feelings (Bush par. 7). Allowing aggressive play and scheduling time to see the world together are ways that parents can actively participate in their child's play-time. The famous author Dr. Seuss thinks that â€Å"adults are obsolete children.† Still, parents must put adulthood aside sometimes and actively participate in their child's play-time in order to help the child develop cognitive, social, and psychological skills.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Respect Kid :: essays research papers

The author of this novel is Margarat Atwood. She was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1939. She attended the University of Toronto, Radcliffe College, and Harvard University. This book is about a future dystopia. It shows a future in which the United States no longer exists. A knew society, known as Gilead, is created. Women are stripped of their rights. This novel shows what may lie ahead for women, if they do not begin to stand up for themselves. In this novel fertile women are scarce. These fertile women are called Handmaids. Sexual activity is regulated and monitored in order to control the population. Two of the main characters in this novel are the Commander and Offred. The Commander is the head of the household were Offred is stationed as a Handmaid. Offred is the narrator of this story. She belongs to the class of women know as Handmaids. Since the opportunity for men to have pleasure is controlled, men do not rebel against society. Promotion and wives are promised for any man who is loyal. Harsh penalties for irregular satisfaction of sexual desire including homosexuality and masturbation have been created. Marriage is completely arranged. The Handmaids are told that their old society was unstable and immoral. Women suffered a lot. The women in Gilead are told that those problems have been solved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Offred looses her identity in this new society. Before the new religious group of Gilead took over the world she was a very normal every day woman. She did what was expected of her time and continued to do so after the take over. She had a husband and a daughter who she loved very much. But in the new society, love is not permitted. Before the takeover social class was not a problem and each individual was treated equally. But slowly people of high social groups became much more powerful. They were chosen as Commander’s and the poorer individuals went to Colonies. Young woman were screened, and the ones who passed were used as Handmaids. These Handmaid’s had children for the infertile Commander’s wives. They would be sent away to special schools where they were taught how to give birth and to obey their masters without question. The woman’s lives were controlled by this society; and were taught to forget the society which they once live d. Things that once were, no longer existed. The Respect Kid :: essays research papers The author of this novel is Margarat Atwood. She was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1939. She attended the University of Toronto, Radcliffe College, and Harvard University. This book is about a future dystopia. It shows a future in which the United States no longer exists. A knew society, known as Gilead, is created. Women are stripped of their rights. This novel shows what may lie ahead for women, if they do not begin to stand up for themselves. In this novel fertile women are scarce. These fertile women are called Handmaids. Sexual activity is regulated and monitored in order to control the population. Two of the main characters in this novel are the Commander and Offred. The Commander is the head of the household were Offred is stationed as a Handmaid. Offred is the narrator of this story. She belongs to the class of women know as Handmaids. Since the opportunity for men to have pleasure is controlled, men do not rebel against society. Promotion and wives are promised for any man who is loyal. Harsh penalties for irregular satisfaction of sexual desire including homosexuality and masturbation have been created. Marriage is completely arranged. The Handmaids are told that their old society was unstable and immoral. Women suffered a lot. The women in Gilead are told that those problems have been solved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Offred looses her identity in this new society. Before the new religious group of Gilead took over the world she was a very normal every day woman. She did what was expected of her time and continued to do so after the take over. She had a husband and a daughter who she loved very much. But in the new society, love is not permitted. Before the takeover social class was not a problem and each individual was treated equally. But slowly people of high social groups became much more powerful. They were chosen as Commander’s and the poorer individuals went to Colonies. Young woman were screened, and the ones who passed were used as Handmaids. These Handmaid’s had children for the infertile Commander’s wives. They would be sent away to special schools where they were taught how to give birth and to obey their masters without question. The woman’s lives were controlled by this society; and were taught to forget the society which they once live d. Things that once were, no longer existed.