Developing educational leadership in study circle Essay

As previously mentioned, Study Circle leaders are highly look upon as respectable individuals in the program. Even though the leader is just a representative or could be consider as equal among others, it could not be deny that their role is crucial in the success of the Study Circle. According to Blid (2000), there are two main functions that can be used to identify a leader. One is the ability to secure that studies progress smoothly and two, the ability promote a positive social climate during meetings. The first characteristic of the leader implies that he is willing to set aside his personal time to ensure that the program would run smoothly and effectively. However, the Study Circle was created to work collectively and each member is expected to be responsible for their own progress so it doesn’t mean that the Study Circle leader should do everything. He is just their in order to guide the participants in accordance with the program. Most of his organizational functions could be consider as presidential or secretarial work (Bjerkaker, 2003). The second functions or commonly known as the social and emotional role of the leader is consider as an important tool in developing a positive atmosphere of cooperation and respect wherein everyone would feel at ease while learning (Blid, 1990)). A Study Circle leader may be the key to an inspiring first meeting or a failure leader would cause the Study Circle to lose some of its members or participants. In order to carry out those two functions, Kindstorm (2002) cited some tasks that would help them perform their task. They are the following: 1) Helping the participants in strengthening their self-confidence; 2) Developing team spirit so that participants would feel welcome and secure; 3) Putting the participants own development in focus and ask the right questions; 4) On the process of knowledge, applying common views from time to time will help the participants to apply what they have learn in different situations of their everyday life; 5) Preventing competition by promoting cooperation among the participants; 6) Encouraging the participants to discuss solutions and ask questions among other through dialogues; 7) Making different options very clear; The leader will always play a crucial role in the interplay of the group. He/she, for an instance, need to face problems that could inhibit the members from participating in activities or learning from the program. The course subject that the Study Circle will tackle will be in accordance to the leader’s general knowledge. On the other hand, Study Circle leaders are considered as unpaid work since it is look upon as part of their engagement in a voluntary organization (Persson, 2006). However there are some who get paid but most of them are either retired or were specifically hired for the job due to certain circumstances. Most Study Circle leaders do have ordinary employment and their only few who are consider as full time Study Circle leaders and most of them are teachers. Methodology Introduction A multiplicity of concepts and ideas may bring confusion in terms of meanings. Clarity of key concepts, ideas and how could they be applied after the study would be an important parts in determining whether they are qualitative or quantitative. The purpose is to generate information about the application of the research design and its method to the current study. Research Design By focusing on textual data and spoken word rather than relying in numerical data and statistical method, qualitative research is meant to describe human experiences in various subjects and topics. The multiple perspectives of each participant are the direct source of data for this research design. By analyzing frequent phrases, patterns or statements from the participants, the researchers are in the process of developing a theory or foundation needed for the study. Furthermore, this procedure may often produce additional information that could start further research. In order to carry out their goal, the researchers should observe and jot down notes during the process of the research (Patton, 2002). According to Patton (2002), qualitative design is very tedious and time consuming. Researchers are force to adapt to the participants conditions and situations in order to extract the information they needed without jeopardizing the content and value of the data. However, analysis of data could pose as a major threat to the success of the study. After being influence by the participant’s environment, interpretation of this data could be subject to biases and personal opinions of researchers (Myers, 2002). However, the risk of taking this design lies in its descriptive reports and explorations of human views that could offer the future readers of the study a better understanding of the problem. Research Method While the Study Circle shall be used as a method, the characteristics of Focus Group Discussion to capture multiple perspectives of different participants at the same time will be useful in this study. Similar to the Study Circle, by assembling group of people to discuss certain topic, focus group discussion could generate social interactions between these people that are not acquainted with each other (Heiskanen, 2008). By generating interactions among them and seeing it evolve, various ideas and concepts are generated at the same time. Ideas and concepts are being generated through a communal process wherein participants could share and elaborate their viewpoints about the subject and concern topics. Furthermore, researchers could understand how participants handle, react and approach the issue being presented to them by observing, recording and analyzing the interaction and discussion of the group (Heiskanen, 2008). Multiple ideas and concept necessary to form the foundation of the school-community framework could be supplied by focus group discussion while minimizing time and cost for the research. Furthermore, the concept of Study Circles and focus group discussion are parallel with each other, thus preventing overlaps of information.

The Relationship Between Religion and Morality

Morality (sometimes called â€Å"true morality† or â€Å"high morality†) should be distinguished from those rules which are simply those which are considered necessary for the efficient running of a society. Such rules of a society are enshrined in law, custom and convention; and are supported and enforced by society through the legal system and public opinion. These rules are usually obeyed because of self-interest, a kind of â€Å"social contract† in which, for example, we agree not to steal from anyone else in the society if they agree not to steal from us. In very early societies these social rules were supported by religion, and presented as behaviour which the gods insisted humans obeyed. It is arguable that some (ie numbers 5-9) of the Ten Commandments (13th Century BCE) are just such social rules. However such a system of social rules may break down, particularly in a secular or pluralistic society. For example some people may consider that the society in which they live is unfair, and only benefits certain groups in it; or the legal system may be too inefficient to prevent other people stealing. In such situations individuals may think it is no longer beneficial for them to continue to agree to the social contract, and then there would be no compelling reason why they should continue to obey society's laws. What we consider to be true morality is different from social rules in two important respects: 1. It is based on real concern for others as human beings of equal value to ourselves 2. Our motivation for behaving morally is that such behaviour is â€Å"right† and we feel we â€Å"ought† to do it, even when it is inconvenient to ourselves. Is Morality dependent upon Religion? The evidence to support this view is: * All religions insist upon a moral code as a central part of the religious life. * Even non-religious people when discussing where ethical values came from will refer to religious sources, such as the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20. 2-17), or the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5. 3- 7.27). * When people (eg newspaper reporters) require an expert opinion on moral issues they will ask religious leaders. * People expect higher standards of moral behaviour from religious people (a story of an adulterous vicar is more likely to appear in the newspapers that a similar tale about a bank manager – unless, of course, the latter is a churchwarden!). * Even in our largely secular society, â€Å"high† morality is often referred to as â€Å"having Christian values†. * When people talk of someone being â€Å"a good Christian† they are usually referring to their moral behaviour (ie how they treat others) and not to their doctrinal orthodoxy (ie whether they hold the traditional Christian beliefs). * True morality sprung up within religion. Arguably the first clear and unequivocal expression of true morality was the insistence by the Israelite prophet Amos in the 8th Century BCE that Yahweh (God) required honesty, truth and justice among his people more than religious observances (sacrifices, etc): â€Å"Even though you offer me [Yahweh] your burnt offerings†¦I will not accept them;†¦but let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream† (Amos 5.22-4). * No society developed morality without having developed religion first, and all morality was originally proclaimed in the name of religion. It could be asserted, therefore, that morality is a product of religion, and true morality can only derive from religion. * Conscience can be interpreted as the voice of God telling us what is right and wrong. * It can be argued that even when societies lose their interest in practising a religion, they still maintain the moral values which that religion originally instilled into the society. Thus it can be claimed that in Britain today, where about 1 person in 30 is a practising Christian, the moral values which the society proclaims, believes in and tries to live by are Christian moral values (secularised). * It can be claimed that people will not chose to be moral unless encouraged to do so by religion. Is Morality independent from Religion? The evidence to support this view is: * Religions existed for many thousands of years before they developed a real morality. This suggests that morality is not an essential part of religion. * Atheists and agnostics, who do not believe in or follow any religion, can still live truly moral lives, with a selfless compassion for other humans. * Whole societies (eg China and the former Soviet States) can be officially atheistic, and there is no evidence that such countries or governments are necessarily more wicked than ones which claim to be religious states. * The origin of moral values can be explained in terms of Evolutionary Ethics (ie as societies develop and become more complex and sophisticated so social rules become more demanding, evolving into true morality). * Conscience can be explained in other ways (eg Sigmund Freud's concept of the internalisation of parental norms). * Agriculture, families, medicine and learning all developed within a religious context, as did morality. They have now all entered the secular domain, and are considered independent of religion, so the fact that morality developed in a religious context does not mean that it is necessarily dependent upon religion. * Plato posited the â€Å"Euthyphro Dilemma† which raised the question that good must be independent of God, or there would be no way of knowing if God's commands were actually good or not. Can we come to some kind of conclusion? How you evaluate the above evidence, and the conclusion you come to about where the balance of the evidence lies is something you have to do for yourself; but you must do it honestly, thoughtfully and intelligently. You may like to consider the following thoughts: * All people have some kind of beliefs concerning the nature of humanity, what is of real importance and value, and what one should do with ones life. * Religious people will refer to these beliefs as their religion, and associate with groups of like-minded people who share the same religion. Atheists and agnostics will tend to refer to their beliefs as their philosophy of life, and may consider them a more individual matter. * These beliefs (whatever we call them) affect our behaviour, and we legitimately judge a person's philosophy of life by how it affects their moral decisions and actions. * So ones beliefs determine ones morality.

Metabical Case Essay

The weight loss drug vailable in three four-week packages. The four week packaging was at the specific point where the consumer did not have to spend too much money to buy it, yet got invested in the product enough that they would come back to buy the second and third portions Marketing Research – According to the US survey 34% overweight 25. % obese 4. 7% severely obese – Health care providers were positive about the prospects of weight loss drugs. – Responses of individuals: indicates 12% would immediately opt for such a solution. – Focus group: Need of Prescription-strength drug with FDA approval & clinical results o backup weight loss results. Decision making The process of decision making for the consumers would follow the hierarchy of effects and would include the following steps Users involved in word of outh publicity – First prescription drug to be approved by the FDA specifically for weight loss of overweight individuals – credibility – First prescription drug for BMI of 25-30 – It worked on low dose formulation hence stress on liver and heart was lesser – Side effects were less severe and conditional – Behavioral modifications and healthier eating habits – Results were seen on an average in 12 weeks – More comprehensive support plan – The above advantage could be used for positioning in the following ways: Premium pricing as it is the only FDA approved prescription drug for weight loss. Strikingly different from dietary supplements for weight loss Segmentation & Targeting multi cluster segmentation Demographic – Income levels – High Income group, since they are ready to pay out of their pockets. – Gender- Females are more weight conscious. – Age: 35+ – Educa tion: college plus Psychographic : Based on, Physical activity, Food preferences, Nutrition, Self image, Overall health – â€Å"l want to be healthier† – † I want to fit into my skinny Jeans† Geographic : US is the largest geographic segment where 65% of the entire adult population is over-weight, obese or severely obese . Targeting customers with a BMI of 25-30 Positioning Strategy Positioning as a ?Life saving drug† Those 20 extra pounds can kill you. Being overweight leads to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes â€Å"It†s time to get Healthy- Metabical can help. † Positioning as a ?Motivational Therapeutic drug† â€Å"Discover a happier and a more attractive you† – Increases confidence – Boosts self- esteem Marketing Communication Strategy Electronic media – TV – Radio – Social media Print media – NEWS – Magazines Viral media DTC and prescriber advertising ?Free lunch† pre launch program Metabical Challenge – Biggest looser contest Medical education events Thank you

Technology DQ3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology DQ3 - Essay Example e a drift towards attaining more cohesiveness and oneness within their processes and tasks and for this matter they have undertaken measures to incorporate more and more use of technological regimes – for the betterment of one and all. It is a fact that the business world of present times can have a lot of improvement within their ranks if they adopt the policy of working towards the establishment of different management systems that have an incorporation of technology. This would guarantee them a lot of success as their employees and workers would dedicate their whole hearted efforts towards the different tasks of the company as well as towards their own individual capacities. Once these technologically-assisted management systems are installed and are in place, we can have a proper check and balance mechanism as concerns to the people who are working in the company. One such of these management systems is the performance management systems within the human resources unit whi ch makes use of the fact that performance is increased on the part of all concerned and there is no shortfall as concerns to commitment, dedication and devotion when at work. 2) Based on the readings and personal experience, what are the responsibilities of a manager to ensure that company supported effectiveness technology is being used in a cost-effective and responsible manner by employees? The work culture within the domains of a manager must suit the interests of the organization in the best form possible. For this to happen, it is necessary to understand that technology has got an immense role to play in the manager’s repertoire. Also there should be a comprehension that managers work in a global world where technology has of late been instrumental at dramatically changing the way we perceive the events that govern our lives. The accession of technology to managers around the globe means that the same has resulted in the amalgamation of technological expertise and the like for a

Critique of Aristotle's Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critique of Aristotle's Politics - Essay Example Other types include tyranny, oligarchy and democracy, which are considered bad ones. It has been argued that there are a number of advantages and disadvantages that come with the type of government in practice. This affects the level of benefits of the people as well as the level of peace in a government. Benefits and disadvantages are associated with the types of government that Aristotle discusses in his classification of empires. This paper provides a discussion of those pros and cons. It also provides the argument whether these forms of rule would be suitable for the administration of the Roman Empire. Discussion One of the first political structures Aristotle refers to is a monarchy. He distinguishes a monarchy noting that, â€Å"The rule of a household is a monarchy, for every house is under one head: whereas constitutional rule is a government of freemen and equals† (Aristotle 279). Aristotle goes on to indicate that the major pros of a political monarchy are that the h ead of state is separated from the head of government. It has also been noted that there exists a great relationship between the leader and the people if the leader is a monarch. This is because people see the Royal Family as a family they can relate to. Indeed, at one point Aristotle even compares a monarchy to a family, with the head of the household constituting the King or Queen. The other pro is that this form of leadership ensures the interest of the nation is placed first in preference to other considerations. It is also a form of government that represents centuries of history and tradition. It is considered a tourist attraction due to its archaic nature, and tourists usually come to see the working palaces. This type of empire would have been successful in the Roman Empire during the reign of Diocletian which started in 284 CE. Since the monarch divided the empire into two, it would have ensured loyalty to the monarch from the eastern and the western empires. This would ens ure cases of disagreements and rebellion against the monarch are prevented. Aristocracy, on the other hand, is a form of rule which ensures the best rulers. There are certain pros associated with this form of rule. The main one is that it ensures the best people who can rule the country are given the authority to do so if the present leadership is hereditary. This ensures the country is ruled by the right people in the right direction. This form of rule would have been successful in the Roman Empire. In these regards, one considers that Aristotle extols the virtues of the aristocracy as being effective with many strongholds (Aristotle). The Roman Empire had various problems from attacks from the Vandals in 455 CE. This led to the removal of the Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus from power by the Odovacar, a paid mercenary of the Romans as well as the leader of the Goths. This is what resulted in the end of the Roman Empire. The selection of the right leader would ensure he puts the ri ght defensive measures to ensure the people are protected and the multitude of strongholds would have constituted an effective defensive measure. This would have contributed to the continued existence of the Roman Empire. Tyranny can also be considered to have certain pros with respect to the Roman Empire. This is because only a tyrant is allowed to act in a manner that he wants without considering ethics. It allows the society to run free by assuming control irrespective to the nature of the control. Aristotle notes,

High rate of STI in Juveniles can patient teaching decrease Essay

High rate of STI in Juveniles can patient teaching decrease reoccurance - Essay Example e increased risks of contracting the disease from the street and the GLBT and African-American population have higher chances of getting syphilis, gonorrhea and other STIs than the rest of the US population. It has been estimated that as much as 71 percent of the black juvenile population had gonorrhea in 2008, while 21 percent of homeless youth were identified with STIs (CDC, 2009). To change the present scenario and educate these youth about the risks and prevalence of STI, it is proposed that not only should this problem be addressed in schools and town hall meetings- giving information about these diseases, risk factors and how to avoid contracting them- but also by starting free clinics where these STIs can be reported confidentially and cured through conventional means. STIs should be viewed as a social problem that affects certain populations more than others, but being aware of the risk factors and taking adequate precautions can prevent their occurrence and reoccurrence, rather than having to deal with their symptoms at a later stage. The benefits to the healthcare environment would be profound. By educating not only the youth and adolescents but also part of the adult population that consist of their family members and friends though lectures and pamphlets, we can help decrease both the prevalence and reoccurrence of STIs in the local community. Taking our clinics to the streets to help homeless and runaway juveniles will also help reduce prevalence and reoccurrence and educate them in making better life choices. It is better not to have sex than risk contracting STIs due to unprotected sex, sharing needles and so

Macroeconomic problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Macroeconomic problem - Essay Example The amount of money supplied by the government fixed by Fed hence making it perfectly inelastic. b) In our situation, the equilibrium interest rate will be 5.8% as this is the point of intersection of the supply curve and the money demand curve. C) When the economy is at full employment, an increase in money supply will not result in an increase in the output. In this case, the increased money supplied will result in increased level of inflation. The excess money pumped in the economy will chase the same quantity of goods and services thereby making their prices to inflate. Normally, the increases in the money supply is intended to stimulate economic growth by reducing the level of interest rates (Floyd 58). In the case of full employment, all the resources are already utilized and the increased money supplied will not achieve the intended purpose of increasing production level. Besides, the increased inflation will make the local currency unstable and discourage foreign investors fr om holding the local currency. This can adversely affect the investment levels and increase the economic problems. Fed decision to increase money supply can be propelled by several factors. First, an increase in money supply can be aimed at increasing the level of expenditure in the economy. By increasing the level of money supply, the government will increase the amount of wealth held by individuals. This makes them increase their expenditure to stimulate economic growth. Money spent in both consumption and investment will increase because of the increase in the disposable income (Floyd 63). Individuals will as well increase the proportion of their investments in bonds, as they will use the excess money to buy bonds and shares in the capital markets. Secondly, Fed can decide to increase the money supply to stimulate investments. An increase in money supply will result in a fall in the nominal interest rates, which will further result in the fall in the real interest rates. Due to t he fall in interest rates, the cost of borrowings will be reduced. Potential investors will therefore be encouraged to borrow and acquire capital necessary in pursuing their investment plans. Consequently, the increased investments will increase the level of employment because of the increased economic activities. Sometimes, the government through Fed can decide to increase the level of money supply to cause an increase the price levels by a desirable margin. According to the quantity theory of money, price levels depend directly on the money supply. In the long-run therefore, an increase in money supply will result in an increase in the price level by equal proportion. Fed can have this objective during the period of recession or depression when the level of economic activities is low to stimulate economic activities and increase the quantity of purchases. In addition, a decrease in the interest rates will increase the demand of the local currency hence cause depreciation in the cu rrency. This is because in an open economy, interest rates parity must always be preserved. This will cause the currency to fall with a further expectation that it will fall faster in the future. The depreciation in the local currency will make the cost of local goods cheaper and attractive thereby causing a surge in both the foreign and local demand (Floyd

Application to Use Human Research Subjects Essay

Application to Use Human Research Subjects - Essay Example   Name and Title Dept. Phone, E-mail address 3. Non-key personnel:   Name and Title Dept. Phone, E-mail address 7. Consultants:   Name and Title Dept. Phone, E-mail address 8. The principal investigator agrees to carry out the proposed project as stated in the application and to promptly report to the Human Subjects Committee any proposed changes and/or unanticipated problems involving risks to subjects or others participating in approved project in accordance with the Liberty Way and the Confidentiality Statement. The principal investigator has access to copies of 45 CFR 46 and the Belmont Report. The principal investigator agrees to inform the Human Subjects Committee and complete all necessary reports should the principal investigator terminate association with the University. Additionally s/he agrees to maintain records and keep informed consent documents for three years after completion of the project even if the principal investigator terminates association with the University. ___________________________________ _________________________________________ Principal Investigator Signature Date ___________________________________ _________________________________________ Faculty Sponsor (If applicable) Date Submit the original request to: Liberty University Institutional Review Board, CN Suite 1582, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA 24502. Submit also via email to irb@liberty.edu APPLICATION TO USE HUMAN RESEARCH SUBJECTS 10. This project will be conducted at the following location(s): (please indicate city & state)  Liberty University Campus X Other (Specify): Charlottesville High School: Charlottesville, Virginia 11. This project will involve the following subject types: (check-mark types to be studied) X Normal Volunteers (Age 18-65)  Subjects Incapable Of Giving Consent  In Patients  Prisoners Or Institutionalized Individuals  Out Patients X Minors (Under Age 18)  Patient Controls  Over Age 65  Fetuses  University Students (PSYC De pt. subject pool __)  Cognitively Disabled  Other Potentially Elevated Risk Populations______  Physically Disabled __________________________________________  Pregnant Women Subjects Incapable of Giving Consent. 12. Do you intend to use LU students, staff or faculty as participants in your study? If you do not intend to use LU participants in your study, please check â€Å"no† and proceed directly to item 13. YES  NO X If â€Å"Yes†, please list the department and/or classes you hope to enlist and the number of participants you would like to enroll.  In order to process your request to use LU subjects, we must ensure that you have contacted the appropriate department and gained permission to collect data from them. Signature of Department Chair: ___________________________________ ____________________________ Department Chair Signature(s) Date 13. Estimated number of subjects to be enrolled in this protocol: ___15-25____________ 14. Does this project call for: ( check-mark all that apply to this study) X Use of Voice, Video, Digital, or Image Recordings?  Subject Compensation? Patients $ Volunteers $ Participant Payment Disclosure Form  Advertising For Subjects?  More Than Minimal Risk?  More Than Minimal Psychological Stress?  Alcohol Consumption? X Confidential Material (questionnaires, photos, etc.)?  Waiver of Informed Consent?  Extra Costs To The Subjects (tests, hospitalization, etc.)?  VO2 Max Exercise?

The Resurrection of Jesus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Resurrection of Jesus - Assignment Example Mathew only mentions Mary Magdalene and does not indicate the existence of the other women (The Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 28). They did not find the stone that was covering instead, two angels appeared to them in shining garments and asked them why they were seeking Jesus among the dead. In the book of Mathew, Jesus appeared to the disciples on their way to telling the disciples about the risen Christ. The other three books do not account for this. He told them to remind the disciples that they were to meet him in Galilee. According to Luke, Peter, who did not believe left for the empty tomb to confirm what the women had said to them (The Gospel according to Luke, Chapter 24). The other books do not portray these happenings. While on their way to Emaus with a colleague, Cleopas, Jesus appeared to them but they did not recognize him until the time he broke bread. Jesus was not human he was fully of heavenly glory because he vanished from them. They left immediately for Jerusalem where they met the eleven disciples and informed them of the risen Christ and how he had appeared to Simon. As they narrated what happened to them on the way, Jesus appeared amidst them and informed them to remain in peace. They were so terrified thinking he was a spirit. He showed them of the scars on his feet and hands, but the disciples did not believe him yet Jesus ate a broiled fish t before them narrating how a spirit has neither flesh nor bones (Bible, 2000). All the other three books cover these happenings except the book of John. The books of Mark, John and Luke cover how Jesus revealed to the disciples His fathers blessings to them. He explained how they were to be witnesses of the remission of sins and they were to preach his name to all the nations. As he blessed them, he was parted into the sky up to the heavens. The different authors portrayed the resurrection of Jesus as they did because there

W4 discussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

W4 discussions - Essay Example Waiting-line models can equally be applied in the manufacturing of soda, canned foods, automotive components, and plastic products, the list being practically inexhaustible. By analyzing queues in terms of average waiting time, and the length of the waiting line, among other factors, managers in the manufacturing setting can make vital decisions regarding how many machines they should engage in production, when to schedule maintenance for particular machines, and establish the probability of having a given quantity of materials or inventory running in the system (wps.prenhall.com, n.d.). Queuing theory may help managers establish the probability of a system being idle which is important in deciding when and how often to schedule maintenance services for machines and equipment. Simply stated, queuing theory is no less important in product manufacturing than it is in service industries. Linear programming is a widely used mathematical technique designed to help operations managers plan and make decisions. Why is LP so important in decision making? So what are the major components of a linear programming problem? What does linear programming tell us about the allocation of resources? Linear programming according to purplemath (n.d.) is the process of analyzing the different linear inequalities that apply to a given situation to find the optimum value that can be obtained under those conditions. In this respect, linear programming is important in obtaining the â€Å"best† (optimum) value of a variable for a given set of conditions (purplemath, n.d.). For decision makers, linear programming is important in finding optimum (maximum and minimum) values which are important such as in maximizing profits and minimizing expenses among other desirable results. A linear programming problem has four basic components; decision variables, data/parameters, constraints, and objective

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay The overall goal of Starbucks Management was to create an American version of the Italian coffee bars that Howard Schultz had experienced first-hand in Milan. He believed that Starbucks should function as an important part of the community, as a meeting place for its customers. He wanted Starbucks to become an experience that would differentiate itself from its competitors. One of their key strategies in meeting this goal is a focus on customer service in order to create an experience for its consumers. Another one of their strategies is to ignite their emotional attachment with consumers. They also have a commitment to improving their business through better training, tools, and products and to give attention to store-level economics and operating efficiency. All of these are prongs to their strategy that will allow Starbucks management to turn Starbucks into a location where people don’t just go to grab coffee, but to experience the atmosphere of an Italian coffee shop. Another prong to their strategy is to offer many different products and to distribute them among a variety of distribution methods. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? There are five generic competitive strategies that can be employed and they are low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, and best-cost provider strategy. The strategy that Starbucks uses is broad differentiation where they seek to differentiate their product offerings from rivals’ with attributes that will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The key market characteristic for the strategy of differentiation to work is that buyers’ needs and preferences are very diverse and cannot be satisfied with a standardized product offering. This is an evident characteristic of the market because consumers all have different preferences on the way they like their coffee. Which is the reason why Starbucks offers many different product options like lattes, skinny lattes, coffee, iced drinks, blended drinks, etc. They also offer fruit cups, water, and bakery items to provide even more options for their consumers. If a differentiation strategy is successfully implemented the firm will be able to do one of the following: command a premium price for its products, increase unit sales, and/or gain buyer loyalty to its brand. Starbucks has some of the highest prices for the type of products they offer and people tend to be extremely loyal to whatever coffee they are used to purchasing, because they trust the quality. Methods to enhance differentiation 1. Create superior product features, design, and performance Starbucks has a superior knowledge of coffee and a commitment to providing customers with quality coffees. Providing top-quality, fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee was the company’s differentiating feature and a core value since the beginning of its founding. Couches, fireplaces, newspapers, drive-through windows, kiosks in supermarkets and other public places were added to locations depending on what would add value to their consumers. Due to their focus on providing a different experience depending on the location of the store, their international strategy is a multi-domestic approach. The core characteristics of each new store was based on local materials and craftsmanship, a focus on reused and recycled materials and exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots. Most important of all they believed that coffee should be central and that distractions should be removed. They believed that the combination of all these elements should tell a story that would engage the consumer’s five senses and provide them with flexibility to meet the needs of the many different consumers that would be attracted to Starbucks. 2. Improving customer service or adding additional features When Howard Schultz first became part of the company he realized that one key problem Starbucks was having was that first-time consumers often felt uneasy about their absence of knowledge about high-quality coffee. An additional problem was that the employees came off as arrogant and unapproachable. He then worked with employees to teach them about friendly customer service and created a pamphlet to teach new customers about coffee. He also began to offer part-time employees health insurance and a stock option plan for all employees, because he believed that if a company treated their employees well, then they would in turn treat their consumers well. The additional features that Starbucks offers are fireplaces, couches, music, Wi-Fi access, ability to use paid sites and services like Wall Street Journal’s site, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, local community news, and activities. 3. Pursuing production RD activities Starbucks is constantly brewing new flavors and blends to offer their consumers a variety of coffee to try. Flavors are rotated daily or weekly to offer constant variety. They also test new product offerings like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and seasonal drinks. 4. Striving for innovation and technological advances One way that Starbucks was able to constantly strive for innovation was by controlling the cost of opening and renovating stores by centralizing buying, developing standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidating work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices. Starbucks retail operations group outlined the minimum amount of equipment each store would need. This meant that standard items could be ordered from vendors in volume at 20 to 30 percent discounts. The items would then be delivered to the site from a warehouse or from the vendor. A technological advance was that they used computer software to build store layouts that would calculate costs as the design progressed. This cut costs by a significant amount and shortened the process of opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Increasing intensity of marketing and sales activities Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a lot of money on advertising, because they relied mostly on word-of-mouth. In 2008 McDonald’s stepped up their advertising to highlight their McCafe coffee drinks. In order to counter this Starbucks undertook the largest advertising campaign ever. 6. Seeking out high-quality inputs Starbucks promotes environmentally sustainable practices in coffee cultivation methods and have specific guidelines they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help farmers to grow high quality coffees in environmentally beneficial ways. In 2000 they began purchasing their coffee organically and a growing percentage of their coffees were grown organically as well as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving employee skill, knowledge, and experience Starbucks has a commitment to training their employees so that they are better able to serve their customers. All partners and baristas receive at least 24 hours of training in their first two to four weeks on topics such as coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service (for a total of 4 hours), and retail skills. Baristas in particular are required to learn how to grind beans, steam milk, pull perfect shots of espresso, memorize recipes, practicing how to mix drinks, and how to customize drinks. Sessions also include how to operate the cash register, clean the milk wand, explain the Italian drink names, and making eye contact with customers. Management trainees are required to attend classes for 8-12 weeks and learn about store operations, practices, and procedures. When a new store is opened a Star Team of experienced employees are sent to make sure everything runs smoothly. From time to time, Starbucks conducts special training programs, including a coffee masters program, leadership training program, and career programs for partners in all types of jobs. When does a differentiation strategy work best? A differentiation strategy works best when buyer needs and uses of the product are diverse, there are many ways to differentiate the product or service that have value to buyers, few rival firms are following a comparable differentiation approach, and technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features. Starbucks’ actions to differentiate their product line They have expanded their product offerings along many different distribution channels by capitalizing on their growing brand name and awareness. First they were able to market their product to restaurants, airlines, hotels, universities, hospitals, business offices, country clubs, and select retailers. United Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin hotels, and Wells Fargo all began to serve Starbucks coffee. A joint venture with PepsiCo came with the sale of a bottled version of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks. In 2008, they partnered with Suntory to sell ready-to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 a partnership with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot products and Starbucks chilled cup coffees into retail stores in the UK. A 1995 partnership with Dryers created a new line of coffee ice cream under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. At this time the rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Starbucks ice cream was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods began marketing and distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets in the US. Tazo Tea was acquired by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they acquired Ethos Water. A partnership with Jim Beam Brands created Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. In order to offer healthier options they began offering skinny lattes, banana walnut bread, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, a farmer’s salad, and smoothies in 2008. Also in 2008, Starbucks responded to customer’s wishes to have a blend of coffee that was always in stores. They created the Pike Place Roast in order to satisfy these customers. 2009 saw the introduction of VIA instant coffee. In 2009 the retail sales mix of Starbucks was 76% beverages, 18% food items, 3 percent coffee-making equipment and other merchandise, and 3% whole bean coffees. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy? Key Policies, Practices, Business Principles, and Procedures The key policies that have been implemented can be broken down into five groups. First is how the company goes about expanding the number of Starbucks stores. The second is their international expansion practices. The third group is their staff training. The fourth is their principles towards ethical business practices. Fifth, is their coffee roasting practices. Store Expansion Starbucks management’s approach to store expansion is using a hub city approach. After a suitable demographic area is chosen Starbucks begins to open up stores in a large city that serves as its hub. After about 20 stores are opened in this hub city, they will then move on to the surrounding areas that are the spokes. This expansion strategy serves to create buzz and brand recognition for the company in an area that has a high amount of foot traffic before moving into a location that has less customer traffic. When a new area was selected for expansion a group of professionals were sent to facilitate the opening. Starbucks also had zone vice presidents who would oversee the expansion process and instill the culture of Starbucks in the new stores. International Expansion When expanding internationally Starbucks has two options; they either open company-owned and operated stores or license to a company that has a good reputation and the knowledge of retailing in that area. Starbucks prefers to license, rather than franchise because licensing provides more assurance of quality control. When they move into foreign markets one of their practices is to use a partner or license to help recruit individuals for employees, set up relationships with suppliers, find store locations, and learn how to cater to local market conditions. For stores that were licensed Starbucks would receive a license fee and a royalty on sales. Companies that were licensed to supply Starbucks coffee were required to follow their detailed operating procedures. Not only that, but managers and employees were required to attend the same training as employees at company-owned stores. Staff Training. As mentioned previously, employees are put through an extensive amount of training to learn daily practices and how to treat customers. They are put through this training because customer service is so integral to their organization. Some of the things that baristas learn in their 24 hours of training are coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service, retail skills, and beverage preparation. Beverage preparation includes grinding the beans, steaming milk, pulling a perfect shot of espresso, memorizing the recipes, practicing the drinks, and learning how to customize drinks. Finally, partners were trained on cash register operations, how to clean the milk wand, how to explain Italian drink names, how to sell espresso machines, making eye contact, interacting with consumers, and taking responsibility for the cleanliness of the store. Not only that but they had many rules that needed to be learned as well such as: milk needs to be steamed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 170 degrees, an espresso shot not pulled within 23 seconds needs to be thrown out, coffee can’t sit in the pot more than 20 minutes, and disgruntled customers were given a coupon for a free drink. Managers were required to go even more in depth with their training. Ethical Business Principles Starbucks purchases products that are Fair Trade Certified, meaning that farmers make a fair amount of money for their products. They are very involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take a number of measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are also committed to purchasing from companies that use environmentally sustainable growing practices. Coffee Roasting Practices Coffee recipes are put together by the coffee department once all components have been tested. In order to be sure of consistency computerized roasters are used. Trained personnel are required to monitor the process by using hearing and their sense of smell to check when the beans are perfectly done. There are extremely exacting standards that must be met and the color of the beans is tested in a blood-cell analyzer and if it doesn’t meet the requirements the batch is discarded. Directly after roasting and cooling coffee is vacuum-sealed into bags that are guaranteed to preserve freshness for 26 weeks. However, policy says that after three months they need to be used. Once opened the shelf life is seven days. What â€Å"values† does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? Are they successful in implementing to them? The values that Starbucks consider important are included in their mission statement and those are: 1) Coffee: They are committed to providing their consumers with top-quality coffee that is ethically sourced, and to improve the lives of the people who grow the beans. They do this through a variety of methods. First is their Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C. A. F. E Practices). These practices specify product quality, that the price received by farmers/growers is fair, that safe and humane working conditions are being used, and that the methods of growing are environmentally responsible. Second, they do not add artificial flavorings to their coffee beans. Third, they have Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda. These support centers were staffed with agronomists and experts on environmentally responsible coffee growing methods and worked with coffee farming communities to promote best practices in coffee production They also worked to improve coffee quality and production yields. 2) Partners: In order to better care for their employees Starbucks has a health care plan available for all employees, a stock purchase plan, employee training, and employee recognition. Some of their employee recognition awards include Coffee Master awards, Certified Barista awards, Spirit of Starbucks awards, Manager of the Quarter, Green Apron awards, Green Bean awards, and Bravo! Awards, 3) Customers: They value connecting with customers and uplifting the lives of consumers by providing the perfectly made beverage and going the extra mile for their customers. Employees are trained to take heroic measures to make customers happy. 4) Stores: Starbucks management’s goal was to create the stores to be a haven where customers belong and meet with friends. They do this by creating a store ambience, having interesting music playing, leather couches to sit and read newspapers in, and they make sure that nothing overpowers the smell of coffee. 5) Neighborhood: Their stores are part of its community and to be a force of positive good in the area. One way they do this is by using local materials and craftsmanship. They are also extremely involved in Corporate Social Responsibility. The commitment to do the right thing has been a significant part of how Starbucks operates as a company ever since Schultz became CEO. Starbucks has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010. 6) Shareholders: Starbucks is committed to getting all of the above values right so that they can help everyone that is involved and affected by Starbucks thrive. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? How much does it help to create their public image? Starbucks CSR strategy has four main parts which are: 1) Ethical sourcing of products: They do this through their C. A. F. E Practices, purchasing Fair Trade Certified products, and buying from manufacturers that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 2) Community involvement: Starbucks has several organizations to foster community involvement. First, is the Starbucks Youth Action Grants which involves young people in community involvement projects. Second, is their program to give medicine to people suffering from HIV in Africa. Third, is the Ethos Water Fund where they donate 5 cents every time somebody purchases a bottle of Ethos Water. Fourth, they donate money to the Starbucks Foundation which was the fund that was started in 1997 to handle all the Starbucks’ philanthropic actions. 3) Environmental Stewardship: In order to achieve this goal they have several methods. First, they focus on increasing recycling and reducing waste which they do by giving discounts to people who bring in their own mugs, coffee grounds are donated for use as a soil amendment, they take part in Earth Day activities, they purchase paper products with recycled content and unbleached fiber, and they encourage their suppliers to provide energy-efficient products and eliminate unnecessary packaging. They also have commitments to be more energy efficient, use renewable energy sources, conserve water resources, use green facilities, using environmentally friendly building materials and energy-efficient designs. They also have plans to achieve LEED certification globally. In 2009 they became part of the Businesses for Innovative Climate Change and Energy Policy coalition. They have also collaborated with the Earthwatch Institute and work on replanting rain forests, mapping water resources, and biodiversity indicators, and sharing sustainable agriculture practices with coffee growers. 4) Farmer loans: They provide funding to organizations that make loans to coffee growers. Their goal for 2015 is to donate $20 million dollars to these funds. They have also committed money to hurricane Rita and Katrina victims, as well as to help the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti. Having a strong CSR campaign adds to the value of Starbucks’ products if consumers know that they are involved in these activities. It lets consumers know that part of the money they are spending is going to a good cause. By getting on the Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010, it increases the knowledge that people have about their CSR strategy. Compare the US and International share of yearly revenue, revenue growth, and operating income/revenue. What do these ratios tell you? What is your overall assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? Explain the performance of Starbucks stock. Exhibit 1 Comparison of Starbucks Financial Performance in the US and Internationally| | | 9/27/2009| 9/27/2008| 9/30/2007| 10/1/2006| 10/2/2005| Yearly Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 6,572. 10 | $ 6,997. 70 | $ 6,590. 20 | $ 5,495. 20 | $ 4,359. 50 | | International| $ 1,608. 00 | $ 1,774. 20 | $ 1,437. 40 | $ 1,087. 90 | $ 852. 50 | Revenue Growth ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| -6. 08%| 6. 18%| 19. 93%| 26. 05%| | | International| -9. 37%| 23. 43%| 32. 13%| 27. 61%| | Operating Income/Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 531. 80 | $ 454. 20 | $ 1,005. 20 | $ 955. 20 | $ 818. 50 | | International | $ 92. 90 | $ 110. 00 | $ 137. 70 | $ 108. 50 | $ 82. 30 | These ratios tell us that overall they have been increasing their revenue growth by significant percentages of an average of 20% internationally and 12% domestically. Domestically the amount of revenue growth per year slowed down in 2008 and went negative in 2009. Revenue growth also went negative in 2008 internationally. This makes sense because 2008 was the beginning of the economic downturn which affected the company’s bottom line. Operating income has fluctuated quite a bit since 2005 and since its peak in 2007 ($1,0005. 20 million) has decreased significantly to $531. 80 million. Internationally it has remained steadier at an average of $106. 28 million. Again these numbers make sense because it was in 2008-2009 that the economic downturn occurred and Schultz instituted strategic initiatives and revamped strategy execution efforts to fix these financial problems. One reason that the economic downturn affected Starbucks’ bottom line badly is because it was considered a treat to go to Starbucks and to get coffee that wasn’t brewed at the home. Less people were indulging in coffee by the cup. In 2006 and 2007 Starbucks reached its peak growth in the period displayed in exhibit 1. This is represented in the stock chart because it is also when their stock performance reached its peak at 40. The lowest point on the stock chart was in 2008 which makes sense because this is when the economic downturn occurred so many people were selling stocks. In 2008-2009 Schultz’s measures to institute strategic initiatives and revamp strategy execution efforts began and clearly worked because in the period of time from 2008-2010 stocks returned to almost 30. What are the key elements and your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? What do you think of the letters shown on page C-364 and C-365? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’ CEO? Why or why not? Elements of the Transformation Agenda Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda during 2008-2010 had several key elements. First, he planned on slowing new store openings to 73 internationally. Second, 900 underperformed company-owned stores were closed in the United States. The goal of this action was to raise sales and traffic at nearby sales. Around 75% of these stores that were considered underperforming were within three miles of an existing store which shows that their strategy of having a Starbucks everywhere was cannibalizing their sales. The third element of the transformation agenda was raising the projected return on capital requirements for proposed new store locations. This is a way for Schultz to be more particular about new store placement and to have a better chance of making a significant amount of profit and not losing traffic to existing stores. Fourth, he planned on revamping the company’s locations in Australia with a focus on Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as the hub cities. He planned on closing 61 under-performing locations in order to do this. Fifth, it was important to Schultz that there be an emphasis on developing new store designs in order to promote a refreshed customer experience. In order to do this the character of each store would be a reflection of the area it was in to make the customers feel more at home and to make Starbucks the center of that community. Sixth, customer experience would be heightened through a variety of methods. The first method was by removing warmed sandwiches from the menu, because it inhibited the aroma from the coffee. Second, high-quality baked goods and pastries would be offered at the store along with new menu items for healthy eating on the go. For example, fruit cups, skinny lattes, yogurt parfaits, salads, smoothies, and healthier bakery selections were all a result of this step in Schultz’s transformation agenda. The seventh part of the agenda was to create a program to share best practices in stores globally, this would promote quality control and improve customer service, which was one of the things that Schultz had found lacking when he became CEO again. Eighth, Schultz thought it was important to provide resources and tools for store employees such as laptops and internet-based software for scheduling. Ninth, there were cost-containment initiatives put in place in order to improve the bottom line that included a reduction of 1,000 people in staffing. Finally, the last part of the agenda was to renew the attention placed on employee training in order to reignite the enthusiasm to please customers that is vital to the mission of Starbucks. Evaluation The goal for 40,000 stores worldwide as a long-term objective and the rapid expansion that Jim Donald began led to a decrease in customer traffic in the US stores, new store openings that continued at a rate of 6 per day worldwide, and the emphasis on increased store operations efficiency put financial strain on the company and led to a decrease in customer service. Good customer service is one of the cornerstone values of Starbucks and was a central idea during Schultz’ leadership. Schultz’ return to CEO and his strategic initiatives mentioned above will help to return Starbucks to the values it originally held as very important and to return it to profitability by slowing down on expansion to focus more on the three main themes Schultz saw as important to his strategy. These themes are: strengthening the core, elevating the experience, and investing and growing. Before he can focus on growing the company, they need to have a strong base of employees and a focus on the experience that Starbucks is meant to provide its consumers. Letters from Schultz The letters that are shown on page C-364 and C-365 of the case show that Schultz is dedicated to his shareholders, which is one of the values in their mission statement. He is being extremely open and upfront the concerns of shareholders and about the actions that will be taken to address those issues. The first letter is addressed to customers and he explains that he has come back to Starbucks as CEO in order to ensure that the customers receive the experience that he believes Starbucks is known for. This letter shows that he truly cares about the thoughts and concerns of consumers. The second letter is to the employees of Starbucks. In this letter Schultz addresses them as partners in the path to revitalizing Starbucks’ mission. He even says, â€Å"I am proud to be your partner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By treating his employees like this he is able to foster accountability for the actions that everybody can take in helping to turn around Starbucks to what Schultz’ vision for it is. Evaluation of Schultz’ work. Schultz has done a good job by creating strategic initiatives in order to return Starbucks to where he thinks the company should be. His vision includes becoming the authority on coffee, engaging and inspiring Starbucks’ partners, igniting the emotional attachment with customers, expanding global presence and making each store the neighborhood’s heart, being a leader in ethical sourcing and environmental impact, creating innovative growth platforms, and delivering a sustainable economic model. Every one of these visions is addressed in some way in his agenda, which shows he has a clear idea of where the company should go and how to get it there. In 2008-2009 the company experiences five quarters of deteriorating sales, but from 2009-2010 had five quarters of improving sales, which shows that Schultz’ transformation agenda has been working. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks’ management be worried about? What are the challenges in expanding internationally? Issues as of mid-2010. 1) Oversaturation of the market: With the â€Å"A Starbucks Everywhere† approach and the rapid expansion steps taken by Donald, there was a decrease in customer traffic at the stores, resulting in a loss of profit. 2) Lack of emphasis on customer relationships: The emphasis on increased efficiency in store operations led to a decrease in good customer service. 3) Drifting away from the original values of Starbucks: Starbucks was built with an emphasis on high-quality coffee, good customer service, and a commitment to creating an experience for customers. However, when Schultz became CEO again he noted that this was lacking. 4) Offering high-quality products: As Starbucks moves into new locations in order to draw attention away from local popular spots they will need to offer a product that is of high enough quality to keep consumers coming back. 5) Differentiation: Again, as they move into new markets they will need to do significant research to find out what those consumer’s value. They need to be able to give it to them in order to achieve their goal of being the heart of the neighborhood. 6) Coffee prices: Coffee prices fluctuate significantly due to weather, economic, and political conditions in the countries where they are grown. What should management be worried about? Management should be worried about offering high-quality products. If they cannot prove that their product is better due to quality or differentiating features then locations that sell coffee and consumers are already loyal, they will have issues drawing consumers away. However, Starbucks does have an extremely strong brand image and hype associated with their name, which is an asset for them in entering new markets. International Challenges Some challenges that Starbucks will face internationally are: 1) Adapting their stores to fit the location they are in 2) Creating partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies to offer their products abroad 3) Regulations on foreign businesses moving into their country 4) Having enough control over the quality in the international stores that are licensed. 5) Higher production costs Starbucks has chosen to follow a multi-domestic approach to international expansion, meaning that they customize their product offerings to match the tastes and preferences of local buyers. The main challenge that Starbucks will face in entering international markets is knowing what that group of people wants and prefers. Another problem is that they will need to make partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies in order to be sure that the culture of Starbucks is continued to their new stores. Finally, they will have the issue with tailoring their stores to fit the environment they are in, because they will be unable to use a set design which could raise production costs. What recommendation would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead? Consider both the US and International strategies. Recommendations * Coordinate with suppliers to address consumers’ needs better: By coordinating with the farmers and growers they source their beans from they will be able to add value to their product.

Career as a Forensic Specialist Essay Example for Free

Career as a Forensic Specialist Essay My future career as a Forensic Specialist Everest University Online Strategies for success My future career as a Forensic Specialist When I look into the future, after finishing college, I see myself as a Forensic Specialist. Why do I see myself as a Forensic Specialist you may ask? Well I will tell you why, Forensics has been something I have found astonishing and amazing since I was a kid because it can be fascinating on some of the things they find and inspect. The things a Forensic Specialist does is hard work but it is science so it is fun to learn, and I myself can’t wait to get my hands involved with some of the things they do. Another reason why I choose to go into Forensics is because it is good money, and I am able to help solve crimes and maybe hopefully one day put an end to some of the stuff that goes on in the world. In the next few paragraphs I will go on to explain some of these and much more. Due to the advances in scientific technology in examining, crime scenes have turned the Forensic Specialist/Forensic Science jobs into very high demand. One of the very vast growing career fields in the world today is Forensic Specialist/Science field. To add to its popularity, Forensic Specialist jobs also include TV shows like CSI, or Crime Scene Investigators. The Forensic Specialist job field also has many subcategories which consist of forensic science consultants, fingerprint technicians and examiners, evidence technicians and forensic investigators. When it comes to schooling, In order to become a Forensic Specialist, several factors come into play. So just because you or someone else you may know, have a 4 year bachelors degree doesn’t always get you the job. Other factors that come into the play of this matter are training programs one may have taken, and or certificates or other degrees that a person may have obtained. The schooling usually only takes 2 years for an associates degree and 4 years for a bachelors. The pay of all science technicians, forensic specialist/scientists currently earn the second highest annual salary. In 2002 that pay was about $19. 73 an hour or approximately $41,000 but that isn’t the highest nor the lowest pay of a specialist. Depending on your rank, you could make as much as $31. 49 an hour or $65,000 annually and as low as $12. 06 an hour and $25,100 annually. The pay of a Forensic Specialist is determined on factors like the type of specialist you are, the rank in which you uphold, years of experience and the type of employment and its location. In 2012 the pay for a Forensic Specialist field will increase its pay by 19% with 360 job positions opening up each year. In conclusion to my research of becoming a Forensic specialist, I have came to make a choice to be one myself. For one I love investigating crime scenes, the pay sounds very good, and being as how I won’t graduate until 2013 or 2014 the pay that is suppose in 2012 will be even more once I start looking for a job in the field. Schooling to become such an expert isn’t all that bad, I mean 2 to 4 years isn’t a bad time limit for taking classes to get the degree I need to become a Forensic Specialist and to me will be well worth the money. Being as how the demand is so high for Forensic Specialist/Scientist I am sure there will be so many job openings when it comes time for me to go to work.

The Threat Of Nuclear Weapons Politics Essay

The Threat Of Nuclear Weapons Politics Essay Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction which are capable of wiping out an unimaginably large number of people. Today, five member nations, the United States of America, Russia, United Kingdom, France and the Peoples Republic of China are internationally recognized as nuclear weapons nations by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and are thus permitted to possess nuclear weapons. Two non-signatory members, India and Pakistan also possess these weapons and have conducted nuclear weapon tests. In addition to these seven members, Israel is strongly suspected of possessing nuclear weapons although it has neither confirmed it nor denied it. There is also speculation the Iran might be running a covert nuclear weapons program. Finally, North Korea has publicly declared itself to be in possession of nuclear weapons but this fact has never been confirmed as it has not conducted any substantial nuclear tests. There is an urgent need to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons across the world as they pose a great threat to international security and their usage could lead to catastrophe. Today, this issue is especially relevant to North Korea and the Middle East where the lack of agreements and the prevalence of ambiguities regarding nuclear programs is becoming an issue of global concern. Countries associated with nuclear weapons3 Definition of Key Terms Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) The NPT is a treaty that came into force in 1970, in order to limit nuclear proliferation. It prohibits non nuclear weapon states from developing, possessing or acquiring nuclear weapons or explosives. The three pillars of the treaty are non proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Currently, it has not been signed by India, Pakistan and Israel. Nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons are extremely destructive and explosive weapons that derives its force through either fission reactions or both fission and fusion. Nuclear Proliferation Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as Nuclear Weapon States by the NPT. 1 Nuclear weapons free zone A Nuclear weapons free zone is a geographical area recognized by the United Nations that has banned the use and development of nuclear weapon technology and has put measures into place to check its implementation. Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear disarmament is a proposal to dismantle nuclear weapons in order to reduce the possibility of the occurrence of a nuclear war. Background Information The first nuclear weapon was invented by USA, Britain and Canada during the Second World War. USA remains the only country to have ever used it. Soon after, during the Cold War, the world saw the beginning of the nuclear arms race. Following the Second World War, Korea was divided into two geographical regions: the northern controlled by the Soviets and the southern controlled by USA. Also, Israel is believed to have begun investigating the nuclear field soon after it was founded in 1948. In the 1950s the nuclear program in Iran was established for peaceful purposes under the supervision of the United States. The Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) was signed in 1963 which banned the test of nuclear weapons underwater, in the atmosphere or in outer space. This treaty was not signed by China and France who are both nuclear weapons states today. The conflict between the communist North Korea and the capitalist South Korea has been going on since 1950 and there have been repeated failures to consolidate the two as one unified nation. Even today, the two countries have not officially made peace. Hence, ever since the 1970s, North Korea began its pursuit of acquiring nuclear weapons. In 1967, a CIA report claimed that Israel had the materials required to construct a bomb. In 1979, a US satellite reported a flash in the Indian Ocean that was similar to a nuclear denotation and could have possibly been a nuclear test conducted by Israel. It is speculated to be one of the apparently few joint nuclear tests conducted by South Africa and Israel. Minimal progress was made in nuclear disarmament until 1991 and the Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) was adopted in 1996 which banned all nuclear explosions in all environment for military or civilian testing. It was signed by 182 countries and ratified by 153 and was aimed at stopping the nuclear arms race. Iran ratified the NPT in 1970s which subjected it to IAEA inspections. Today, the main reason for suspicion of Irans nuclear program is its failure to declare sensitive enrichment and reprocessing activities to the IAEA. In 1992, North Korea entered a safe guards agreement under Article 3 of the NPT which allowed IAEA inspectors to inspect North Koreas nuclear materials. In 1993, North Korea threatened to withdraw from the NPT which it had acceded to earlier. However, this did not ultimately happen as USA and North Korea came to an agreement by which North Korea would suspend all nuclear reactors in exchange for in exchange for alternative energy resources. North Korea withdrew from the IAEA in 1994 and launched a missile over the Sea of Japan in 1998 which caused USA to review its policies towards the country. Relations between the two countries remained turbulent. In 2002, the North Korean Deputy Secretary apparently acknowledged the existence of a covert nuclear-weapons development program. North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and in response; the US launched six way talks about the issue with North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. North Korea, once again, agreed to abandon all nuclear weapon activities. However, like previous agreements, North Korea did not commit to it. It declared that it had nuclear weapons and withdrew from the six party talks in 2005. In October, 2006 North Korea announced plans for its first nuclear test. North Korea did conduct an explosive underground test but there are doubts as to whether it really was a nuclear test since the magnitude of the blast was less than expected. As far as Iran is concerned, in March 2010, Iran declared itself as a nuclear state and president Ahmadinejad announced I want to announce with a loud voice here that the first consignment of 20 percent enriched uranium was produced and was put at the disposal of the scientists. However, Iran reiterated that it will use this only for peaceful purposes. We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we dont enrich (to this level) because we dont need it. Evidently, there has been a great turn of events regarding the development and legitimacy of nuclear weapons in North Korea, Iran and Israel. A clear agreement in the case of all three countries has yet to be formed. General Overview Nuclear Deterrence The argument of those who possess nuclear weapons is that it enables them to ward off or deter nuclear or conventional attack through threat of disastrous retaliation. This could be incentive to possess nuclear weapons. DPRK has been accused of using nuclear weapons as a political tool to normalize relations with USA, Japan, and South Korea and to end the embargo against North Korea. North Korea will thus be unwilling to give up nuclear weapons without substantial concessions from USA and South Korea, among others. On the other hand, Iran has entirely denied seeking nuclear weapons for retaliation or nuclear deterrence. Transfer One of the greatest concerns with nuclear weapons is that it could end up in the wrong hands. Not only could countries possessing them sell them to others, thus encouraging nuclear proliferation, but nuclear weapons could also be sold to or stolen by non-state actors. If such a situation were to arise, it would have severe implications on the national security of several countries. For instance, DPRK has refrained from selling its nuclear weapons and materials. However, in the case of harsh sanctions being imposed on the country, it could retaliate and sell its nuclear weapons. Out of this fear, China has prevented the Security Council from authorizing the use of force or imposing truly harsh sanctions on the country. Similarly, in 1975, there were rumors that Israel offered to sell its nuclear weapons to South Africa. Israel has vehemently denied the claim. Israel-Iran Relations The turbulent relationship between Israel and Iran dates back to the Islamic Revolution in the 1970s. Both countries are suspected of having a nuclear weapons program and blame each other for threatening the security of the Middle East by doing so. Irans extreme hostility towards USA and Israel is probably the reason that has caused many to consider Iran to be the greatest threat in the Middle East. Iran itself is not a democracy and does not recognize the right to freedom of speech and expression. In addition, it refuses to acknowledge Israel as a country and refers to Israel as an occupied territory. However, many are angered at the fact that although there is no proof that Iran plans on developing nuclear weapons it is being faced with threats of dire consequences by the USA and Europe where as there is comparatively less pressure on Israel which is practicing opacity as far as its nuclear plan is concerned. On the other hand, seeing as Israel is a democracy, people believe that it can be trusted with its power. Israel also has a reputation of being relatively more reliable and predictable. It is considered less likely to misuse its nuclear weapons through and arbitrary attack. However, Israels intentional ambiguity regarding nuclear development in the country could be considered as a catalyst for the prospect of a nuclear arms race in the region. There are rumours that Israel may have up to 400 nuclear warheads. Egypt and 17 other Middle Eastern countries want Israels nuclear capabilities to be discussed with the IAEA since they have all signed the NPT and believe that Israels accession to the NPT is essential to establish regional peace. Israels current status is considered by some to be a provocation of nuclear proliferation. Israel refuses to sign the NPT without a comprehensive regional peace agreement as until then it requires its ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is important to note that although the world is split regarding who is to be blamed, both Israel and Iran are in a situation that can possibly lead to a destabilizing arms race in the Middle East and are key players in the possibility of establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East. Thus any agreement that does not involve the two countries will result in stalemate. Major Countries and Organizations Involved Israel Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is not a part of the NPT and is suspected by the IAEA to have nuclear weapons. Israel refuses to admit or deny possessing nuclear arsenal, or developing nuclear weapons and is using this ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is a good ally of USA and a hostile enemy of Iran. Iran Iran is a part of the NPT and strongly asserts that its nuclear technology, including enrichment is solely for civilian purposes but the IAEA has been unable to verify it. It is strongly suspected that the program is concealing the development of nuclear weapons. Iran claims that Israel is the only obstacle to establishing a nuclear weapons free zone and has stated its intentions to wipe Israel of the map. Iran has been subjected to four rounds of sanctions by the Security Council of the United Nation in order to urge it to halt its nuclear program. USA USA, today, has the largest quantity of nuclear weapons in the world but is trying to gradually cut them down under the Obama administration. It strongly condemns both North Korea and Iran for their nuclear program and is unwilling to accept either of the two as nuclear powers. China China has been reluctant to back the sanctions against Iran as it supports the Irans nuclear program for civilian use. It is believed to have helped Iran with its missile development programs. It is North Koreas most important ally, biggest trading partner and main source of food, arms and fuel. China has not expressed outright defiance against USA in order to protect its relations with the country and has supported some UN sanctions against Iran. Russia Russia believes that every nation has the right to self defense and therefore sees Irans nuclear program as legitimate. It has strong ties with Iran and has opposed unilateral sanction imposed on it by USA. However, Russia has urged Iran to change its stance. Russia has also been accused of assisting North Korea and Iran with their nuclear program. IAEA The IAEA is an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IAEA believes that every nation has the right to an authorized and monitored nuclear program for peaceful purposes; however, nations should not attempt to pursue nuclear weapons in any form. Timeline of Events Date Description of event 1945 USA conducts its first nuclear test 1946 Russia conducts its first nuclear test 1952 UK conducts its first nuclear test 1964 China conducts its first nuclear test 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty 1968 NPT signed 1974 Indias first nuclear test 1985 North Korea accedes to the NPT 1990 Frances first nuclear test December 31, 1991 North and South Korea sign the South-North Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. March 6, 1992 US imposes sanctions upon North Korea for missile proliferation activities September, 1992 IAEA inspectors discover discrepancies in North Koreas initial report on its nuclear program and ask for clarification on several issues, including the amount of reprocessed plutonium in North Korea. February 9, 1993 North Korea denies IAEA inspections of two sites believed to store nuclear waste. 1993 North Korea threatens to withdraw from the NPT 1994 Agreed Framework June 13, 1994 North Korea withdraws from NPT 1996 Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) adopted 1998 Pakistans first nuclear test Feb 15, 1994 North Korea permits IAEA inspections in 7 of its sites May 24, 1996 The United States imposes sanctions on North Korea and Iran for missile technology-related transfers April 25, 1999 The United States, South Korea, and Japan establish the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group to institutionalize close consultation and policy coordination in dealing with North Korea 4 2002 President G W Bush names North Korea as a member of the Axis of Evil October 16, 2002 US announces that North Korea has admitted to possessing nuclear weapons January 10, 2003 North Korea withdraws from NPT October 9, 2006 North Korea conducts an underground explosive test 2009 North Korea conducts another test Previous Attempts to solve the Issue Sanctions on Iran The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanction upon Iran in its resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803 and 1929. The UN Security Council began imposing sanctions on Iran since 2006, when it failed to comply with IAEA requirements and continued uranium enrichment activities. The sanctions have included bans on exports of nuclear, missile, and dual-use technologies; limiting travel by dozens of Iranian officials; and freezing the assets of forty individuals and entities, including Bank Sepah and various front companies.2 In addition, USA and EU have individually imposed further sanctions on Iran which have targeted its trade, finances and energy sector. Russia has supported the weaker Security Council sanctions against Iran but opposed the stronger ones imposed individually by the USA. It is against any unilateral sanctions and although a fourth round of sanctions was imposed, it faced resistance from Russia and China, both of which maintain strong economic ties with Iran. They opposed it due to their individual economic and political interests. According to critics, the lack of support from these two nations could have weakened the overall affect of the sanctions. The sanctions imposed are believed to have had limited success as Iran still holds an aggressive stance as to continuing its nuclear program and asserts that is it permitted to do so for civilian use as per the NPT. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said: The Iranian nation will not succumb to bullying, invasion and the violation of its rights.5 Talks with DPRK Several attempts have been made to establish a nuclear free Korean-peninsula but all efforts until today have been unsuccessful and DPRK has withdrawn from all treaties it has acceded to. This is probably because DRPK has only been signing treaties out of international pressure, not voluntarily. Agreed Framework The United States and North Korea signed the Agreed Framework on October 21, 1994 by which DPRK agreed to freeze operation and construction of nuclear reactors in exchange for two light water reactors and the relaxation of economic sanctions. The Agreed Framework resolved the ongoing 18 month crisis during which DRPK threatened to withdraw from the NPT. However, there were difficulties regarding the financing of reactors caused the plan to be behind schedule. Infuriated, DPRK violated the agreements which caused USA to persuade KEDO suspend shipments to the country. This marked the end of the agreement. In comparison to other attempts, this one probably had the greatest chance of success as it offered DPRK to end its nuclear program in exchange for realistic concessions made by other countries. Six Party Talks The six party concerning DPRKs nuclear program involved United States, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and, South Korea as was a result of North Korea withdrawing from the NPT in 2003. Until today, six rounds of the six party talks have been held. Due to the conflicting aims of the members involved, minimal progress was achieved. During the third phase of the fifth round, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel aid the normalization of relations with Japan and USA. These talks eventually ended when North Korea launched a satellite despite international pressure not to do so. It was believed to be a test of its prototype Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). In February 2005, North Korea declared that it had nuclear weapons for self defense and pulled out of the six party talks. DPRK expelled all nuclear inspectors and resumed its nuclear weapons program. Possible Solutions As evident from the past, Iran has been adamant about its position and the authenticity of its nuclear program. For any further progress to be made Iran and the West need to cooperate. Prior to creating any framework for agreements, Iran must be given recognition for its right to exist as an Islamic Republic, and its minimum security concerns must be acknowledged as legitimate. Thus, military strike either by USA or by Israel against Irans possible nuclear program would be disastrous as it would possibly cause Iran to retaliate which is a concern of global security and lead to regional catastrophe. The underlying problem in the Middle East crisis is the lack of trust and the increasing hostility between Iran and Israel. Solutions to resolve this issue should focus on reduce the fears of existential destruction that the two nations harbor towards each other. Iran must recognize the importance of moderating its bellicose stance whereas Israel checks its threats to attack Iran. In order to moderate any development of the negotiations between Israel and Iran, the Security Council should provide security guarantees to both countries and assess their concerns of security risks. Another way of addressing the issue would be to provide financial incentives to Iran; large enough to buy up the nuclear energy specialized for civilian use, if Iran completely halts its current nuclear program. One way of addressing the issue of North Korea would be to provide it with concessions such as providing it with substitute forms of energy for its civilian nuclear program and cutting back economic sanctions based on any agreement that has been reached upon. However, these are only possible if North Korea agrees to comply with any solutions reached upon. Although diplomacy is a great tool to resolve conflicts, many believe that as North Korea has repeatedly proved itself to be unreliable as far as agreements are concerned, a more aggressive option might be appropriate. However, it is important to note that any aggressive military action could possibly worsen matters. Constructive solutions would include measures to normalize relations between North Korea and all other states. As of today the most viable solution would be to establish a nuclear free zone in North Korea but it is difficult to implement. All problems that arise as a consequence of implementing such a solution must therefore also be addressed.

Emily Dickinson - The Feet Of People Walking Home :: essays research papers fc

One of Emily Dickinson’s poems, formally titled â€Å"The feet of people walking home,† is of some interest in its own merit. Unlike some of Dickinson’s other poems, such as the ones that exist among other versions due to a few dissimilarities, this poem is duplicated verbatim. To the untrained eye, this triviality would often be overlooked, were it not for the fact that Emily Dickinson had not intended on publishing many of her poems. Why, then, did she duplicate this poem? Perhaps a more in-depth analysis of the poem, as well as the current events in Dickinson’s life, would answer this query. Estimated to have been written in the year 1858, the poem begins its first stanza by conveying the emotions of gaiety and joyfulness, which are associated with passage to heaven. A much more somber note pervades the second stanza, in which Dickinson uses metaphors to compare the entrance to heaven with the act of theft. The third stanza combines the previous two by hinting at the theory that those who are already in heaven do not want more people entering heaven’s gates, because that would diminish the high status that heaven and angels hold. The tone in the first stanza is of joyousness and excitement, as people make their way to heaven. Dickinson uses the words â€Å"gayer,† â€Å"hallelujah,† and â€Å"singing† to emphasize the uplifting feeling here. It could be argued that this is the point in the humans’ lives (or deaths, or afterlives, depending on how one looks at it) when they reach the pinnacle of happiness, for they have finally entered heaven. The humans, now dead, would then acquire wings, immortality, and an angelic status that rises far above that of humans. Much like Dickinson’s other poems, this one uses metaphors to represent similar things, such as â€Å"home,† which represents â€Å"heaven,† â€Å"snow,† which represents the â€Å"clouds† on which heaven resides, and â€Å"vassals,† which represents the â€Å"angels† who serve God. The second stanza shares a relation to the first, but it could be described as being completely opposite in tone. Dickinson uses the words â€Å"extorted,† â€Å"larceny,† and â€Å"death† to emphasize the crime that is personified here. Dickinson uses more metaphors in this stanza to compare the onrush of people entering heaven to divers who take pearls from the sea. In both cases, a sense of â€Å"value† is diminished, or perhaps even lost. Referring back to the first stanza, Dickinson subtly states that the status of angels would no longer be as honorable or magnificent as it is now if everyone were to acquire wings, achieve immortality, and enter heaven.

Postmodern Multicultural Society Essay -- Anthropology, Culture, Gende

The evolution of a postmodern multicultural society places a premium on increased understanding of issues surrounding culture and ethnic identity. Anthropology has traditionally defined culture as the sum total of artifacts (language, customs, tools/technology, institutions, etc.) that make up a human society. From a psychological perspective, it is useful to focus on the processes of symbolic communication that sanction the coherence of human societies and enable them to evolve such a variety of artifacts. It is generally accepted that humans are a uniquely cultural species. Interesting precursors of human communication, social organization, and tool use have been found in other species. But humans are the only species that has developed the capacity for complex symbolic communication about the world, as well as the capacity to create tools and institutions based on that complex symbolic understanding (Warmoth, 2001). According to Meriam- Webster dictionary,† Culture is defined as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group†. India or the Republic of India is a country in South East Asia .It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. It's neighboring countries are Bhutan, Pakistan, People Republic of China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Indians personify the country as a goddess. There are 18 major languages spoken in India and over 1600 regional dialects. Hindi is the official language and English is the second common language. It's the world's most ancient civilization, yet one of it's youngest nations( Wolpert, 2009). Much of the paradox found everywhere in In... ...eneurs; from being an astronaut to the queen of television industry, Indian women have done it all. She has to play a spectrum of roles like the homemaker, a wife, a daughter in law, a mother, a sister, a lover, a daughter, a friend and an â€Å"individual†.Indian society still has conservative ideals when it comes to women. The women in lower strata of society are still considered subservient to men and face abuse(Wolpert, 2009). I would like to conclude by stating that this paper is an attempt to understand in depth the basic values, social norms,traditions and history of my culture; the culture of India. Research on this paper enlightened me on India's war laden past, evolving traditions, regional diversity, but , national unity and reconfirmed my own identity. Respect for one's own culture leads to acceptance and regard for other cultures'.

Zeno of Elea :: essays research papers

Zeno of Elea Zeno of Elea was born in Elea, Italy, in 490 B.C. He died there in 430 B.C., in an attempt to oust the city's tyrant. He was a noted pupil of Parmenides, from whom he learned most of his doctrines and political ideas. He believed that what exists is one, permanent, and unchanging. Zeno argued against multiplicity and motion. He did so by showing the contradictions that result from assuming that they were real. His argument against multiplicity stated that if the many exists, it must be both infinitely large and infinitely small, and it must be both limited and unlimited in number. His argument against motion is characterized by two famous illustrations: the flying arrow, and the runner in the race. It is the illustration with the runner that is associated the first part of the assignment. In this illustration, Zeno argued that a runner can never reach the end of a race course. He stated that the runner first completes half of the race course, and then half of the remaining distance, and will continue to do so for infinity. In this way, the runner can never reach the end of the course, as it would be infinitely long, much as the semester would be infinitely long if we completed half, and then half the remainder, ad infinitum. This interval will shrink infinitely, but never quite disappear. This type of argument may be called the antinonomy of infinite divisibilty, and was part of the dialectic which Zeno invented. These are only a small part of Zeno's arguments, however. He is believed to have devised at least forty arguments, eight of which have survived until the present. While these arguments seems simple, they have managed to raise a number of profound philosophical and scientific questions about space, time, and infinity, throughout history. These issues still interest philosophers and scientists today. The problem with both Zeno's argument and yours is that neither of you deal with adding the infinite. Your argument suggests that if one adds the infinite, the sum will be infinity, which is not the case.

The Political, Economic and Social Aspects of the Enlightenment

The Political, Economic and Social Aspects the Enlightenment The Enlightenment, also known as Age of Reason, was a cultural movement that spread through England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe. The Enlightenment mainly focused on mathematics, science, art, philosophy, politics and literature in the 1700s. This movement took away the fear of the world and the medieval views that were placed upon the people for so many years, and it also opened their eyes to new ideas and reason.Old beliefs such as French monarchy (the privileges that were given to the French nobility) political power, and the authority of the Catholic Church were torn down. They were replaced by political and social orders that followed along the ideas of freedom and equality that came from this period. The Enlightenments main purpose was to reform society using reason instead of tradition. The Enlightenment started after the scientific resolution in the 1500s and was effected by many events that shaped it into what we now look back to.There where many aspects of the enlightenment that can be broken down into three key factors that contributed to this movement: Political, Economical and Social. Political covers the transition from a monarchy to a political order, as well as the three political revolutions. Economical covers the export and import of trade in Europe, and social deals with the art, theater, music and cultural parts of the movement. The Enlightenment is best identified by its political accomplishments and outcomes. This movement was marked by three political revolutions, which all helped lay the foundation for modern republican and constitutional democracy.The first revolution was the English Revolution which took place in 1688. The English Revolution was defined by two different revolutions, the Glorious Revolution in 1688 which was the overthrow of King James II of England by the English Parliamentarians and the Dutch Stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau. After Kin g James II was overthrown, his Protestant daughter, Mary, and her husband William became joint-monarchs of England. The Glorious Revolution established the supremacy of Parliament over the crown. This also established the first constitutional monarchy, and made it so the power was shared between the monarchs and the nobles.It also took part because of the growing fear of Catholic tyranny, and because at the time, England was under the control of an all powerful Catholic monarch. Marxist historians have also used the term â€Å"English Revolution† to describe the period of the English civil wars and commonwealth (1640-1660). The English civil wars were a series of armed conflicts and political plotting between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The commonwealth was the republic that ruled England, Ireland and Scotland. The second revolution that happened during the Enlightenment was the American revolution which took place from 1775 to 1783.This revolution was the political uphea val during the last half of the 18th century towards the end of the enlightenment in which the thirteen colonies that were formed in North America, and joined together to break away from the British Empire and form the United States of America, rejecting the authority of the Parliament of Great Britain. The last political revolution of the Enlightenment was the French Revolution which happened from 1789 to 1799. This revolution was fought to balance the inequalities in French society.Louis XVI was a weak leader and the monarchs were in debt although only commoners paid taxes. The England government was about to go bankrupt so the king tried to raise taxes, leading to the formation of the National Assembly and the imprisonment of the royal family after France went to war against other European countries. Not until the mid 1800s did a democracy form in France after a monarchy and dictatorship. The second aspect of the enlightenment was the economic section and how it affected the enli ghtenment. Peasants under feudalism where kept bound to disadvantageous occupations.The occupations that peasants where assigned was under the control of tradition and class assignment. The most disadvantaged occupation was mercantilism, which was a very closely monitored economic system that allowed the government to monitor their kingdoms import-to-export ratio. They could step if needed and maintain a favorable balance of trade for their kingdom. French economist Francois Quesnay explained in his book Tableau Economique, written in 1758, that a natural order of trade with only limited government intervention would be more beneficial to the individual and the society.This idea was expanded by Scottish economist Adam Smith in his landmark Wealth of Nations written in 1776. This established the nature of economics into three laws, people work more productively with self interest is involved, competition leads to balance and that true supply and demand are a product of free trade. Th e third and final aspect of the enlightenment was social and cultural interpretation. In opposition to the intellectual historiographical approach to the Enlightenment this aspect examines the changes that occurred during the Enlightenment in European society and cultures.One of the primary elements of the social aspect of the enlightenment was the development of the public sphere, a social group in town where individuals could come together to discuss and identify societal problems, and then discuss political actions. This was a place where people could come together and discuss about matters of mutual interest and try to reach a common judgement. The Enlightenment also cultivated the arts, including music, art, and literature. Learning about art and music became more widespread and common during the enlightenment especially in the middle class and the general public.Learning to read became more common and people where able to afford books because of the recent invention of the pri nting press. Philosophy can be traced back to 600 BC but 17th century philosophy in the Western world is normally regarded as being the start of modern philosophy, this was also known as the Age of Reason. This was also generally regarded as a departure from scholasticism and the medieval approach. The 17th-century philosophy started with the work of Rene Descartes, who set the methodology for many philosophers from the Age of Reason.Philosophers in this era mostly focused on systems of epistemology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, politics and physical sciences. The Enlightenment helped develop and innovate philosophy, literature, mathematics and science in countries throughout Europe. It encompassed new thoughts and developments in a variety of other academic, artistic and social fields like economics, law, industrial technology, humanitarianism and fine arts. It also changed the way that people saw the world and their government. The enlightenment helped the separation of powers thro ugh out Europe and developed natural rights and a democracy in place of monarchy in France.