Business Model of Cooper & Stollbrand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Model of Cooper & Stollbrand - Essay Example Business Model of Cooper & Stollbrand This essay is based on the video as seen on Channel 4 depicting how the factory is run and how this small company is sending across a big message that manufacturing in England is not dead as yet. Business Model The existing trend in the market is manufacture in huge quantities, utilize economies of scale and sell cheaper. Turn over is the key for most of the companies to make money. For costlier brands, its not turnover so much, as much as its about manufacturing cost. They prefer to get it produced outside England as labor is pretty cheap in third world countries. But as heard from the Managing Director, Eden, its not about mass production. If the quality is right and the approach is right, one can manufacture products locally and still have a good margin on it. Company is able to manufacture for top brands like Quba & Co., Topshop and Selfridges credit of which to an extent goes to the current business model as follows Sourcing Raw Materials Everything from machines to mats, needle s to nozzles and fabric to fittings are sourced locally from the UK. This saves time in its delivery, saves on transport cost and is local which supports local industry. Labor All of the staff of Cooper & Stollbrand is local ladies who have been working in the industry for decades. They are dedicated and passionate about the manufacturing of products in UK. They are highly skilled and are very reliable when it comes to delivering results. There are young polish, Pakistani and afghanistani ladies who have joined the team and are happy working here. Processes The processes of production are well managed by supervisors and management team. There is a clear demarcation in job roles of machinists, supervisors and quality control and management which makes the hierarchy small and manageable. Supervisors ensure that stuff is cut much ahead of stitching so the machinists know what coming and how much is left. Positioning of the company and its products If you note, throughout the video mach inists are working on high profile coats which will be sold in posh central London stores with a pricey tag. Topshop coats retail at around ?175, and order is significantly small at 325 coats in 3 days. 50 Quba & Co. coats are to be prepared in a short period which will retail at ?500. The positioning of the company is that it is able to produce highest quality of garments, which are produced locally. There is a new awakening among British consumers to buy stuff ‘made in England’ to support local industry. Since most of the corporate customers are high end retail stores, the no. of pieces they would order would be small and hence manageable by Cooper & Stollbrand. Such quick delivery, high quality and cost effectiveness cannot be provided by manufacturing units in India or China. It will not be cost effective for the buyers either to order as the quantities are far too less for it to be ordered from other countries. Staff management / HR Staff is extremely happy and sat isfied with what they are doing. A happy team of staff members would be less demanding, will work at reasonable pay and work hard to meet set delivery targets. This gives Cooper & Stollbrand a unique edge which other manufacturers might not have. Secondly the staff members are paid on number of pieces they delivery subject to stringent quality checks. This ensure that the staff members are quick in producing the garment so that they earn more money, and the co. is able to deliver on time.

Rate of cooling Essay Example for Free

Rate of cooling Essay The problem for this experiment is to investigate the rate of cooling in three different types of cups. They will be used as typical coffee cups for commercial purposes. The cups a polystyrene cup, a paper cup and a plastic cup. Water has a high specific heat capacity. This makes it a very useful material for storing and carrying heat energy. Its heat capacity is 4200 joules per kilogram per i C (4200J/kg i C). Heat tends to flow away from a hotter object to a cooler surroundings. Heat is mainly lost I conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation. For this experiment I will be only using convection, radiation, evaporation because conduction is mainly in solids. Convection Convection mainly occurs in gasses and liquids gases and liquids are very poor conductors so convection is usually dominant process. When convection cant occur, the heat transfer by conduction is very slow. Convection only occurs when the more energetic particles move from hotter region to a cooler region and take their heat energy with them. Convection doesnt happen in solids because there are no particles movement. Radiation Radiation travels through anything transparent. Heat radiation is given out by anything warm or hot. The amount of it that is absorbed or released depends on the colour and texture of the material. Heat radiation is also called infra-red radiation. It consists purely of electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency. All objects continually absorb and release heat radiation. The hotter the object the more heat radiation it release. Dark surfaces absorb more heat radiation than bright surfaces. Silver surfaces reflect nearly all heat radiation falling on them. Evaporation Evaporation is when water vanishes without boiling it to change into gas. This is because some liquid molecules move faster than others and the ones close to the surface may escape and form a gas. Variables These are things that may change during an experiment The independent variable: These are things that I will decide to change e. g. the material of the cup, replacing equipment. The dependent variable: This is the measurement that is effected by the independent variable e. g. the rate of cooling. The control variable: These are the things that I will try to keep the same so I can make sure that its a fair test e. g. volume of water, room temperature, size of the cups etc. Hypothesis I predict that the polystyrene cup would cool down the slowest because it has thick walls and when you go to restaurants and ask for a hot drink they give it in polystyrene cup. I think the paper cup will cool down the quickest because its made out of paper and paper has thin walls and it absorbs water.

Galileo Galilei founder Of Modern Experimental Science :: essays research papers

Galileo Galilei "founder of modern experimental science" Galileo Galilei was one of the most remarkable scientists ever. He discovered many new ideas and theories and introduced them to mankind. Galileo helped society as an Italian astronomer and physicist, but how did he come to be such a great and well-known scientist? It took hard work and patience.... Galileo was born during the renaissance in Pisa, Italy on February 15, 1564. He was raised by his mom, Giulia Ammanati, and his dad, Vincenzo Galilei. His family had enough money for school, but they were not rich. When he was about seven years old, his family moved to Florence where he started his education. In 1581, his father sent him to the University of Pisa because he thought his son should be a doctor. For four years, he studied medicine and the different theories of the scientist Aristotle. He was not interested in medicine, but soon he became interested in math. In 1585, he convinced his father to let him leave the school without a degree. Galileo was a math tutor for the next four years in Florence. He spent a lot of the four years studying the scientific thoughts and philosophies of Aristotle. He also invented an instrument that could find the gravity of objects. This instrument, called a hydrostatic balance, was used by weighing the objects in water. Galileo returned to Pisa in 1589 and became a professor in math. He taught courses in astronomy at the University of Pisa, based on Ptolemy's theory that the sun and all of the planets move around the earth. Teaching these courses, he became more understanding of astronomy. In 1592, the University of Padua gave him a professorship in math. He stayed at that school for eighteen years. He learned and believed Nicolaus Copernicus's theory that all of the planets move around the sun, made a mechanical tool called a sector, explained the tides based on Copernican theory of motion of earth, found that the Milky Way was made up of many stars, and told people that machines cannot create power, they can only change it.

Characteristics of a Typical Western :: Film, Media, movies, Film Analysis

A typical Western would usually be set in the late 19th century in the mid-west of America in a remote town. The town is usually small, lonely and unwelcoming. Typically a western set looks like it is in the middle of a desert with sand, cacti and tumbleweed which gives a desert look, there are usually never any lakes or rivers around these features make the place look really hot and deserted. The buildings are generally timber board houses with swinging doors and outside the buildings are places to keep their horses, there is also always a General Store and a Saloon. Horses and carriages and cattle are used to give a western feel. The cowboys are typically dressed in western style clothing for example they wear simple shirts and jeans they may also wear ponchos, waist coats, hats, boots with spurs, guns and a belt to hold the gun and bullets, Hero's tend to wear lighter clothing and the villain’s tend to wear darker clothing. The storyline is normally about a hero who comes to a town to bring peace and drive the villains out. A hero is usually seen as a vigilante as he is not told to come to help but does anyway. The hero often appears as a quiet, secretive, mysterious person who may make the audience admire him one minute and dislike him the next, he is also a very smart, cunning and adaptable which are all good values in a hero. The villain is usually fixed to one idea he thinks it is a smart cunning person but in the end is always defeated. Many scenes are set around the Saloon (bar) and there is quite often a romance involved with the hero and a local girl, the villain competing for her affections! There are two different types of villains in typical westerns Native Americans and white villains (cowboys). Westerns are split down into sub genres for example classical westerns like "The Great Train Robbery" but there are also other western genres like revisionist westerns. Revisionist westerns occurred after the early 1960's, American film-makers began to change many traditional elements of Westerns. One major change was the increasingly positive representation of Native Americans who had been treated as "savages" in earlier films. Another example is Spaghetti westerns, Spaghetti westerns first came during the 1960's and 1970's, The changes were a new European, larger-than-life visual style, a harsher, more violent depiction of frontier life, choreographed gunfights and wide-screen close-ups.

Human Resources in Riordan Manufacturing Essay

When people think of the responsibilities of a human resources department, they may say they are responsible for the hiring and firing of employees. The truth of the matter is that a human resources management is responsible for much more than just hiring and firing. The human resources management is responsible for hiring qualified people, training employees to do their jobs according to company policies, motivate their employees and be able to support productive employees. Riordan Manufacturing has a good human resources department, which maintains an innovative and team-oriented work environment. Riordan Manufacturing mainly recruits employees outside the company via entry –level positions. There is also an internal job posting for employees to take advantage of new job opportunities. The method Riordan Manufacturing uses to recruit qualified employees is through online advertisements via Monstor.com, local newspapers, employee referrals, temp agencies, and job conferences. The plant in China uses contract workers for engineering, and IT positions. Riordan Manufacturing seeks qualified people for jobs, but the company does not conduct reference test as well as drug testing of potential employees. When concerning training and development, Riordan Manufacturing has a mandatory training program for employees within their 90 days of hire. New employees have to attend orientation on their first day on the job. For production and shipping and quality employees, they have to go through Six Sigma training. New supervisors are required to go through training workshops within 12 months of becoming a supervisor. Such workshops include interviewing guidelines, preventing EEO claims as well as workplace sexual harassment, and finally performance reviews. Riordan Manufacturing also has incentive programs for outstanding employees. There are three types of programs Riordan Manufacturing use to recognize outstanding employees. 1. Outstanding Employee Award 2. Employee Suggestion Program 3. Seniority Awards Riordan Manufacturing HR system Riordan Manufacturing implemented it’s HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems) in 1992. This system manages employee information such as the following: 1. Personal information 2. Pay rate 3. Personal exemptions for tax purposes 4. Hire dates 5. Seniority date 6. Organizational information 7. Vacation hours If an employee has to make any changes to his or her information, he or she has to submit it in writing on a special form. That information is entered later by a payroll clerk. The training and development specialist kept track of training and development records via Excel worksheets. In order for recruiters to maintain applicant’s information, all resumes are filed in a central storage area and are track via an Excel spreadsheet. Riordan Manufacturing employs a third party provider to keep track of workers’ compensation. Individual managers keep track of employee’s files and are also responsible for tacking FMLA absences as well as requests for accommodation. A compensation manager keeps results of job analyses, salary surveys and individual compensation decisions via Excel spreadsheet. Complaints, grievances, harassment complaints, as well as ethical issues are managed and tracked by employee relations specialists. HR Needed Systems Riordan Manufacturing’s current HRIS needs an up-to-date face lift. Instead of having different individuals managing employee’s vital information, Riordan Manufacturing needs to invest in human resources software. Implementing the software would increase the efficiency of their current HRIS. It would ease the burden of keeping track of all the employees’ information. References University of Phoenix (2012). Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization. Retrieved from BSA/500 – Business Systems II course website.

Free Essays on Egg Donars

â€Å"Eggs for Sale† is an engrossing look into an area of our current society in which we must carefully tread. The ethical waters of egg donation and the various ways of profiting from it are muddy indeed, and so we should take care not to create any positions that we think are necessary to â€Å"force† onto anyone. When that happens, the entire question and point are lost and we are left needlessly bickering over matters of trivial concern without any purpose. Probably the trickiest area of this whole concept is the ethical aspects of it. Is it all right for egg donation centers to be so brazen as to advertise in movie theaters, asking the audience to call 1-877-Babymakers as if they were calling a car rental agency? Doesn’t it make the people at the ad agency slightly queasy to be sending out chocolate eggs to potential clients? At least one center does not attempt to be cute or pandering with any â€Å"Give the gift of life slogans,† as they advertise the pure profit to be had in harvesting a woman’s ovaries: â€Å"Pay your tuition with eggs.† (Mead #) This is why an increasing number of college students do just that, including the story at the beginning of â€Å"Eggs for Sale,† about a girl named â€Å"Cindy Schiller.† Cindy is a left-wing student at Columbia University Law School in New York City. She is passionate about a number of causes, but it seems the thing she is most interested in doing is selling her eggs. She does have a number of political objections to the idea of egg donation, namely that she thinks she is assisting a â€Å"white supremacist system.† (Mead #) However, all of these high-minded oppositions to the side effects of what she happens to do cease to matter when she gets paid. In fact, at the end of the first section of â€Å"Eggs for Sale,† she is pretty excited to find out some desperate couples are willing to pay five thousand dollars for her services. Strangely enough, she also gives the impre... Free Essays on Egg Donars Free Essays on Egg Donars â€Å"Eggs for Sale† is an engrossing look into an area of our current society in which we must carefully tread. The ethical waters of egg donation and the various ways of profiting from it are muddy indeed, and so we should take care not to create any positions that we think are necessary to â€Å"force† onto anyone. When that happens, the entire question and point are lost and we are left needlessly bickering over matters of trivial concern without any purpose. Probably the trickiest area of this whole concept is the ethical aspects of it. Is it all right for egg donation centers to be so brazen as to advertise in movie theaters, asking the audience to call 1-877-Babymakers as if they were calling a car rental agency? Doesn’t it make the people at the ad agency slightly queasy to be sending out chocolate eggs to potential clients? At least one center does not attempt to be cute or pandering with any â€Å"Give the gift of life slogans,† as they advertise the pure profit to be had in harvesting a woman’s ovaries: â€Å"Pay your tuition with eggs.† (Mead #) This is why an increasing number of college students do just that, including the story at the beginning of â€Å"Eggs for Sale,† about a girl named â€Å"Cindy Schiller.† Cindy is a left-wing student at Columbia University Law School in New York City. She is passionate about a number of causes, but it seems the thing she is most interested in doing is selling her eggs. She does have a number of political objections to the idea of egg donation, namely that she thinks she is assisting a â€Å"white supremacist system.† (Mead #) However, all of these high-minded oppositions to the side effects of what she happens to do cease to matter when she gets paid. In fact, at the end of the first section of â€Å"Eggs for Sale,† she is pretty excited to find out some desperate couples are willing to pay five thousand dollars for her services. Strangely enough, she also gives the impre...

The Panama Canal Essay

The Panama Canal Essay The Panama Canal Essay Example Essay on The Panama Canal: The Panama Canal is an international waterway that stretches up to 50 miles connecting two large water bodies namely the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. The record of Panama Canal dates back in 16th century. The water way has since simplified the passage of ships between these two water bodies cutting across the Isthmus of Panama. Since 1819, the Panama Canal has been a property of Colombia until 1903. The United States of America successfully conducted the construction of the canal between 1904 and 1914 as a result of gold discovered in California in 1848. The construction of the canal was important to reduce time and distance traveled between Pacific and the Atlantic. The initial inhabitants of the canal were Indians and U.S citizens. History states that, in 1869, the French government had attempted to construct the canal after the Suez Canal’s construction was completed; that inspired them but failed. The French had first undertaken a project to create the Suez Canal; a pr oject that was successfully completed without much struggle. This motivated the French to rush into starting the construction of the Panama Canal. This canal was not as easy as Suez Canal because the French did not have appropriate procedures and equipments. Hence, France wasted millions of dollars, and still failed due to factors beyond their control. Before the Canal was built, ships used to travel double the distance through Cape Horn. This was the largest engineering project to be undertaken and successfully completed despite the failure by the French. In present day, the canal plays the role of a commercial venture as well as a link in world shipping (DuTemple 32). Ever since its completion, the canal has seen an increase in ship traffic from 1,000 ships in 1914 to 14,000 in 2008, and approximately 825,000 ships have traveled the canal. Civil engineers of the American society have termed it as one of the wonders of the present world. Although the Panama holds an economic advantage, it has a major disadvantage; large ships such as military battleships, large oil tankers and aircraft carriers cannot pass through the Canal due to its limited size. Fortunately, a 5.2 billion dollar project is underway to be completed in 2014 that aims at expanding the Panama Canal to accommodate much larger ships (Jeong Crittenden and Xu 4). The French failure to construct the canal was based on several challenges. The French had a faulty project that did not take care of basic issues such as the rivers that flooded the canal that would turn constructions difficult. In this project, the French engineers overestimated the time taken to complete as eight years as opposed to ten years for Suez Canal. At the end of the ten years, completion was not in sight, and in fact, abandonment was the decision being considered. Accidents and infirmities exemplified by malaria, as well as yellow fever, claimed approximately 20,000 lives of canal builders. The diseases were rampant because the canal runs through the Panamanian jungle that is infested with dangerous insects like mosquitoes (DuTemple 37). The role that the mosquitoes played in transmitting malaria was not known by then hence high death rate recorded. This was the most serious challenge that made the French quit the project. The mosquito elimination project included identifying and separating patients suffering from different diseases. Burning of sulphur and pyrethrum proved to be effective in eradicating mosquitoes. In addition, the French did not have the right equipment for the heavy-duty job, as the area is volcanic in nature having been constituted of rocky surfaces. The attempt by the French started in the year 1882 with 20,000 men at work and ended in 1892. In 1892, France hired another company to undertake the project but still failed although the second company had good strategies that assisted the U.S in completing the task. Consequently, the French endeavors went bankrupt as a result of loss of experienced people; thus, abandoning the project immediately after nine years of work. Other contributors of failur e include mismanagement of funds and political fraud. Surprisingly, the work completed assisted Americans in completing the task despite the fact that America had an upper hand due to the advancement of technology (Haskin 4). The construction of the canal was negatively influenced by insufficient skills in engineering, organization and sanitation problems. The Victorious Conclusion of the project was due to engineering skills of men like John F. Stephens and health solutions by William C. Gorgas. However, people with such knowledge were few; this slowed the procedures down as few men had knowledge of administration. Other engineering challenges encountered included the amount of digging required, constructing the biggest gates of the time and creating the biggest dam of the time (DuTemple 43). The French design of the Canal had shortcomings like failure to address flooding from river Chagres that restrained construction process. On the other hand, U.S engineers had studied these challenges and came up with a design that overcame most difficulties. Some of the solutions discovered included the construction of a large dam at the mouth of river Chagres. Mosquitoes spread diseases were nearly eliminated by proper sanitation tactics by the U.S (Joeng et al., 8). President Roosevelt was the acting president of the time who presided over appointments of engineers to carry on with the construction. A reservoir lake for the canal was constructed to curb the level of the water issue. The canal constitutes of artificial lakes, artificial channels and sets of locks. Despite all the setbacks involved in the construction of the Panama Canal, there are many advantages and benefits associated with the operation of the canal. The main reason why the canal was built is to ease transportation. Contrary, other effects on the immediate environment are noted. These effects included physical and social-economic impacts. Shipment transportation by road has not proven effective as compared to water transportation for bulk goods. The Panama Canal served a good role in faster transporting of bulk consignment. There were many benefits associated with the canal that still apply even today (Haskin 7). First, the canal provided water used for hydropower production, human utilization, industrial deployment and transportation for inhabitants and countries that bordered the canal. Some uneven sections of the canal provided perfect ground for hydropower production used in homes and industries. These industries also benefited from the readily and easily accessible water for their operations. In addition, Inhabitants of Panama used the water for agricultural purposes to support the industries with raw materials and resources (Cameron and Dodds 3). Microclimatic changes have also been experienced since the construction of the canal. These climatic changes have been positive and negative, as well. In some areas, improved climatic conditions like rainfall have been observed. Developments of forests around the area has also commenced in the area. On the other hand, emergence of industries led to depletion of forest cover to construct the industries. This has seen the area experience long dry spells that are not appropriate for the canal’s water levels. Geographically, this waterway has contributed to cool climate for the surrounding environment hence low evapotranspiration for water conservation while industries have brought dryness. Loss of the ability to capture carbon is another negative impact on the climate. Other effects include exposed soil surfaces, shrubs and lack of pastures (Cameron and Dodds 11). Availability of water has encouraged cattle ranching and exclusive profit-making agricultural practices for residents. This further provides meat industries with raw materials for processing. Support dams and manmade lakes have been built to reinforce water scarcity problem that may arise from prolonged droughts. This has in turn provided further ground to practice agricultural profitable business adding to the economy (Cameron and Dodds 16). The Canal has provoked economic advancement for Panamanians. Income from agriculture and fishing practiced in the surrounding areas has contributed up to 7%of Gross Domestic Product of Panamanian economy. Additionally, 120,000 express and non-express jobs have been created in different sectors. Such sectors include the tourism industry, field of agriculture, fishing and processing industries constructed (Mann 5). Different ideas have been suggested for an efficient construction and expansion of the canal for better presentation. Building of two lock complexes, one on the Pacific side and another on the Atlantic side each constituting three chambers. These chambers should in turn contain three water saving basins. Access channels should be excavated to these new locks and extension of existing channels so that large ships can navigate on them. Suggestions indicate that navigation channels ought to be deepened to provide maximum operating depth. The purpose of expanding the Panama Canal is to preserve and uphold competitiveness of the canal, maintain the importance of the Canal course by making superior benefits for the vast population of Panama. Another objective of expanding the canal is to boost its potential to meet the increasing requirements for transit while working at maximum levels of productivity possible. The key aim in consideration is the ability to allow large ships to transit through the canal as this would enhance the canal output. Maintenance tasks on the ships and other water vessels require adequate space, so that relevant servicing services can be performed. The expansion of the canal would increase room for these tasks and eliminating congestion of ships (Mann 13). Despite of the advantages involved with the expansion of the waterway, there are negative effects to it. Increased ship traffic and building activities would most likely lead to air and noise pollution. Alteration to the current geological features and formation of the canal can lead to landslides and soil movements that in turn cause deaths. Other possible impacts include loss of forestry ability, impact on fauna, and commotion to wild animals, wildlife road kill impact and influence on protected areas. Positive impacts likely to be observed embrace motivation to the economy by improving exports by 10%, fiscal revenues improve by 32%. Job creation is the major challenge facing young people all over the world. Expansion of the canal would call for more work forces hence creation of jobs for citizens and natives. Relocation of people from other areas to Panama would increase due to the advancement in economy aspects. The project is projected to have an impact on infrastructure that includes improvement I the sewerage systems and construction of new roads to cater for inland transit services. Establishment of processing plants would call for the establishment of high voltage power cables to supply enough power to meet Panama’s demands. An increased necessitation to transport goods, vehicle traffic would increase (DuTemple 17). Eviction from industrial areas would be a major issue affecting the minority living in Panama, as business owners would evict residents from their homes to provide ground to build the plant. Before residents get used to new working conditions, accidents related to work would be prone. As experience advanced, accidents reduced by up to half. Experience was enhanced by the busyness of the Canal that called for extra working hours. Advancement of economy goes hand in hand with crime. Crime rate reduces due to availability of employment for all willing citizens. Tourists are a major influence on a country’s economy by contributing to the revenue. Isthmus has steep slopes that are good sites of tourist attraction in Panama. Industrialization always attracts tourists who pay for visiting the country; hence, increase in revenue. Competition between canals has also been analyzed concerning transit numbers. Transit goods are increasing every day; these being the case researchers are viewing the Suez Canal as a proper alternative (Jeong et al 10). Fortunately, disadvantages involved can be solved by having a citizen participation program, risk prevention program and environmental education. For a successful and a sustainable development, interrelations, citizen participation and environmental conservations should be observed. If a persistent problem were found, an alternative to that would be a wise decision. You can easily buy a high-quality essay online on The Panama Canal at . All custom essays are written from scratch. High quality and plagiarism free guarantee!

Theory vs. Hypothesis

Theory vs. Hypothesis Theory vs. Hypothesis Theory vs. Hypothesis By Sharon I have a theory or do I? Perhaps what I have is an idea, a hypothesis or a conjecture. In science, a theory is a set of related hypotheses that serve to explain or provide rules for certain phenomena. If these hypotheses can be linked together to predict behavior or events, then they form a theory, such as the theory of evolution. A hypothesis is a proposition which needs to be evaluated. In other words, its something that makes sense based on the knowledge you have but you still need to prove that it works. A conjecture is an idea which has no basis in fact (often called a theory in the vernacular). Here are some quotations from newspapers: these theories are promulgated there,† said Mr. Nunberg, who disputed that â€Å"Spygate† qualified as a conspiracy theory. Mr. Trump’s talk of conspiracies has also gained currency within a Republic (www.nytimes.com) idea, referred to in the jargon of economics as the efficient market hypothesis (technically, the strong efficient market hypothesis), implicitly underl (www.nytimes.com) million dollar problems. If they are right still a big if and somebody really has cracked the so-called Riemann hypothesis, financial disaster might follow. Suddenly all cryptic codes could be breakable. No internet transaction woul (www.theguardian.com) germs and dirt finding their way into a child’s mouth. But many have also heard in recent years of the â€Å"hygiene hypothesis,† which holds that some exposure to germs and microorganisms in early childhood is actually good for us (www.nytimes.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Precedent vs. PrecedenceHow Do You Pronounce "Often"?

Cultural Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance Research Paper - 2

Cultural Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance - Research Paper Example This will help educators and students to detect bias in books, in the media and other reading materials. It is high time publishers and writers became objective and try not to undermine the beliefs of others. Most educative materials are bias and do not have a global perspective. It is, therefore, time there is a change to the approach of doing things. The society is not equal since some are advantage unlike some. Educational opportunities are not available for all. Equity pedagogy aims at providing equal opportunities to all in the society. Transforming of the schools will help in promoting national unity and harmony. Multicultural competency helps an individual to improve his or her way of perceiving, believing, evaluating and problem solving. The fact is people are self-centered and do not care about others. Cross cultural interaction and exchange is slowly making people understand the significance of cohesion. There is inequality in the society because of stereotypes and tendenci es of prejudice. There are many myths about other people’s culture and this has a negative effect on how communities relate. Some communities make others feel inferior causing hatred and animosity. Lack of cultural interaction is the main cause to the problem. It is hence vital for stakeholders to embrace multicultural education system since it will provide solid solutions that are long term. Answers to part B and C Culture refers t the knowledge, values, experience, attitudes, religion, concepts of the universe and spatial relationships developed by a group of individuals through both group and individual striving. Culture also entails the patterns of behavior developed and transmitted from one generation to another. Various cultural groups think act and feel differently depending on their beliefs. There are no scientific standards to determine which group is superior or inferior (Knight 2004). Multi cultural education refers to inter discipline and cross-curricular educatio n that prepares students to work and live in a diverse environment. Respect and appreciation of cross-culture is increasing gaining momentum throughout the world. It is encouraging and impressive that students are learning cultures outside those of their own. This helps them interact well with people of different cultures. Multicultural education provides an opportunity for learning institutions to create cultural awareness among students though the various students’ organization. This equips students with the skills they need to interact with other people having different cultures and beliefs. As globalization is taking shape and businesses expanding, cross-cultural interaction is on the rise. As more people from different cultures interact, they exchange the cultures and learn to compromise with what other people think and feel (Johanna, 2000). Multicultural education is principal in addressing cultural differences and cultural bias because it encourages respect and appreci ations of other people’s beliefs. In an educational setting, students become aware on the cultures of other people, reasons as to why they behave the way they do and why it is crucial to respect other people believes (Knight, 2004).Multicultural educa

Social psychology essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Social psychology essays - Essay Example because of technical ineptitude in the fingerprinting or DNA laboratory for example, perjured testimony, eyewitness misidentification, and also because of overzealous law enforcement officers who are eager to close the case and mete out justice. A courtroom is a place wherein many evidence are presented that are at best circumstantial and are then judged by ordinary people if it works for or against the defendant—a room wherein people not experts at lie detection weigh witness testimonies. Thus, wrongful convictions are not unexpected as the justice system is composed of imperfect human beings. Some states wherein there is a high rate of erroneous convictions have already enacted bills to address this problem. Because the United States rely on juries to ultimately decide on a person’s guilt, I believe that there should be a seminar or lecture regarding lie detection in order to minimize wrongful convictions. The jurors should be fully aware of what their decision could mean and what the evidences signify. In this way, they can create a more educated verdict. They are better equipped to intelligently weigh the evidences and testimonies that are presented during the trial. The polygraph relies on the physiological changes in the body, like pulse and blood pressure, to detect deception. It starts with a series of control questions to set the tone like â€Å"What is your name?† This is then followed by an explanation of what the polygraph is and what it does. Next comes the â€Å"stim test† wherein the person attached to the polygraph will be asked to lie so that the tester can see if the machine has picked up on this lie and is working properly. Then the test itself ensues. The questions alternate between some that are irrelevant, some control questions, and those that are relevant to the case. If the tester is not satisfied with the results, there is a post-test interview that is conducted. The polygraph has been known as the lie detector test that some highly

The impact of the emergence of China and India on the world economy Essay

The impact of the emergence of China and India on the world economy - Essay Example The concept of "emerging markets" was suggested by the International Finance Corporation to describe the developing economies with the extraordinary potential for rapid growth. According to statistics, majority of the emerging markets have transformed and improved their economic performance over the last two years. Moreover, the total output of the emerging markets (led by China) represents more than half of the global gross domestic product (Siddiqi 2006, p. 48). In 2005, the emerging markets combined GDP by $1.6 trillion outpacing the $1.4 trillion of advanced economies! China and India account for 20 percent of the total increase and have the share of 42% in total merchandise exports. United States, Eurozone and Japan are exporting more than 50 percent of total exports to developing countries. There are three factors which prompted the emerging markets on the higher growth: export-led growth fuelled by increasing American import demand, increased commodity prices and low interest rates (Siddiqi 2006, p. 49). ... India and China have contributed 30 percent of the global growth between 2000-2005 and their share in the world trade has increased from 7 percent to 15 percent. They have doubled their contribution to world economy in only five years. International corporations are increasing their operations in China and India. Moreover, India and China are also increasing their activity on the international business arena. For example, India's Vedanta Resources invested in Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines and China National Petroleum Corporation has actively invested in African oil-production countries (Siddiqi 2006, p. 51). The stable commodity markets, reflecting the demand for energy and natural resources, have enabled China to overtake Japan as the second largest oil importer after United States. BRIC countries account for 20 percent of world oil demand, while Indian intellectual property second has ensured that its government takes the lead in the negotiations within World Trade Organization. India's annual growth rate is at least 6 percent and even before 1991 when India's finance minister began to dismantle the post-colonial license Raj of state regulation of the economy, the national growth was above 3.5 percent a year (Luce 2006, p. 23). Despite of the rapid growth, more than one-third of global poor population lives in India. Even with a such a high number of poor people, India might capture the large share of the global software, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and automobile components markets. India's growth derives from the service sector: information technology, back office processing, outsourcing, finances, medical services, media services and consumer industry. China's growth, on the contrary is based on manufacturing

The Fortune 100 Best COmpanies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fortune 100 Best COmpanies - Coursework Example When executed accurately, this relationship will benefit all the parties involved. It will ensure the company that only the ones who possess the specific skills are directed to the company. In addition, it means reduced expenditure and reduced wastage of time. For the agency, there is more profit, and for the candidate, the most suitable job in the shortest period of time. However, for the relationship, to work properly, there should be a clear understanding between the employer and the recruitment agency as to what are the specific requirements for various positions in the company.This work intends to look into the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List and tries to identify the best performing companies in terms of percentage of job growth, top salary and perks. Thereafter, the companies that are suitable for people with less work experience are identified and listed. Also, the companies that suit the fresh graduates of St. Leo University are identified and listed. ... The more the working relationships are, the easier the work will be, and the higher the placement will be. By having working relationships with the companies, it will be easy to identify exactly what qualities the companies are looking for in the potential candidates. That way, it will be easy to meet the expectations of the employer and the employee in a better way. When such a relationship is developed, it benefits all the concerned parties. For the company, this ensures easy availability of the most suitable candidates in the shortest possible time, and that too at a considerably lower cost. When the relationship works out as the candidates are successful, the agency gains more credibility, and thus, more business. Thirdly, for the candidate, there is the most suitable job with less effort as there is no need to search for vacancies in various companies. This work attempts to look into the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List, and tries to find out which are some important companies in the list with which a recruitment agency has to develop working relationships. In addition, efforts are made to identify the ones which best suit candidates with less experience, and the ones which best suit the fresh graduates from Saint Leo University. Here, the candidates are adults with some work experience and fresh graduates of St. Leo University. To analyze the situation, the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List is used. 1. Benefits of establishing a working relationship with the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For Undoubtedly, establishing a working relationship with companies makes the role of employment agency much easier. This is especially so when the companies have not provided a clear idea about the skills they are looking

Expression of Political Thoughts in Latin American Cinema 1980s Article

Expression of Political Thoughts in Latin American Cinema 1980s - Article Example The filmmakers of that era proficiently employed their skills and creative capabilities to reveal huge issues in front of the masses using examples of different individuals and their lives (Wilson, p127). For instance, the official story (1985) tells about the miseries of people that were taken away from their homes during the Dirty War took place in Argentine. Romero (1989), on the other hands, tells how the authorities use to brutally deal with the people who publicly talk against their unfair acts. In the same way, Missing (1982) tells the story of American journalist disappeared during the Chilean cope of 1973 in order to refer the prodigious missing of people during the war. These films are based on different situations and stories, however; the common theme among these movies is the portrayal of true incidents took place during the war and political turmoil in Latin America during the 1980s. â€Å"The official story† was directed by Luis Puenzo in 1985 that basically tells the tale of a woman’s odyssey from complacency to political awareness. It was produced after the demise of the regime of the last dictator of Argentine General Galteiri in 1983. The movie is based upon real events occurred in Argentina during the late 1970s and 1980s, collectively referred to as Dirty war. The movie describes the real political incidents took place in 1976 when the Jorge Rafael Videla reactionary military known as â€Å"junta† came into power in Argentine. The Junta rule suspended the parliament, unions and political parties. The dictator rule initiated the Dirty War during which thousands of people were exiled from their homes. The movie highlights the issue of the disappeared people and tells about the repression and torture being experienced by the people of Argentina at that time. In the movie, Norma Aleandro played the role of high school teacher Alicia that lives with her husband Roberto who was a wealthy businessman and lawyer and uses to remain engaged with the government. The couple adopted a little girl named Gaby from the political prisons and after some years Alicia became inquisitive to know about the parents of her adopted daughter.

The Fortune 100 Best COmpanies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fortune 100 Best COmpanies - Coursework Example When executed accurately, this relationship will benefit all the parties involved. It will ensure the company that only the ones who possess the specific skills are directed to the company. In addition, it means reduced expenditure and reduced wastage of time. For the agency, there is more profit, and for the candidate, the most suitable job in the shortest period of time. However, for the relationship, to work properly, there should be a clear understanding between the employer and the recruitment agency as to what are the specific requirements for various positions in the company.This work intends to look into the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List and tries to identify the best performing companies in terms of percentage of job growth, top salary and perks. Thereafter, the companies that are suitable for people with less work experience are identified and listed. Also, the companies that suit the fresh graduates of St. Leo University are identified and listed. ... The more the working relationships are, the easier the work will be, and the higher the placement will be. By having working relationships with the companies, it will be easy to identify exactly what qualities the companies are looking for in the potential candidates. That way, it will be easy to meet the expectations of the employer and the employee in a better way. When such a relationship is developed, it benefits all the concerned parties. For the company, this ensures easy availability of the most suitable candidates in the shortest possible time, and that too at a considerably lower cost. When the relationship works out as the candidates are successful, the agency gains more credibility, and thus, more business. Thirdly, for the candidate, there is the most suitable job with less effort as there is no need to search for vacancies in various companies. This work attempts to look into the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List, and tries to find out which are some important companies in the list with which a recruitment agency has to develop working relationships. In addition, efforts are made to identify the ones which best suit candidates with less experience, and the ones which best suit the fresh graduates from Saint Leo University. Here, the candidates are adults with some work experience and fresh graduates of St. Leo University. To analyze the situation, the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for List is used. 1. Benefits of establishing a working relationship with the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For Undoubtedly, establishing a working relationship with companies makes the role of employment agency much easier. This is especially so when the companies have not provided a clear idea about the skills they are looking

Abortion arguments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abortion arguments - Essay Example Before going into the discussion regarding ethical issues related to abortions, let us get a better understanding of what abortion actually is. â€Å"Abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy after conception† Abortion in medical science is a process in which doctors, with the approval of the pregnant women, kill the fetus in order to terminate the pregnancy. â€Å"Abortion can lead to problems later in life as after all you are tampering with your body and obstructing the natural course of happenings† (Godbole). Abortions are either first trimester abortions or second trimester abortions (Ravichandran). First trimester abortions are caused due to genetic abnormalities, uterine abnormalities, or placental abnormalities, whereas second trimester abortions are caused due to trauma, hypertension, or increase in the cervical incompetence. Depending on the status of fetus, there are two different viewpoints regarding abortions. The people who consider abortions legal believe that fetus is not a person and a woman has the right to decide whether she wants to carry on with the pregnancy or not. Whereas the other side believes that fetus or embryo is a life within a woman, and killing a fetus is same like killing a human. There exist some ethical issues related to the decision of a woman to abort her pregnancy. Let us discuss some of those issues in some detail. Status of Fetus Fetus is an unborn form of a human whose development takes place inside the womb of a woman. The decision of a woman to abort the pregnancy is ethical if the fetus is dead and the woman do not feel any kind of movement inside the womb, whereas if the woman starts feeling some movements inside her womb, it means that the fetus is alive and in such cases, abortion is considered unethical in many societies. Some of the conditions in which abortions become ethical and make sense include dead fetus, abnormal structure of the fetus, and threat to the life of the mother. Rape of Forced Sex Rape or forced sex, makes abortion an ethical decision because the pregnancies, which occur due to rape, are without the consent or will of the woman involved in the incident. Therefore, a woman holds the right to terminate her pregnancy because neither she was ready for pregnancy nor she had any will for that. In the United State of America, people view rape or forced sex as the valid reasons of abortion. However, in Southeast Asian countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, majority of people does not consider abortion ethical in any case because they have little awareness of the ethical dilemmas related to abortions. People belonging to such countries are usually more concerned about the issue rather than the cause of abortion. Whereas, in the European and American countries, people are very much aware of all issues related to abortion and they take the decision to abort the pregnancy based on valid justifications, such as, rape, forced sex, abnormal str ucture, threat to the life of the mother, and some other reasons. Health of Mother â€Å"An abortion can happen spontaneously as a result of complications during a pregnancy, or it can be induced† (Nordqvist). Threat to the life of the mother justifies abortion. The act of abortion becomes legal for both the woman and the family of the woman if the life of the woman falls in danger due to pregnancy. Life of mother is always more important than the life of an unborn child. A number of cases occur all over the world where doctors recommend the families of the pregnant women to let them drop the pregnancy because of the threat associated with the life of the mother due to some complexities related to the pregnancy. In such cases, the decision of terminating the pregnancy becomes ethical because it saves the life of the woman who can give normal birth to babies in future. Divorce Divorce is one of the major factors behind the increase in the number of abortions that take place al l over the

Corporate Risk Management Essay Example for Free

Corporate Risk Management Essay Risk refers to the uncertainty that surrounds future events and outcomes. It is the expression of the likelihood and impact of an event with the potential to influence the achievement of an organization’s objectives. Risk management is a systematic approach to setting the best course of action under uncertainty by identifying, assessing, understanding, acting on and communicating risk issues. The Corporate Risk Management framework is a systematic, integrated approach with a focus on managing financial risks to enhance shareholder value. The Corporate Risk Management processes are indentification of the risk, measurement , policy, process and execution. Those processes are utilised by corporate enterprises to manage the risk of fortuitous loss. Once corporate risks have been identified and their impact on the firm measured, risk management attempts to control the size and frequency of loss, and to finance those fortuitous losses which do occur. Those are the main definition about the subject, which are to be discussed in this document. Risk Management is an ongoing activity and should be carried out as a part of day-to-day business. The management of risk can only take place within an organisational framework that is inclusive of all parts of the corporate infrastructure. Without this framework, risks cannot be efectivelly discussed, communicated, compared and managed in a coherent way across the whole organisation. Risk should be a feature of any management discussion of any uncertain circumstances including new initiatives of any kind and the implementation of significant projects Risk management deals with insurable and with uninsurable risks and is an approach which involves a formal orderly process for systematically identyfying, analysing and responding to risk events throughout the life of a project to obtain the optimum or acceptable degree of risk elimination or control. Risk management is an essential part of the project and business planning cycle which requires acceptance that uncertainty exists, generates a structured response to risk in terms of alternative plans, solutions and contingencies ,is a thinking process requiring imagination and ingenuity and generates a realistic attitude in an investment for staff by preparing them for risk events rather than being taken by surprise when they arrive. Risk management involves identifying risks, predicting how probable they are and how serious they might become, deciding what to do about them and implementing these decisions. Corporates finance is the specific area dealing the financial decisions corporations make and the tools and techniques used to make the decisions. Categories of corporate financial decision making are : objectives of investment decision, financial decision and financial techniques. Corporates need a more advanced risk management approach in order to benefit from a competitive advantage from strategic risk management. They should manage risks proactively via an integrated approach with a focus on measurable financial risks. Quantitative techniques, such as cash flow-at-risk and earnings-at-risk, are necessary to look at the combined effect of risks on the formulated business objectives. Identification of risks, analysis of implications, response to minimise the risk and allocation of the contigencies are part of the process of managing the corporate risk. The objective to managing the corporate risk is to understand the risk that is known to be associated with the corporate strategy plan. This corporate risk management plan will enable the communication of the risks and risk treatments to be passed down to the strategic business units that may be impacted by the risk and maintenance of the corporate risk register. Altough risks are evaluated at the corporate level, the power they maintain over governments and consumers is phenomenal. Corporate risk startegy often implies planned actions to respond to identified risks. A typical corporate risk strategy includes the following: * accountabilities for managing the corporate risk. * A corporate risk register will be maintained as a record of the known risks to the corporate strategy plan; the types of mitigating action recorded. * Treatment plans are identified that form part of the corporate strategy and will be communicated to the SBUs, so they in turn may manage the risk which may affect them. A first estimate of potential effects can be determined using assumption analysis, decision tree analysis and the range method. These models can then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of potential mitigating actions and hence select the optimum response. Mitigating actions can be grouped into four categories and potential action : * Risk avoidance * Risk reduction * Risk transfer * Risk retention Corporate management, often referred to as corporate strategy, is concerned with ensuring corporate survival and increasing its value not just in financial terms but also by variables such as market share, reputation and brand perceptions. Thus the scope of corporate risk management is wide ranged to support the corporate strategy. A senior corporate manager owns the process and has the staff to resource the analysis and administrative activities. A board member champions the process ensuring access to information and resources. A core group of corporate broad members and strategic business unit executives can draw additional input from stakeholders such as shareholder representatives, representatives from major customers, partners and suppliers and external experts. At the corporate level a corporate strategy plan is often produced. The plan objectives are: * Create and maintain a strategy that achieves the corporate intent, corporate commitments and expectations of the customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. * Incorporate and maintain the commitments and the requirements of business sectors, specifically strategic business units and process owners that support the strategic direction. * Communicate the strategic direction and relevant objectives and target to each strategic business unit. * Manage strategic change to maintain or gain competitive advantage. The risk management process can be viewed as the application of traditional management techniques to a particular problem. Risk management is a continous loop rather than a linear process so that, as an investment or project processes, a cycle of identification, analysis, control and reporting of risks is continuously undertaken. Steps in the risk management process include: * setting risk-return goals, * identification and evaluation of the causes of potential expense or revenue fluctuation, * choice and balance of loss control and loss finance tools, and * implementation, monitoring and review. There are many opinions about those processes. For example Chapman and Ward believe that there are eight phases in the risk management process. Each phases is associated with broadly defined deliverabe, and each deliverable is discussed in terms of its purpose and the tasks required to produce it. Phases and deliverable structures: * Define : the purpose of this phase is to consolidate any relevant existing information about the project, and to fill in any gaps uncovered in the consolidation process. * Focus : the purpose of this phase is to look for and develop a strategic plan for the risk management process, and to plan the risk management process at an operational level. * Identify : the purpose of this phase is to identify where risk may arise, to identify what might be done about the risk in proactive and reactive terms, and to identify what might go wrong with the responses. Here, all the risks and responses should be identified, with threats and opportunitiess classified, characterised, documented, veified and reported. * Structure : the purpose of this phase is to test the simplified assumptions, and to provide a more complex structure when appropriate. Benefits here include a clear understanding of the implications of any important simplifying assumptions about relationships between risks, responses and base plan activities. * Ownership : at this phase client/contractor allocation of ownership and management of risk and responses occur, such as the allocation of client risks to named individuals, and the approval of contractor allocations. Here, clear ownership and allocations arise; the allocations are effectively and efficiently defined and legally enforceable in practice where appropriate. * Estimate : this phase identifies areas of clear significant uncertainty and areas of possible significant uncertainty. This acts as a basis for understanding which risks and responses are important. * Evaluate : at this stage synthesis and evaluation of the results of the estimation phase occurs. Diagnosis of all important difficulties and comparative analysis of the implication of responses to these difficulties should take place, together with specific deliverables like a prioritised list of risks or a comparison of the base plan and contingency plans with possible difficulties and revised plans. * Plan : at this pase the project plan is ready for implementation. The main processes involved in project risk management are: * risk identification, risk quantification and analysis, * risk response, selection of risk response options, * outputs from the risk response process, * outputs from the risk response process, * risk management within the project life cycle, * the tasks and benefits of risk management, * the beneficiares of risk management. Risk identification consists of determining which risks are likely to affect the project and documenting the characteristics of each one. Risk identification should adress both the internal and the external risks. The primary sources of risk which have the potential to cause a major effect on the project should also be determined and classified according to their impact on project cost, time schedules and project objectives. Inputs and outputs of the Risk Identification Process . Inputs to risk identification are given as product or service description; other planning outputs (work breakdown structure, cost and time estimates, specification requirements) historical information. Outputs to risk identification are sources of risk; potential risk events; risk symptoms; imputs to other processes. After identification risks should be ’validated’, for instance, the information on which they are based and the accuracy of the description of their characteristics should be checked. The purpose of risk identification is to identify and the project or service components, the inherent risks in the project or service, to capture the most significant participants in risk management and to provide the basis for subsequent management, to stabilise the groundwork by providing all the necessary information to conduct risk analysis. Risk quantification and analysis involves evaluating risks and risk interactions to assess the range of possible outcomes. It is primarily concerned with determing which risk events warrant a response. A number of tools and techniques are available for the use of risk analysis and quantification and the analysis process. Risk response involves defining enhancement steps for opportunities and responses to threats. Â  Risk avoidance involves the removal of a particular threat. This may be either by eliminating the source of the risk within a project or by avoiding projects or business entities which have exposure to the risk. Since the significance of a risk is related to both its probability of occurence and its effect on the project outcome if it does occur, risk reduction may involve either lowering its probability or lessening its impact ( or both ). Projects may be seen as investment packages with associated risks and returns. Since a typical project or business involves numerous stakeholders, it follows that each should ’own’ a proportion of the risk available in order to elicit a return. Basically, risk transfer is the process of transferring risk to another participant in the project. Transferring risk does not eliminate or reduce the criticality of the risk, but merely leaves it for others to bear the risk. Risk Retention .Risks may be retained intentionally or unintentionally. The latter occurs as a result of failure of either or both of the first two phases of the risk management process, these being risk identification and risk analysis. If a risk is not identified or if its potential consequences are underestimated, then the organisation is unlikely to avoid or reduce it consciously or transfer it adequately. Corporate risk refers to the liabilities and dangers that a corporation faces. Risk management is a set of procedures that minimizes risks and costs for businesses. The job of a corporate risk management department is to identify potential sources of trouble, analyze them, and take the necessary steps to prevent losses There are several steps in any risk management process. The department must identify and measure the exposure to loss, select alternatives to that loss, implement a solution, and monitor the results of their solution. The goal of a risk management team is to protect and ultimately enhance the value of a company. With corporations, financial risks are the biggest concern. Just as with standard insurance policies for physical damage, some financial risks can be transferred to other parties. Derivatives are the primary way that corporate risk is transferred. A derivative is a financial contract that has a value based on, or derived from, something else. These other things can be stocks and commodities, interest and exchange rates or even the weather when applicable. The three main types of derivatives that corporate riskmanagers use are futures, options, and swaps. Corporate risk is especially prominent during difficult times in the economy. Risk management teams will take less chances when the economy is less forgiving. They will do everything necessary to avoid additional risks, which in some cases can contribute to a decrease in credit availability and less overall spending. * Corporate Risk Management ,second edition, Tony Merna Faisal Thani 2008 * Analysis Evaluation,second edition, Neil Cowan 2005 * http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/DecsRiskManagementFramewo.pdf * http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-corporate-risk.htm

The Period Of Chattel Slavery In The Caribbean History Essay

The Period Of Chattel Slavery In The Caribbean History Essay The Caribbean during the 18th century was categorized mainly as an agriculture based region with numerous plantations. These plantation main outputs were sugar, a commodity highly demanded in Europe earning high profits for plantation owners. However, to create such vast quantities of sugar required human labour, resulting in the development of the chattel slavery system. This slavery system comprised mainly of Africans whose characteristics were suitable for the tropical climates. Enslavement was a dictatorship system where the enslavers had absolute power, like a puppet master pulling all the strings, hence, rendering the enslaved powerless, however, the enslaved reacted waging a protracted war cutting the strings of the enslavers in a fight for their freedom. Chattel slavery refers to A system of slavery whereby an individual and their offsprings are recognized by the law as being the property of another person for life1. Enslaved could be bought, sold and branded just as a piece of furniture, and these inhuman conditions enraged the enslaved resulting in resistance. This is further supported by Hilary Beckles et al who stipulated This record of resistance illustrates that there was hardly a generation of enslaved males or females in the Caribbean who did not take their anti-slavery actions. Entrapment, is against human nature, and thus, enslaved resisted from the start in a long or protracted war. Many slave revolts and plots in these territories between 1638 and 1838 could be conceived of as 200 years war one protracted struggle launched by Africans and their Afro-West Indian progeny against slave owners stated Hilary Beckles. The Enslaved worked under harsh conditions from sun up to sun down, with little rest and exposure to diseases, under strict control from supervisor who demanded productivity. The world of the enslaved therefore, was a constant battle between oppression of master control and the desire for freedom. Slave society refers to the whole community based on slavery, including masters and freedmen as well as slaves stipulated Brian L. Moore. The Societal structure was a hierarchy, white masters at the top socially and politically, the coloured in the middle and the enslaved forming the foundation at the bottom. Around 1832 there were approximately 50,000 whites and 100 000 freedmen in the British Caribbean but only 32 000 slave owners suggested B.W Higman. Freedmen owned slaves; however, it was not in any high concentration when compared to the whites. Although, representing the minority whites control the politics and the majority of wealth maintaining absolute power. The whites were highly educated when compared to the freedmen who had basic education, leaving majority of the slaves uneducated. This is supported by B.W Higman, who noted this strong contrast reflected differences in the education of free males and females, but its also indicated differences in wealth. Whites were the maters operating the plantations, while freedmen were either freed coloured or freed blacks who earned their freedom and tried to invent their own identity. These combined features and characteristics of each class created an arrangement of diverse practices and behavior that illustrated the properties of a slave society. For any society to function adequately there must be system of control and the slave society was no exemption. Christopher Humber et al stated System of slave control embodied physical, social, psychological, economic and legal factors. The enslaved were economical exploited by enslavers, as they were forced to labour in plantation through physical violence denying them personal freedom. The whip was a stimulus to labour and a constant form of punishment and for fear of the hundreds of lashes kept in line and did basically as they were told 2. Slaves lived on the plantation in small dirt huts, and enslavers positioned their mansions at the top overseeing their enslaved community and society practices, emphasizing enslaved social inferiority. Food and clothes were controlled by the enslavers, as they decided what and when enslaved should eat and also how they should dress. Slaves were not allowed to be educated; ignorance was a powerful means of control3. Denying basic social functio n such as education signified enslaved inferiority. The Enslaved religions practices, such as their drumming, music and dance were not allowed and even punishable by death. The enslavers religions were forced upon them as a form of control, and Christopher Humber et al noted Enslaved were only allowed to sit at the back of the Anglican/ Catholic churches. The enslaved were seen as inferior to the whites and the whites argued that Africans were barbaric and uncivilized. Enslavers tried to oppress and crush the spirits of the enslaved through psychological ideas of race and colour. Economic structure of society in terms of property, earnings (Money) and time were control buy the enslavers. Slaves could not legally posses property or legally make contracts, could not be paid for nay work that they did, could not own animals and could not own land4. These economic and legal restrictions crippled the enslaved freedom of movements. The different control systems implemented enforced ensla vement and entrapment, however, the enslaved resistance continued to punctuate the society. The period of slavery was characterized primarily by one protracted war launched by those enslaved against their enslavers, suggested Hilary Beckles. From the commencement of slavery, the enslaved pursed their freedom through different forms of resistance and these resistance activities were illustrated in the Caribbean. Enslaved resistance comprised of day-to-day resistance, plots and revolts and rebellion including marronage. Sheperd V. noted The several stages in the development of Caribbean anti-slavery activities in the period up to 1834: 1500-1750, 1750-1807, and 1807 up toe end of slavery. During the period 1500-1750, the society was dominantly enslaved Africans and plantation construction was now developing. The main form of resistance used during this period was marronage, which Barbara Lalla stipulated as The process of flight by slaves from servitude to establish their own hegemonies or wild territories. Maroons, also known as, Runaways were able to establish small communi ties creating independence from the plantation social, economically, and legally. However, for successful maroon developments the island had to be mountainous, Sheperd V. noted Forested and mountainous interiors of colonies like Jamaica, Dominica and Guyana facilitated the maintenance of runaway slaves. In an island like Barbados, marronage had limited success due to the lowland. Maroons developed structure, in terms of farming for food and in situations earned money by selling produce, persons were able to practice their own religion freely without feeling inferior, Possibilities of ownership of items and most importantly they had freedom of choice. Maroons were able to formulate strategies of successful revolts and attacks on plantations, under the assertive leadership such as Price, lead to arrangements between the Europeans. According to Hilary Beckles What is clear is that maroon activities which were endemic over the entire period greatly undermined the colonizing efforts of t he Europeans and the economic life of the plantations. The sugar rush peaked during 1750-1807 creating a mature plantation society, increasing some aspects of Creole diversity and Sheperd V. stated during this period resistance assumed different forms such as day-to-day acts and negotiation for rights and also marronage increasing. Christopher Humber noted day-to-day resistance as the subtle methods used by the slaves to express rejection of slavery and further supported by Hilary Beckles, who noted day-to-day resistance were generally designed not to overthrow the slave system, but undermine its efficiency. A vital part of day-to-day resistance was enslaved women and the particular strategies they employed. Field womens adaption of the strategy of labour withdraw, interpreted as laziness by drivers and overseers, was considered a universal problem suggested Hilary Beckles. Low level or productivity was not tolerated, and the malingering attitude adapted by women was a great discouragement to the sugar industry. This was particularly eff ective at harvesting time when a few hours behind schedule could make a world of difference in the level of profits realized stated Christopher W. Humber. Women also resisted through children, because the birth of enslaved children meant that the child was automatically born a slave. Enslavers wanted to use birth control as a means of maintaining an enslaved labour force, however, enslaved women committed infanticide as Hilary Beckles noted acts of infanticide are frequently cited on plantations. Acts such as harming farm animals, making them unable to turn the mill were also done by enslaved women. The variations of resistance during this period focused on ending slavery by making the plantation system unprofitable as Hilary Beckles noted These acts of resistance were considered effective strategies and undermined greatly the efficiency of the plantation. The period 1807-1834 marked the ending of slavery, with first the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and the continuous resistance from the remaining enslaved on the plantations. Hilary Beckles further noted 1807-1834 was marked by growing protest among the enslaved, particularly among creoles, linked also to the impact of growing anti-slavery discussions in the metro pole. Creoles also called country-borns undeniable had a hand in the overcoming of slavery and bringing emancipation. Creoles resisted politically, seeking to earn rights for the enslaved through lobbying in the parliament and instigating the continuing unjust behaviors towards the enslaved. It was not Africans who organized, an attorney wrote, but creoles, which were never known before to have been concerned in anything of this sort5. In Britain the profitability of the plantation system was in decline and so was the slave system on a whole. The funds from New world slavery had significantly contributed toe he primit ive accumulation of capital that enable the industrial revolution in Britain6. With Britain moving towards more profitable investments, slavery resistance in the parliaments increased leading to the passing of acts, such as, the emancipation act of 1833. Armed revolts and rebellions were the most violent, and dramatic forms of resistance that the enslaved used against their enslavers. Armed revolts were usually, bloody and many enslaved died, as Hilary Beckles noted The enslaved were conscious of the military might of their enslavers and knew it would be suicidal to always engage them in armed conflicts. The large scale slave rebellion under the leadership of Toussaint L. Ouverture end slavery in Saint Domingue, marking Haiti as the first free black republic in the Caribbean. After news of slave efforts leading to freedom in Haiti spread throughout the Caribbean, the enslaved consciousness was no longer an issue and widespread rebellion transpired all over the Caribbean. Some such r evolts as noted by Hilary Beckles are 1816 revolt in Barbados, 1823 in Damara (Guyana) and 1831/32 Christmas rebellion in Jamaica. The enslavers methods of control were failing and emancipation was no inevitable. Eric William noted in 1833 stating The alternative were clear emancipation form above or emancipation from below'. The rewards and benefits of the different forms of resistance were realized on the 1st of august 1834 marking the end of slavery. Since the existence of slavery for thousands of years, one aspect has persisted, that is, the resistance of the enslaved towards their enslavers and thus the period of chattel slavery in the Caribbean is no different. From the arrival in the Caribbean the enslaved develop anti-slavery attitudes, despite being at the bottom of the societal structure. To counteract this anti-slavery attitude control procedures were develop and implemented, however, resistance acts such as marronage, and day-to-day resistance eventually escalating to large scale revolts threaten and ultimately ended chattel slavery. From the commencement to the termination of chattel slavery, the enslaved have plagued their enslavers in a fight for freedom and such an endemic resistance could only be seen and best described as a protracted war for freedom. Notes National Glossary of the U.K National Archives Based on Caribbean History access through link : http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/caribbeanhistory/popups/glossary.htm See The Spanish instituted the Siete Partidas, the French had the Code Noir access through link : http://www.novapdf.com See Slavery, Freedom and Gender: The Dynamics of Caribbean Society page 137 See The Spanish instituted the Siete Partidas, the French had the Code Noir access through link : http://www.novapdf.com See Africa in America: slave acculturation and resistance in the American South and the British Caribbean, 1736-1831 Page 221 See Capitalism and Slavery by Eric Williams Page 68 Works Cited Beckles, H. Natural Rebels: A Social History of Enslaved Black Women in Barbados. London: Zed, 1989. Print. Bryan, Patrick. Campbell Carl. Higman B. W. Moore Brian L. Slavery, Freedom and Gender: The Dynamics of Caribbean Society. United States: U OF OKLAHOMA PR, 2002. Print. Higman B.W. Slavery Populations of the British Caribbean, 1807-1834. Kingston Jamaica: The Press, University of the West Indies, 1995. Print. Humber Christopher. Caribbean History Section B: Resistance Revolt. Teach Dip (Mico): 2006. Print. Lalla Barbara. Defining Jamaican Fiction: marronage and the discourse of survival. University of Alabama Press, 1996. Print. Sheperd V. Beckles, H. Caribbean anti-slavery: the self liberation ethos of enslaved blacks. In Caribbean Slavery in the Atlantic World: Student Reader. London Kingston: Ian Publishers Ltd., 2000. Print. Williams Eric. Capitalism and Slavery. The University of North Carolina Press, 1944. Print.

The American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Novel The Great Gatsby :: Essays Papers

The American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Novel The Great Gatsby Since July 4, 1776 Americans have had the opportunity to pursue whatever they can think of. This has given the people the opportunity to become whatever they want. A person who works hard can become successful; this is what the American Dream is centered around. A person who is a hard worker and persistent can reach any goal he strives for. The American Dream changed as America did. People became more and more infatuated with possessions. The characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby each work for their own American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the central character of the novel, has worked from nothing to become a very successful man. Jay is successful in the meaning that he is very rich and has everything most of the people in the novel would want. This is not what Jay is striving for though. Jay doesn’t care about the money, cars, and enormous house he has. Love is Jay’s goal, he worked for all the wealth and popularity to get to the love of his life, Daisy. Daisy is a woman that Jay had a love affair with when he was younger, but he could never have her because he was not in her social class. Jay then began to do anything to get the money that it would take to get in her class, even illegal activities. Once he reached this level of wealth, he moved close to Daisy to try to get her. â€Å"Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay†(83). The only thing that really mattered to Jay was Daisy. To try to meet Daisy, Jay threw enormous parties. He finally re unites with Daisy and he begins to show off how rich he is to try to impress her. Jay is convinced that Daisy is now in love with him, and is willing to do anything for her. Even after she kills a woman with his car, he says he will said he take the blame. In pursuit of his dream, Jay ends up being killed. Jay’s American Dream may seem to be one filled with riches and possessions, but it really isn’t. He works for all the things for his one true dream, Daisy, a goal that he never could have possessed.

The Effects of the Renaissance Essay -- European Renaissance Essays

The Effects of the Renaissance When the Renaissance crept into the world?s social senses people were moved. However, when the Renaissance began to affect the literature of the sixteenth century, the world was changed forever. The Renaissance, meaning a ?re-birth,? was a time of many changes. These changes wrought pandemonium among the civilized people of earth. There was a recovery and discovery of medieval texts in which scholars were deeply impressed by. Those in love with the arts and literature now had more choices to view and read. There was an outpour of those individuals attempting to create paintings that exemplified the feelings that saturated the minds of the brilliant scholars. Most importantly, however, was the huge change of the role of the church in everything. Martin Luther nailed up his ?95 Thesis? and thus began the Reformation of the Catholic Church. With this came a rushing tide of secularization in Europe. This, of course, blew over into literature and the arts. The Faerie Queen is one epic that included the ideals and morals that the excom...

The World from Brown’s Lounge

With The World from Brown's Lounge: An Ethnography of Black Middle-Class Play Michael J. Bell provides a narrative and interpretation of the play behavior of middle class blacks within the context of Brown's Lounge, a neighborhood bar in West Philadelphia. At the time he did his field research at Brown's, Bell was a white, male, doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. The book appears to be either his original dissertation or a somewhat edited dissertation.The prose is accessible and not marked by the frequent subordinate clauses and qualification of statements that mars a good deal of academic writing (Bell xi, 1-7). According to Bell The World from Brown's Lounge is a â€Å"study in black American folklore† (Bell ix). However he does not use the word folklore in the traditional sense of myths, tales, and traditions usually passed on orally or through folk art, but rather as the â€Å"artistic communication . . . used by ordinary people . . .[that] links us tog ether in our day-to-day interactions† (Bell ix). This folklore is studied in context, not merely as an academic exercise that might be done by reading a textbook about the folk beliefs of a people without regard to their lives. Bell describes what he saw in Brown's and claims that it is folklore but pointedly refuses engage in an argument as to whether or not the material in the book is in fact folklore. For the purposes of The World from Brown's Lounge the reader must assume that the book is folklore.Frankly, this distinction seems artificial; the text can and should be judged on its methodology and analysis and not on attempts to fit the book to a particular niche genre. Bell claims that the black middle class is (or at least was at the time the book was written) largely ignored in research with the focus being on the behavior and lifestyle of the poorer class. Even when the middle class has been addressed it has tended to interview individuals who â€Å"exemplified† their race and not observe members of the black middle class acting with each other.In essence Bell contends that at that time the research was done, the literature failed to recognize that the black middle class existed at all (Bell 1-5). The methodology Bell used was to sit in Brown's Bar at various times throughout the day, observing the patrons and participating in their interactions for a period of about eighteen months beginning in 1972. The observation periods were typically three hours each. Bell describes himself as an active participant as he engaged in the discussions that occurred at Brown's as well as participating in the consumption of alcohol.The regular patrons were aware of what he was doing and that descriptions of their activities might appear in his doctoral dissertation and possible a subsequent book. Bell recorded the conversations that occurred so that he might study them later. In addition any individual who wished to could listen to any tapes, but no one cho se to do so. Although Bell was aware that his presence in the â€Å"black† bar would affect the patrons, by being up front with them he hoped to minimize his affects on the patrons.In the process Bell did extended interviews with some of the key patrons (Bell 1-5). Interestingly he received a grant to engage in this research, which is good work if you can get it. Bell intended that his work describe how the day-to-day activities in a neighborhood bar reflect the values of the members of the neighborhood. He claims the study describes how the activities at Brown's allow the patrons to conform to â€Å"their desire to create and live within a world that allows them to be both black and middle class† (Bell 5).To do this he describes interactions between the patrons, at times actually quoting entire conversations and then attempts to classify and analyze them. These conversations are, at times, interesting, but are common to many social situations and not indications of mi ddle class black behavior in the 1970s. Bell tries to make them so however. He claims that this behavior is an example of middle class blacks playing with each other verbally and non-verbally by â€Å"talking shit,† â€Å"styling,† and â€Å"profiling† (Bell). Bell writes that these conversations are improvisations with deep, sophisticated meaning for middle class blacks.For example in a discussion on page 110 and analyzed on page 111 Bell offers the following. The bartender Harriet asks the customers generally, â€Å"was a . . . was a . . . (four-second silence) Jimmy Sailor in here yesterday? † One of the patrons, Gill replies, â€Å"I didn't see him. † From these two sentences Bell draws the following analysis. Harriet was seeking direct information. Gill responded in the same fashion as â€Å"if it were a request for information and nothing else. † This is straightforward enough and patently obvious.However Bell is not satisfied with thi s explanation and seeks a deeper meaning, â€Å"[i]n asking after Jimmy, Harriet made it clear that she believed that it was appropriate for her to know his whereabouts. † One feels the need to ask why Bell decide would emphasize such a point. Fundamentally he may be correct, but a simpler, more straightforward conclusion seems to be preferable; Harriet was curious about Jimmy. It is difficult to believe that at anytime during this process that Harriet consciously assumed it was proper for her to know where Jimmy was the day before.Similarly, Bell analyzes other conversations throughout the book. Instead of taking the discussions at face value Bell appears to believe each â€Å"interaction is a continuous exchange of images of self—of who and what one is—in order to convince the others present that all present are capable of acting coherently and correctly† (Bell 8). This belief implies that each person at Brown's is taking part in an improvisation perfor mance determined to establish himself as an individual person and as a member of the group.In reality, it is far more likely that such conversations at Brown's and similar ones at other bars and coffee shops are just that, conversations between people trying to relax and have a good time. The book suffers from a variety of problems besides the over analysis mentioned above. While reading the book one feels that Bell was describing a species that he is completely unrelated to in the same way that a zoologist might describe the behavior of a species of bird or mammal.Although the motivation for this distance appears to be an attempt to be as neutral as possible, certainly a laudable goal, when Bell describes or analyzes the activities in Brown's and fails to place them within the contact of being middle class, black, or even human the book suffers. In fact, Bell states this is what he is doing in the preface, instead of limiting his study to a particular ethnic group, age group, or oc cupation Bell defines his study to a particular place, Brown's (Bell x). This tightly focused limitation seems to greatly restrict the relevance of Bell's work to other situations or people.Despite this self-imposed limitation, Bell makes frequent references to the behavior the middle class, though in Brown's it is not the middle class, it is the only class. Bell's research lacks a clearly defined identity. Although Bell purports to be providing a description of description of the black middle class at play, he provides no insight as to how the behavior of the middle class patrons differs from or is similar to the behavior of lower or upper class blacks as well as the behavior of classes of other races in their own neighborhood bar.Much of the behavior Bell describes seems to be no different than one might see in any local bar or coffee shop for even by watching a rerun of the television comedy Cheers. As pointed out in â€Å"A Note on the Author† in the last page of the book , Bell received his PhD and at the time of publication was an associate professor of English and folklore at Wayne State University. In addition he has published a variety of articles on urban folklore in a number of scholarly journals.A quick search of the databases at Questia reveal a number of books that referred to The World from Brown's Lounge, but for the most parts these were merely listings in the bibliographies at the back of these books, although Loic Wacquant refers to it in 2004 as a â€Å"fine book† in Body & Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer (181). All in all, Bell has adequate, if not impressive academic credentials in this area. The book could do with more careful editing. Although naturally the conversation among the patrons should not be edited, when Bell is providing narrative he should maintain consistent, grammatically correct standards.An example of a failure to do so is his inconsistent of his treatment of some words. For example, the term â€Å"m iddle-class† appears in the book's title and on page 1 and â€Å"middle class† on page 5 even though both are used to describe the same thing. Occasionally Bell uses questionable grammatical constructions that should be corrected as well. To his credit, Bell uses occasional inline citations and provides an extensive bibliography that is useful. The World from Brown's Lounge has no index, a feature that would prove useful to students and scholars using the text for literary searches.Due to the unusual meanings of many of the words used in the context of Brown's a glossary would be helpful as well. Ultimately the book is not particularly satisfying. Perhaps in 1972 when the research was done or in 1983 when the book was published the book had more impact, but in today's world The World from Brown's Lounge seems remarkably flat and uninteresting. One questions just what if anything Bell contributed to anthropological academic knowledge that justified his receiving a PhD wi th this dissertation supporting his candidacy, much less what justified its subsequent publication as a book.Although some of the play was interesting to read, Bell's over analysis reduced it the trivial. Bell's attempts to provide significance to ordinary conversations in a bar read more like long academic stretches in hopes of securing a doctorate than to do meaningful work. Works Cited Bell, Michael J. The World from Brown's Lounge: An Ethnography of Black Middle-Class Play. Urbana, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1983 Wacquant, Loic. Body & Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

70s Fashion Began Where the 60s Left Off

70s fashion began where the 60s left off. Mini skirts were popular and theflower power influence was everywhere. 60s' trends first adopted by the beautiful people filtered into mainstream wear. Trousers were flared and shirts had big collars. For men, the kipper tie was soon standard wear with a suit. These girls (above) are at a party in the summer of 1970. They show that the mini skirt was far from dead. 70s' fashion took on a multitude of different styles and influences. As well as the hippy style of the late sixties, there was nostalgia for the past. First for the 20s and 30s, then the 40s and 50s and finally the Edwardian era. There was also concern for the environment and strong ethnic influences. Men's fashion adopted a look that would have been considered too feminine a few years earlier. Shirts were tight fitting with big collars and were brightly patterned. There was also a trend towards unisex clothes. The formal suit was still expected to be worn to a dinner party in the 70s; for younger men it was usually only worn in the office or for formal occasions. Jeans, increasingly flared, were popular with men and women for everyday wear. By the end of the decade, change was on the way. Punk rejected everything that had gone before. Mini, midi or maxi The popularity of the mini skirt was challenged in the early 70s and a group of (male) truckers even organised a campaign to bring it back in 1970. However, the mini remained popular in the early years of the 70s, but women now could chose between, mini, midi, (mid-calf length) or maxi (full length) skirts. Hot pants, ultra short shorts, sometimes with a bib and braces, were a variation on the theme. The girl on the above, right, is wearing a pair of navy hot pants with long white socks. Her blouse is in a floral pattern and has a big collar with rounded corners. Longer dresses, inspired by the hippy era of the late sixties, were also in fashion, with paisley or floral patterns being popular. I lived in Portsmouth in 1970/71/72 and was aged 16-18 at that time so had the best of it. Hot pants, mini skirt/dress, long dress and maxi coat, wide brimmed hats, seed bead jewellery and a headband round my head!! I was a true hippy to begin with and went to the Isle of Wight pop festival in 1970. Chris Flares and platform soles Two trends defined the 70s in a fashion sense: flared trousers and platform soles. Flares were derived from the hippy fashion for loon pants of the late 60s. They were worn by men and women. The flare was from the knee and reached exaggerated proportions in the middle years of the 70s. The trousers were often hipsters, sitting on the hips rather than the waist, and tight fitting. The combination of flares and denim made flared jeans the fashion phenomenon of the decade. Platform soles were mainly worn by women and more fashionable men. There were health warnings about damage that could be caused to the back in later life, but the fashion did not last long enough for that to have an effect. There was an element of thirties retro in the style of some of the shoes, which echoed the thirties' love of two-tone or co-respondent black and cream or brown and cream colours. Bright colours also gave the shoes more of a space age look. Platform soles on eBay Nostalgia Nostalgia had a big influence on fashion in the 70s. Barbara Hulanicki's Biba label popularised a look derived from the 20s and 30s. There was a brief fashion for loudly checked tweed Oxford Bags for men and women from around 1972. These were usually worn with platform soled shoes in 30s style two-tone patterns. Biba took over venerable, old London department store, Derry and Toms, in 1973 and turned it into an Art Deco palace. The Biba store became a hip meeting place and a complete lifestyle emporium. The Biba look was a long cotton skirt, worn with a long sleeved shirt or smock, and topped with a floppy brimmed hat. Biba was ahead of its time in providing a complete lifestyle store. However, Biba did not make commercial sense; it was more of a place to hang out than to shop. A large part of the store's floor space was not used to sell merchandise. Big Biba, as the store became known, closed two years later. Laura Ashley, founded by Bernard and Laura Ashley in the 1950s, looked back further when they introduced British women to Edwardian style dresses and nineteenth century inspired floral prints in the mid-70s. Laura Ashley, unlike Biba, was commercially successful and is still going strong today, although sadly Laura Ashley herself met an untimely death in 1985. Formal occasions The 70s were more relaxed than the 60s. However, on formal occasions and in the office men still wore suits. The kipper tie, favoured by the fashionable in the late sixties, became a standard men's accessory. For women, long dresses were often worn for formal occasions. This wedding, left, is from 1970. The lady's floppy hat and long dress drew inspiration from the hippy era as well as nostalgia for the 1930s. The brown colour, also derived from the 1930s, was very popular throughout the 70s. Long hair was fashionable for both men and women. Beards were also popular. This again was a hangover from the flower power years of the late 60s. In many peoples' minds psychedelia was very much in, although the pop music scene had moved on by then. Jeans and the casual look In the more relaxed mood of the 70s, jeans were increasingly popular. Initially little changed from the sixties, but by the mid seventies most people were wearing flares. Printed t-shirts were also increasingly popular in the 70s, as were trainers and canvas shoes. Late 70s fashion By the end of the 70s, flares were still mainstream fashion. This group, left, shows two younger men with long hair. One wears a suede safari jacket with a wide collar and brown, flared trousers. This look was favoured by Brodie and Doyle in the TV series, ‘The Professionals'. The other young man with a short leather jacket and flared blue jeans is more casual and younger looking. The older man has a beard (a very fashionable look in the 70s) and wears a wet-look type anorak. The woman is wearing a suit. Flares, denim, long hair and cheesecloth shirts were the staple of 70s men's fashion throughout most of the decade. Inspired by the hippy movement of the late sixties, this look, echoing the hippy dream of Free Love and optimism, did not fit with the closing years of the 70s, but mainstream fashion was unable to change. 70s Punk fashion Punk came to most people's attention from 1977 onwards through the publicity surrounding the original Punk band, The Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols' promoter, Malcolm McLaren, together with his partner, designer Vivian Westwood, created the original Punk look. Their shop at 430 Kings Road, originally named ‘Let it Rock', a Ted revival store, was called ‘Sex' at the time the Sex Pistols band appeared. The look was based on a sexual fetish for black leather, mainly for its shock value, combined with ripped t-shirts carrying slogans designed to provoke. McLaren and Westwood changed their shop's name again to ‘Seditionaries: Clothes for Heroes' at the end of 1976. The new name heralded a wholly Punk outlook. The stock featured bondage trousers, bondage dresses and a new t-shirt featuring the Punk message, â€Å"Destroy†. Punk was a rejection of anything that was considered good taste. Ripped and bleached clothes were part of the look, as was spiked hair, dyed in bright colours. Black make up and safety pins as earrings were often worn. For most Punks, quite a few of whom were unemployed, the look could easily be created from modifying second-hand clothes rather than from a trip to the Kings Road. Punk itself lasted into the early 80s. Its importance though, was as a catalyst for change in the fashion world. Punk rejected the flared jeans and cheesecloth shirts which were popular mainstream fashion. It rejected the hippy style and the hippy view of the world. Vintage Punk fashion on eBay Late 70s fashion trends The end of the seventies saw the appearance of a number of youth cults formed formed in the wake of Punk. Amongst those was a revival of the Mod style of the sixties, as well as the Teddy Boy look of the fifties. Mainstream youth fashion also changed dramatically; the 1980 film, ‘Gregory's Girl' illustrates how quickly. One of Gregory's mates, who is a year older, has left school and got a job as a window cleaner. He has saved his money to buy a white jacket with enormous lapels. Gregory's contemporary, Steve, has a white jacket with lapels an inch wide. There was always a particular way to wear a school tie. In 1979 the knot was tied very near the wide end. The 3 inch long tie was tucked into a pullover, to give the impression it was a kipper tie. From 1980, it was folded in half length ways to reduce the width and pressed with an iron so it stayed put. By 1980, school ties were often worn ‘back to front' so that the ‘thin end' was prominent. The fat end was tucked into the school shirt, behind the knot. A bit uncomfortable, but very trendy. Al I was coming into my teens in 1979, but the punk look was still very much for the minority and most kids still had longish hair, shirts with big collars and flared trousers, although the flares were becoming smaller. Locally the mod revival at the end of 1979 killed off this fashion rather than punk. By 1981 seventies fashions and music had become a total joke and almost no one under 50 would be seen dead in flares. Even punk was being classed as old hat and too seventies. Glenn A High fashion was very different at the end of the 70s. Ralph Lauren designed the clothes for the hit Woody Allen film, ‘Annie Hall' in 1977. There was a distinct 80s feel to the outfits worn by Annie (Diane Keaton), who wore crumpled socks, full skirts and layered jackets. Young people dropped flares and wide collars with breath taking speed. Older people were slower to change from the 70s look, but by around 1983, the archetypal 70s style was extinct. 70s fashion reference Fashion of the 70s is another great Taschen 25. It is packed with adverts from the decade. You will find flares, hot pants, platform soles, denim, slacks, microphone hairdos, wide collars and kipper ties. There is also a short introduction to fashion in the 70s. The book is colourful and very entertaining. The adverts are all American ones, but this does not detract much from a great piece of nostalgia.