Social Work and Empowerment Assignment

The motivation behind this article is to investigate social work hypothesis and practice. The paper depends on a situation of a dad (Mathew), who after numerous long stretches of thinking about his debilitated child (David), and having endured a stroke assault multi year back, discovers he is battling to think about himself or the child. According to working with the older, the article will talk about the jobs of a social specialist, the act of strengthening, conceivable moral quandaries and an enemy of abusive practice. The sort of office picked for this article is Learning Disability Partnership (LPD) in Cambridgeshire. LPD is an association, which incorporates multi-disciplinary groups of Social Care Services and Health experts. LPD commits administrations which help learning incapacitated individuals have typical existences and life in wealth. Completely mindful of the strain and stress welcomed on via mindful, LPD attempts to offer types of assistance which help individuals with learning inabilities, and their carers, to adapt to these weights. The assorted variety of social work jobs in this association incorporates promotion, direct change operator and official. These jobs can be utilized independently, or as a blend of two jobs. The job of backing is about individuals supporting themselves straightforwardly or in a roundabout way (Beckett, 2006: 9). In spite of having correspondence issues, and assumning a positive mental limit reason on David, a social laborer may advocate for David by giving authority correspondence gear that empower him to straightforwardly convey without undue impact by his dad. Correspondingly, to the greatest advantage of David and Matthew support is met through arrangements for administrations and assets inside the organization or through multi-disiplinary groups, this is a blended job of a mediator and a co-ordinator. The social specialist is obliged to evaluate the necessities of Matthew and David for network care administrations and actualize benefits as needs be, job of a consideration chief. At the same time, qualification standards are checked (job of an analyst) after which expenses and administrations accessibility are checked before charging assets. For viability, a social specialist must have adequate information, aptitudes and qualities to direct great expert practice. Strengthening implies â€Å"working in a manner planned for expanding individuals' feeling of intensity and power over their lives† (Beckett, 2006:126). The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) remembers for their meaning of social work the advancement of â€Å"†¦ social change†¦ and the strengthening and freedom of individuals to upgrade prosperity. † (Thompson 2001) refers to strengthening as a progressing â€Å"process† and a â€Å"goal† that takes quite a while. Cooper (2000:15) refers to the four significant standards of strengthening as â€Å"entitlement which incorporate enactment, rights and approaches; social model which takes a gander at social, financial and culture; needs-drove appraisal which takes a gander at needs throughout everyday life; and advancement of decision and control which moves systematization to autonomous living†¦ In perspective on this current subject's assorted variety I will address every rule quickly. As far as qualification law, rights and approaches offer direction and backing, genuine model been the 1990 Community Care Act and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 which puts an obligation and necessity on nearby position to offer types of assistance, assets and subsidizing for administrations and assets for the poor individuals in the network (Brammer, 2003:304). To engage David and Matthew rights to live in own home qualification administrations like home carer furnish individual consideration and help with shopping. David may likewise be qualified for viable home help to enhance wellbeing and portability. Be that as it may, notwithstanding been qualified for administration, because of constrained assets administrations may not be effectively executed by neighborhood authority. The fundamental goal of need's driven evaluation is to focus more on singular needs and inclinations as opposed to the administrations accessible. Needs decide the degree of appraisal required dependent on strengthening and decision (Parker, Bradley, 2007). Opposite, characterizing the significance of ‘need' definitely prompts procedural inclination and limitation of administrations because of budgetary requirements. In the event that the administration client fulfills the neighborhood specialists qualification standards, at that point they have a lawful obligation to give the important help. For instance requirements for both Matthew and David shift and may change after some time. Matthew's point of view may be need of restoration and home assistance to upgrade his physical prosperity while David's needs may be slow prologue to socialization and correspondence needs. Decisions for freedom targets administrations for people in danger for organization. The Kantanian approach of individualisation (rights and regard for David and Matthew to be treated with individual contrasts) and client self-assurance (freedom to settle on educated decisions or choices) advance decision and autonomy (Banks, 2003:31). Direct Payments, bolsters self-coordinated consideration. This empowers David and Matthew to enlist, sort out and pay for their own administrations, empowering them to practice decision and command over their lives. The battle for genuine decision by watchman paper cites that â€Å"the development of direct installments is causing for festivity, nearby pilot plans for singular financial plans which give crippled individuals more independence† (www. gatekeeper. co. uk). Social model is worried about encounters of defenseless individuals at a danger of mistreatment and social cheapening, looking to hold powerlessness. Clinical terms have been utilized to standardize individuals, for models naming David as serious learning crippled and Matthew as experiencing stroke is incapacitating in itself, and prompts absolute loss of rights. Anyway these terms are utilized to check limit standards for appraisal of their needs empowering strengthening. Subsequently, on meeting the rules, nearby position must offices for administrations, which now should be called attention to that they may not really be needs driven as expected, yet asset drove because of restricted assets. All the while, this prompts David and Matthew relying upon the state government assistance as opposed to empowering freedom and dynamic investment (Oliver, 1996:25). So also, decisions support strengthening. David communicating his desire to remain at home demonstrates that his psychological limit can get, hold and decide. (Adams, Dominelli and Payne 2002:196) states limit and capacity to follow up on choices achieves correspondence, nonetheless, this backings decision making more than administrations that best suits David. Conceivable moral predicaments experienced include: Choice and limit: Because of correspondence issues with Matthew his father may need to decipher his considerations communicated. Quandary happens as father's understandings may not be precise with the Matthew's needs; this may prompt a social laborer executing incorrectly benefits. Thus off-base administrations may likewise be offered if in the past Matthew has had practically no experience of picking. Care and control forced because of constrained assets, social specialists are committed to assess David and Matthew against other help clients who are out of luck. Following the utilitarian methodology, the predicament here is whose necessities exceed the other? On what requests would these necessities be organized? In the event that David and Matthew's need are of low, at that point assets will be distributed to those in most critical hazard. Thus lead to two shameless issues: (a) Societal doubt in social work calling as a great many people dread being chosen for penance in spite of their needs, (b) David's and Matthew's wellbeing may deteriorate as they possess to sit tight a long energy for care bundles to be actualized. Strengthening process shifts power away from social specialists and given to support clients. This dependence to make the conditions for strengthening and recognize qualified for strengthening would seem to repudiate this planned move of intensity. Irreconcilable situation emerges on who the essential customer is. When a referral has been made, a social specialist will deliberately be going in to survey whoever is out of luck. Anyway it before long becomes exposed that both the administration client and the carer are out of luck, conflicted between two individuals in need a social specialist along these lines needs to work with the entire family making irreconcilable situation. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 states that: â€Å"a individual must be expected to have limit except if it is set up that he needs capacity†. In accordance with this, situation happens on the best way to evaluate limit and to what expand would limit be quantifiable? A social specialist is obliged to make a worth critical call, and in the event that an inappropriate move is made, at that point the results lie with the social laborer. To conquer these situations mindfulness preparing and against unfair practice would give an equalization. From learnt hypotheses it is clear that some social specialists may have constrained assets and absence of mindfulness. On the off chance that a social specialist doesn't know or educated regarding these elements, at that point they won't have the option to accomplish engaging practice and that they will discover their training may rotate more around issues of strengthening and control are clearly overlooking assistance clients and carers self-assurance. Indisputably, Social laborers are utilized in differed social settings requiring assorted variety of social work jobs. Strengthening improves and upgrades human anguish, in this manner ought to consistently be connected with hostile to segregation. The subject of strengthening is wide, it requires specialized ability as well as characteristics of uprightness, genuiness and mindfulness.

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Buyer Behavior - Essay Example In this regard, it is particularly significant in deciding its qualities. Furthermore, there is additionally knowledge it furnishes with respect to the customer conduct and likely activities, which take into account the distinguishing proof of issues and openings in showcasing the item a short time later. There are at any rate five phases/ventures by which the customer makes their buys: 1) need acknowledgment; 2) data search; 3) assessment of options; 4) buy; and, 5) postpurchase conduct (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel 2008, 140). A few specialists include a few phases all the while, for example, with the model created by Engle, Kollat and Blackswell, which separated the utilization stage into two - utilization and post-utilization - and including a one of a kind component as divestment (Verma 2007, 178). All things considered, the stages are truly direct and represent themselves. For example, need acknowledgment relates to the real want, need or need of a purchaser. This is generally the p rimary stage all the while, however the remainder of the stages don't carefully follow the request by which they were sketched out here in this paper. The phases as sketched out by this paper feature the way that customer buy choices are affected by a few components - both outer and inside impacts. Individual wants, needs and needs just as the accessible data and influencers are only a portion of these factors. They must be comprehended so as to understand the unpredictability of the procedure. At long last, there is likewise the way that customer dynamic procedure doesn't end with the acquisition of the item. For item engineers, it should be an interminable cycle that is the reason understanding the procedure is vital so as to distinguish some similarity to example and lucidness and utilize it in item improvement and in advertising. Hypothesis 2: Family Roles impact on choice Makingâ Certainly, the inspiring variables behind every buyer's buy conduct are one of a kind and unique. Be that as it may, the job of the family as a solitary most significant variable in the dynamic procedure for all shoppers is the equivalent for most customers in most buy choices. This incredible impact, as per Blythe (2006) is because of three reasons: 1. the parental impact on account of the kids is profoundly installed in light of the fact that it began the most punctual and in this manner sway the youngsters' impression of everything that follows; 2. the parental want to do what is best for the kids and the family; and, 3. the impact of kin as good examples, especially when the kin is more established or at times the carer or the guide (138). The above reasons were only the crucial ones particularly while considering the way that in certain families, participation isn't kept to the guardians and their posterity. Or maybe, there are likewise the more distant family, for example, aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents. At long last, it must be underscored that inside the fami ly or inside family unit, a relationship exists, wherein every part has a job and takes an interest in each dynamic procedure. This relationship, job and support are supported by different issues, for example, sexual orientation and different factors that portray the relational relations inside. By and large, they can characterize who

Tests @ MIT

Tests @ MIT So I know youre all sitting at home, wondering, Hey, whats up with that dead guy having Veronicas name written on his hand?! Was Veronica involved in that bus going over that cliff?? How?! And why isnt it next Wednesday already?! I know, I know, its all I can keep thinking about too. (Veronica Mars. Greatest show ever. Promise. Go watch it.) Anyway, considering that this show is always in danger of cancellation, I bet its actually the second question on everybodys mind. The first one is what are tests like at MIT? How did I know, right? Im just so in tune with what you guys are all thinking. Its like ESP or something. OK Ill shut up now. The real reason Im writing about this is because its on my mind. I have three tests this week. Three! I think we can all agree thats above the healthy limt of zero. So I figured now would be a good time to bore you all to death with an insiders look on some more specific aspects of academic life. The thing about tests is not really that theyre hard. They just kind of suck. You can spend three hours the night before making a completely awesome aid sheet for 3.091 and then you go to take the test and you need exactly one piece of information from the review sheet. You take the whole test and you at least attempt to answer all of the questions, but you feel like you suddenly have no idea whats going on. You understood everything from lecture but these questions are only vaguely related to the real world, and by the time you finish you just feel sort of gross about the whole thing. Then you get the test back and you see your score and youre like aww I got a 66? But then. Then. You look up at the board. And Wait for it. Wait for it. Yes! I got a 66! Heres what Im trying to get across here. The work is hard. Thats why freshman year is pass/no record. (Failures dont even show up on your transcript, its like they never happened.) Sometimes test questions have complicated twists, or mybe sometimes theyre asking you to combine two concepts in a way you never tried before. So there is a challenge. But at the same time, the grading is probably nothing like what youve experienced in high school. Test grades are generally curved, and everything is generally taken in context. I mean, hey, compared to the massive amounts of grade inflation I experienced in high school, my grades here are awful. But when you stop to realize that your grade was just about dead on with the class averageyou realize its not a big deal. It puts things in perspective. Its not like people here are stupid, so if the rest of the class didnt break 70 on average, well then Im not going to beat myself up over it. Speaking of class averages, my goal in life for the next 24 hours is to actually beat the class average. (I have an exam in 18.01 tomorrow afternoon.) I highly doubt this will happn but hey, you gotta have goals in life, right? We get to have an index card sized reference sheet for the exam, so I need to work on that. I leave you with this parting thought: stressing out over tests never helps anyone. Considering my track record in math, I figured Id need reminding of this during my last 18.01 exam. So on the back of my index card, after writing in all the last minute derivatives that I never bothered to memorize, I wrote myself an important message in what I hoped were large, friendly letters:

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid - Identification and Control

The Ratio Over 40 % - 1288 Words

ratio over 40% is considered troublesome. Also, compared to the 1995 and 2004 pre-retirees, the 2013 pre-retiree’s debt-to-income ratio exceeds the previous cohorts. However, the mean monthly total debt payment is lower for the 2013 cohort as compared to the 2004 pre-retirees. This may be a direct result of the decline in income for the 2013 cohort. In addition, the mortgage debt-to-income ratio for the 2013 pre-retirees increased over the measurement periods between 1995 and 2013. Moreover, the mortgage debt-to-income ratio for the 2013 pre-retirees increased as compared to the 1995 and 2004 pre-retiree cohorts. This observation provides evidence that the current group of pre-retirees has increased their mortgage debt over time and they†¦show more content†¦Thus, younger households will have lower income and assets, and borrow more in the beginning stages of the life-cycle, while middle-aged households and pre-retirees will increase savings and reduce liabilities whe n entering the later stages of life. However, as compared to the pre-retirees of 1995 and 2004, the 2013 pre-retiree’s total debt-to-total assets ratio exceeds the 1995 cohort, but is much lower than the 2004 cohort. For every dollar of assets, the 2013 pre-retirees had $0.84 of debt. Quantitative Analysis Results The objective of the study is to evaluate the extent to which secured and unsecured debt impacts the standard of living and the accumulation of financial assets among pre-retirees. To investigate the claim that servicing debt will reduce the standard of living and impact the ability of pre-retirees to adequately accumulate assets for retirement, logistic regression analyses were conducted for pre-retirees servicing debt to estimate the strength of the relationship between the dependent variables and the independent variables. For the initial analysis, natural logs of independent variables within the econometric model were utilized, except for the indicator variables which were not transformed. The dependent variable net worth contained negative values. To handle the log transformation of the negative values, a negative log (neglog) transformation wasShow MoreRelatedMole Ratio: Finding the Reaction You Want650 Words   |  3 PagesMOLE RATIO SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVE: The main point of the experiment was to form a balanced chemical equation, the find the mole ratio. If a cloud of crystals had formed then when the two substances known as lead(II) nitrate and potassium dichromate were mixed at different doses measured in drops. with all of this being done it was about to show the mole ratio. The mole ratio the ratio of moles of what youve been given in a reaction to what you want to find. INTRODUCTION: A mole ratio is theRead MoreBed Bath and Beyond Case996 Words   |  4 Pagestaken lightly. Facts and Assumptions BBBY has too much cash. Although it has used the cash for store growth and small acquisition, the company should focus on using their cash to increase shareholder value. Currently BBBY is considering 40% debt-to-total-capital and 80% debt to total capital proposals. If BBBY were to use $400 million in excess cash and $636.3 million in borrowed funds to repurchase its shares they would increase their basic earnings per share from 1.35 to 1.41 and theirRead MoreExecutive Officer Of Hill Country Snack Foods Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pagesexceeding 12% in 2011. In each of the past five years, the dividend payout ratio had just been below 30% of the net income. However, the interest rate earned on invested cash was barely over 0% contributing almost nothing to net income. Return on equity was similarly reduced by the avoidance of debt and complete reliance on equity capital. The pro forma results presented in Exhibits 4 and 5 show that increasing the debt-to-capital ratio will increase the dividends per share, earnings per share and totalRead MoreNatural Selection : Darwin s And The Whys Of Adaptation And Speciation Essay872 Words   |  4 Pagesinitial allele ratio began at [A - .20 a - .80], allele A disappeared by the third generation, never returning. Allele A also disappeared by the fifth generation when the initial allele ratio began at [A - .40 a - .60]. Allele a did not disappear completely at any time. Allele A was unable to overcome the disadvantage of beginning with low contributions for the ant’s survival; however, when the beginning ratio was either even [A - .50; a - .50] or favored allele A slightly [A - .60; a - .40] it wasRead MoreLiquidity Ratios1068 Words   |  5 PagesOf the firm s sales, 40 percent are for cash and the remaining 60 percent are on credit. Of credit sales, 40 percent are paid in the month after sale and 30 percent are paid in the second month after the sale. Materials cost 30 percent of sales and are purchas ed and received each month in an amount sufficient to cover the following month s expected sales. Materials are paid for in the month after they are received. Labor expense is 40 percent of sales and is paid for in the month of sales. SellingRead MoreMcdonald Wendys Financial Statement1711 Words   |  7 Pagesinformation from their 2005 Financial Statements. Debt-to-Assets Ratio When comparing the debt-to-assets ratio of McDonalds and Wendys, you have to divide the firms total liabilities by their total assets. Essentially, the debt-to-assets ratio is the primary indicator of the firms debt management. As the ratio increases or decreases, it indicates the firms changing reliance on borrowed resources. The lower the ratio the more efficient the firm will be able to liquidate its assets ifRead MoreMgm Harvard Business School Accounting Case1296 Words   |  6 Pages$1.15) over 40 periods @ r) + PV ($23 paid 40 periods hence with a return of r) $16.5 1.15*(1 – (1/(1+r)^40))/r + 23/(1+r)^40 = 16.5 Solving for r in the above equation we get 14.318% as the effective interest rate. Similarly, Effective Interest Rate on the old 5% debenture = 12.53% The par value of these debentures = $1000 Per period payment = 100*05/2 = $25 Given that the market value of the 5% debenture as of this date is $458.75 PV (Per period payment of $25 over 40 periodsRead MoreMcDonalds Wendys Financial Statement Comparison Essay1693 Words   |  7 Pagesinformation from their 2005 Financial Statements. Debt-to-Assets Ratio When comparing the debt-to-assets ratio of McDonalds and Wendys, you have to divide the firms total liabilities by their total assets. Essentially, the debt-to-assets ratio is the primary indicator of the firms debt management. As the ratio increases or decreases, it indicates the firms changing reliance on borrowed resources. The lower the ratio the more efficient the firm will be able to liquidate its assetsRead MoreEssay on Department Stores601 Words   |  3 Pagesfollowing ratio analysis for ABC sporting Goods Profit amp; Loss Profit for 2006 was-86,318, Profit for 2007 was-113,799 Profit for 2008 was-126,472 Profit for 2009 was-75,252 Profit for 2010 was-67,955 Between 2008-2009 ABC Loss 51,220 Between 2009-2010 ABC Loss 7,297 Return on sales was 7.52% Return on Assets was 27.34% Return on Net Worth was 83.69% Quick Ratio was 0.48 Current Ratio was 1.59 Inventory turnover (gross sales divided by inventory) was 5.93 Assets to sales Ratio was 0Read MoreBaron Coburg Case1567 Words   |  7 Pagesequipment would be a perfect example of modern day ox which has a depreciation value over time. 8. Answer Financial Statements of Ivan: Beginning Balance Sheet for Ivan Ivan Beginning Balance Sheet For the Period Ending Month AA, Year ABCD (In Bushels of Wheat) ASSETS Current Assets Seed 20 Fertilizer 2 Non-Current Assets Ox 40 Land 100 Total Assets 162 LIABILITIES 0 STAKEHOLDER S

How to Sleep Well Essay Free Essays

In order to kip good we should follow three grounds. First of all. don’t eat or imbibe a batch before bedtime. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Sleep Well Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now If you drink excessively much liquid before kiping. you’ll wake up repeatedly in the dark for trips to the bathroom or cause you to wake up repeatedly. Don’t eat spicy or fatty nutrients because they cause pyrosis particularly. don’t eat something that triggers 5-hydroxytryptamine. which makes you sleepy. Second. make and don’t exercising when you have free clip. For illustration. if you have a sedentary occupation. a deficiency of physical effort may be cut downing the quality of your slumber. A twenty-four hours of physical effort ( such as taking a tally or a swim ) or. better yet. regular exercising can do for deeper and more reposeful slumber. The best clip to exercising is in the afternoon. Third. Change your kiping place. You may believe that it’s impossible to command what place you sleep in since you aren’t to the full cognizant of what you are making. but it can do a considerable difference. When you go to kip. or if you wake up in the center of the dark. do a witting attempt to follow these guidelines until it becomes accustomed. Keep your organic structure in a â€Å"mid-line† place. where both your caput and cervix are kept approximately consecutive. Don’t use a level pillow that causes your caput to lean down toward the mattress. It’s hard to keep the mid-line place. and it is more likely to do strivings. This will assist relieve emphasis on your dorsum and cervix by somewhat shore uping up your organic structure on one side. To sum up. seek one or two or a combination until you have adequate quality sleep to experience watchful and good rested. How to cite How to Sleep Well Essay, Essay examples

Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry Essay Example

Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry Paper Introduction: Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) is a leading Fortune 500 global financial security company. Genworth has more than $100 billion in assets and employs approximately 6,000 people with a presence in more than 25 countries. Its products and services help meet the investment, protection, retirement and lifestyle needs of more than 15 million customers. Genworth operates through three segments: Retirement Protection (which includes Life Insurance, Long Term Care, and Fixed and Variable Annuities), U. S. Mortgage Insurance and International (which includes payment protection products). Its products and services are offered through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent distributors and sales specialists. Genworth Financial, which traces its roots back to 1871, became a public company in 2004 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Competitive Rivalry: Highly Competitive Industry Large insurance companies offer similar products Insurance products similar to commodity Companies with low costs, operating efficiency, and superior customer service will be more competitive Consolidation and A activity among the larger companies We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Threat of New Entrants: Difficult to enter insurance industry as a small â€Å"start-up† player due to capital and regulatory requirements Large financial services companies such as banks or investment banks offering insurance products Entrance of niche companies such as Life Settlement firms that buy existing policies Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of capital, such as reinsurers, control the cost structure of external capital which could cause difficulties with insurers to write new usiness Threat of suppliers or other competitors hiring away key professional and executive talent Power of Buyers: Individual consumers are not a major factor Brokers and distributors of Genworth products have more bargaining power as to what products to sell to consumers Availability of Substitutes: Many substitutes in the insurance industry Most of Genworth’s competitors (Met Life, John Hancock, Prudential, Protective Life) offer a similar suite of retirement and protection products Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry Essay Example Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry Paper Introduction: Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) is a leading Fortune 500 global financial security company. Genworth has more than $100 billion in assets and employs approximately 6,000 people with a presence in more than 25 countries. Its products and services help meet the investment, protection, retirement and lifestyle needs of more than 15 million customers. Genworth operates through three segments: Retirement Protection (which includes Life Insurance, Long Term Care, and Fixed and Variable Annuities), U. S. Mortgage Insurance and International (which includes payment protection products). Its products and services are offered through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent distributors and sales specialists. Genworth Financial, which traces its roots back to 1871, became a public company in 2004 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Competitive Rivalry: Highly Competitive Industry Large insurance companies offer similar products Insurance products similar to commodity Companies with low costs, operating efficiency, and superior customer service will be more competitive Consolidation and A activity among the larger companies We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Five Forces Insurance Industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Threat of New Entrants: Difficult to enter insurance industry as a small â€Å"start-up† player due to capital and regulatory requirements Large financial services companies such as banks or investment banks offering insurance products Entrance of niche companies such as Life Settlement firms that buy existing policies Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of capital, such as reinsurers, control the cost structure of external capital which could cause difficulties with insurers to write new usiness Threat of suppliers or other competitors hiring away key professional and executive talent Power of Buyers: Individual consumers are not a major factor Brokers and distributors of Genworth products have more bargaining power as to what products to sell to consumers Availability of Substitutes: Many substitutes in the insurance industry Most of Genworth’s competitors (Met Life, John Hancock, Prudential, Protective Life) offer a similar suite of retirement and protection products

Sofa Wars Essays - Patent Medicines, Coca-Cola, Kosher Food, Pepsi

Sofa Wars Essays - Patent Medicines, Coca-Cola, Kosher Food, Pepsi Sofa Wars The soft-drink battleground has now turned toward new overseas markets. While once the United States, Australia, Japan, and Western Europe were the dominant soft-drink markets, the growth has slowed down dramatically, but they are still important markets for Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Globalization has become an important word in the 90?s and Eastern Europe, Mexico, China, Saudi Arabia, and India have become the new "hot spots." Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi are forming joint bottling ventures in these nations and in other areas where they see growth potential. As we have seen in the Japanese video dealing with Coke?s business in class, international marketing can be very complex. As I begin to examine the international soda wars this will become very evident. The domestic cola war between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is still raging, as we clearly know. However, these two soft-drink giants also recognize the opportunities for globalization in many of the international markets. Both! Coca-Cola, which sold 10 billion cases of soft-drinks in 1992, and Pepsi now find themselves asking, "Where will sales of the next 10 billion cases come from?" The answer lies overseas, where income levels and appetites for Western products are at an all time high. Often, the company that gets into a foreign market first usually dominates that country's market. Coke patriarch Robert Woodruff realized this 50 years ago and unleashed a brilliant ploy or in a way a very simple global strategyto make Coke the early bird in many of the major foreign markets. At the height of World War II, Woodruff proclaimed that ?Wherever American boys were fighting, they'd be able to get a [emailprotected] By the time Pepsi tried to make its first international pitch in the 50s, Coke had already established its brand name and a powerful distribution network. During the last 40 years, many new markets have emerged. In order to profit from these markets, both Coke and Pepsi need to find ways to cut through all of the red tape that initially prevents them from conducting business in these markets. One key movement for the soda wars occurd in Europe in 1972, Pepsi signed an agreement with the Soviet Union which made it the first Western product to be sold to consumers in Russia. This landmark agreement gave Pepsi the first advantage. Presently, Pepsi has 23 plants in the former Soviet Union and is the leader in the soft-drink industry in Russia. Pepsi outsells Coca-Cola by 6 to 1 and is seen as a local brand, similar to Coke?s reputation in Japan. However, Pepsi has also had some problems. There has not been an increase in brand loyalty for Pepsi since its advertising blitz in Russia, even though it has produced commercials tailored to the Russian market and has sponsored television concerts. On the positive side, Pepsi may be leading Coca-Cola due to the big difference in price between the two colas. While Pepsi sells for Rb250 (25 cents) a bottle, Coca-Cola sells for Rb450. For the economy size, Pepsi sells 2 liters for Rb1,300, but Coca-Cola sells 1.5 liters fo! r Rb1,800. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, only moved into Russia 2 years ago and is manufactured locally in Moscow and St. Petersburg under a license. Despite investing $85 million in these two bottling plants, they do not perceive Coca-Cola as a premium brand in the Russian market. Moreover, they see it as a "foreign" brand in Russia. Lastly, while Coca-Cola's bottle and label give it a high-class image, it is unable to capture market share. Another country in the hot battleground for Coca-Cola and Pepsi is Romania. When Pepsi established a bottling plant in Romania in 1965, it became the first US product produced and sold in the region. Pepsi began producing locally during the communist period and has recently decided to reformat its organization structure and retrain its local staff. Pepsi entered into a joint venture with a local firm, Flora and Quadrant, for its Bucharest plant, and has 5 other factories in Romania. Quadrant leases Pepsi the equipment and handles Pepsi's distribution. In addition, Pepsi bought 500 Romanian trucks which are also used for distribution in other countries. Moreover, Pepsi produces its bottles locally through an investment in the glass

Inca Star Worship and Constellations

Inca Star Worship and Constellations The stars in the sky were very important to the religion of the Inca. They identified constellations and individual stars and assigned them a purpose. According to the Inca, many of the stars were there to protect animals: every animal had a corresponding star or constellation which would look out for it. Today, traditional Quechua communities still see the same constellations in the sky as they did centuries ago. Inca Culture and Religion The Inca culture thrived in the Andes Mountains in western South America from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries. Although they started out as one ethnic group among many in the region, they embarked upon a campaign of conquest and assimilation and by the fifteenth century, they had achieved pre-eminence in the Andes and controlled an empire which stretched from present-day Colombia to Chile. Their religion was complicated. They had a pantheon of greater gods which included Viracocha, the creator, Inti, the Sun, and Chuqui Illa, the thunder god. They also worshiped huacas, which were spirits which could inhabit just about any remarkable phenomenon, such as a waterfall, large boulder or tree. The Inca and the Stars The sky was very important to the Inca culture. The sun and moon were considered gods and temples and pillars were laid out specifically so that heavenly bodies such as the sun would pass over pillars or through windows on certain days, such as the summer solstice. The stars played an important role in Inca cosmology. The Inca believed that Viracocha had planned for the protection of all living things, and that to each star corresponded a particular sort of animal or bird. The star grouping known as the Pleiades held particular influence over the lives of animals and birds. This group of stars was not considered a greater god but rather a huaca, and Inca shamans would regularly make sacrifices to it. Inca Constellations Like many other cultures, the Inca grouped the stars into constellations. They saw many animals and other things from their daily lives when they looked to the stars. There were two sorts of constellations for the Inca. The first are of the common variety, where groupings of stars are linked in connect-the-dots fashion to make images of gods, animals, heroes, etc. The Inca saw some such constellations in the sky but considered them inanimate. The other constellations were seen in the absence of stars: these dark blotches on the Milky Way were seen as animals and were considered living or animate. They lived in the Milky Way, which was considered a river. The Inca were one of the very few cultures who found their constellations in the absence of stars. Mach’acuay: The Serpent One of the major dark constellations was Machacuay, the Serpent. Although snakes are rare at the high altitudes where the Inca Empire thrived, there are a few, and the Amazon River basin is not far away to the east. The Inca saw serpents as highly mythological animals: rainbows were said to be serpents named amarus. Machacuay was said to oversee all snakes on Earth, protecting them and helping them procreate. The constellation Machacuay is a wavy dark band located on the Milky Way between Canis Major and the Southern Cross. The constellation serpent emerges head-first in the Inca region in August and begins to set in February: Interestingly, this mirrors the activity of real snakes in the zone, which are more active during the Andean rainy season of December to February. Hanp’atu: The Toad In a somewhat surprising twist on nature, Hanpatu the Toad chases Machacuay the Serpent out of the Earth in August as that segment of the Milky Way becomes visible in Peru. Hanpatu is seen in a lumpish dark cloud between Machacuays tail and the Southern Cross. Like the snake, the toad was an important animal to the Inca. The nocturnal croaking and chirping of frogs and toads were listened to attentively by Inca diviners, who believed that the more these amphibians croaked, the more likely it was to rain soon. Also like the snakes, the Andean toads are more active during the rainy season; in addition, they croak more at night when their constellation is visible in the sky. Hanpatu also had the added significance that his appearance in the night sky coincided with the beginning of the Inca agricultural cycle: when he showed up, it meant that the time to plant had come. Yutu: The Tinamou Tinamous are clumsy ground birds similar to partridges, common in the Andean region. Located at the base of the Southern Cross, Yutu is the next dark constellation to emerge as the Milky Way becomes visible in the night sky. Yutu is a dark, kite-shaped spot which corresponds to the Coal Sack Nebula. It chases Hanpatu, which makes some sense because tinamous are known to eat small frogs and lizards. The tinamou may have been selected (as opposed to any other bird) because it exhibits remarkable social behavior: male tinamous attract and mate with females, who lay their eggs in his nest before leaving to repeat the process with another male. Males, therefore, incubate the eggs, which could come from 2 to 5 mating partners. Urcuchillay: The Llama The next constellation to emerge is the llama, perhaps the most important of the constellations to the Inca. Although the llama is a dark constellation, the stars Alpha and Beta Centauri serve as its â€Å"eyes† and are the first to emerge when the llama rises in November. The constellation consists of two llamas, a mother, and a baby. Llamas were of great importance to the Inca: they were food, beasts of burden and sacrifices to the gods. These sacrifices often took place at certain times with astronomical significance such as equinoxes and solstices. Llama herders were particularly attentive to the movements of the celestial llama and offered it sacrifices. Atoq: The Fox The fox is a small black splotch at the feet of the llama: this is appropriate because Andean foxes eat baby vicuà ±as. When they foxes come by, however, the adult vicuà ±as gang up and attempt to trample the foxes to death. This constellation has a connection to earthly foxes: the Sun passes through the constellation in December, the time when baby foxes are born. Significance of Inca Star Worship The Inca constellations and their worship - or at least a certain respect for them and an understanding of their role in the agricultural cycle - are one of few aspects of Inca culture that survived the conquest, colonial era and 500 years of forced assimilation. The original Spanish chroniclers mentioned the constellations and their importance, but not in any great detail: fortunately, modern researchers have been able to fill in the gaps by making friends and doing fieldwork in rural, traditional Andean Quechua communities where people still see the same constellations their ancestors saw centuries ago. The nature of Inca reverence for their dark constellations reveals much about Inca culture and religion. To the Inca, everything was connected: The universe of the Quechuas is not composed of a series of discrete phenomena and events, but rather there is a powerful synthetic principle underlying the perception and ordering of objects and events in the physical environment. (Urton 126). The snake in the sky had the same cycle as earthly snakes and lived in a certain harmony with the other celestial animals. Consider this in contrast to traditional western constellations, which were a series of images (scorpion, hunter, scales, etc) that really didnt interact with one another or events here on Earth (except for vague fortunetelling). Sources Cobo, Bernabà ©. (translated by Roland Hamilton) Inca Religion and Customs. Austin: the University of Texas Press, 1990.Sarmiento de Gamboa, Pedro. (translated by Sir Clement Markham). History of the Incas. 1907. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1999.Urton, Gary. Animals and Astronomy in the Quechua Universe. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. 125, No. 2. (April 30, 1981). P. 110-127.

Brand Benefit Ladder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 112

Brand Benefit Ladder - Essay Example At the apex lies the essence of the brand, which is also an implication of the emotional benefit. The focus keeps increasing in concentration as ladder rises. Ascending the ladder reduces the focus on the lower attachments such as the attributes associated with the brand while increasing the function of the brand in the lives of consumers. Unearthing why the mother of a football player drives an SUV instead of a simple mini-van clearly illustrates the flow of the ladder. At first, an analyst considers the attribute of the product (car) for instance, SUV’s do not have doors that slide. It means that an SUV is stylish because of the attribute, therefore; it constitutes a functional consequence of the absence of sliding doors. When the Mom feels trendy while driving, it amounts to the emotional or psychosocial consequence of owning a car with a stylish design. In the end, the bottom-line is the personal value where people, as well as the owner, accept the act of feeling fashionab le. Marketing experts define a brand as a set of memories, expectations, relationships, and stories that, taken together, explain a decision by a consumer to select one service or product over another. A brand differentiates services, products, as well as organizations (Barsalou 640). Milward Brown developed the most common type of Brand Pyramid towards the end of the twentieth century. The pyramid identifies five important stages traversed by a consumer when analyzing a brand. The process starts with primary awareness and ends with total loyalty. Business organizations can apply the Brand Pyramid when in the process of designing a marketing strategy. The strategy could be for a product, a brand, or a service. Comprehending the five steps traveled by the consumer forms the best foundation for designing the marketing strategies. The steps are essential as they help the consumer build loyalty on a particular product or brand.

Organizational behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational behavior - Essay Example When first considering the new training program, it must be understood that â€Å"cultural issues will have a significant bearing on how your presentation is received† (Anton, 2007, p.1). Culture is a very important aspect behind how your chosen audience, both national and international, will embrace what is being discussed by the presenter. For example, it is understood that in the United States, there is a social trend to illustrate rather casual behavior within the organization which can sometimes be considered too casual with certain international audiences (media.wiley.com, 2006). In the United States, there is largely an individualistic culture, which can be defined as members of the organization who â€Å"value independence, self-expression and have beliefs that personal goals and interests are more important than group goals† (Blodgett, Bakir and Rose, 2008, p.339). When presenting a training concept to an individualistic culture, like the United States, the rec eiving audience is likely going to appreciate discussing aspects of performance management which identifies certain rewards for the individual’s contribution to meeting organizational objectives. A training program which is being discussed or presented for approval by the domestic audience will likely be appreciated and well-received by the audience so long as it appeals to individualistic goals. For instance, it might be offered that there will be a certain incentive given for completion of a comprehensive training program. In the international culture, which might be more collectivist, a culture which values group affiliation more than individual contribution to project or organizational goals, a more group-focused training program might wish to be presented to gain the audience’s attention. Collectivists â€Å"tend to view themselves as members of an extended family and will place group interests ahead of individual needs and

Importance Of Self Knowledge In Understanding The Self

Importance Of Self Knowledge In Understanding The Self There has been an abundance of literature surrounding the importance of self-esteem in developing a greater understanding of the self. The present paper introduces an alternative perspective on the self which incorporates important features of previous perspectives and shares many theories with them. The functions of self-knowledge, however, are highlighted and rather than the drive for self-esteem this paper argues for the need of self-knowledge in acquiring a more elaborate understanding of the self. According to Neisser (1988) there are several types of self knowledge, the ecological self, the interpersonal self, the extended self, the private self and the conceptual self. Each self operates in unison with the other, with each exhibiting fundamental importance, however, this paper concentrates on the extended self and how a persons life narrative identity can affect various aspects of the individual including interpersonal relations, self-presentations and the need to belong thus leading to a more clarified idea of the self. The extended self, is the self as it was in the past and as we expect it to be in the future, distinguished primarily on the basis of memory (Neisser, 1988). Belk (1988; cited in Ahuvia, 2005) uses the terms self, sense of self, and identity to describe how an individual subjectively distinguishes who he or she is. Belk refuses to accept any definition of the self that can relate consistently across individuals and cultures because according to him what comprises the self is a personal appraisal that differs among people and across time. Self-knowledge The extended self Bluck (2003; cited in Conway, 2005, p. 596) claimed A stable, integrated, self with a confirmatory past that yields a consistent and rich life story constitutes a self that is able to operate effectively, achieve goals, and relate to others in productive ways. According to such a perspective, memories and stories of an individuals life experiences thus affect various aspects of life and develop other features of the self. Interest in the past enhances as the child starts to grasp the social relevance of autobiographical recollection, for example, its ability for developing and continuing relationships beyond the here and now. The main adaptive purpose of memory is perhaps that it allows for the making of permanent interpersonal relations, and therefore to a great extent strengthens the unity of individual groups (Neisser, 1988). The findings of Swann and Predmore (1985) suggest that relationships provide stability to the private self. In their study partners in a relationship activel y helped people sustain a stable consistent view of themselves by working to discredit contrary evidence. Having a long term, stable relationship is thus a potentially powerful source of self concept stability. Also Tice and Baumeister (2001) claim that the human mind is devised for interpersonal relations and that developing and sustaining interpersonal relationships is a key function of the human being. With the individuals memory and narrative identity contributing to such relations the extended self becomes more and more significant as we grow older. According to Negele Habermas (2009), Life narratives are manifestations of the subjective representation of ones life course. They interpret a life through explicit statements on the narrators identity and self-concept as well as by selecting specific personal experiences to be included in the narrative. (p. 1). Along with this view, McAdams (2006) claims a persons life story offers a life with a general sense of unity and reason. There are many different views on the importance of life stories and memories in relation to the self but there seems to be an overall standpoint that such stories allow people a way to explain who they are, how they came to be and where they believe their lives may be going (Bruner, 1990), which are all essential questions to be tackled in the quest for self clarification. Research by McLean and Thorne (2003) concentrate on what constituted self-defining memories of 19-year olds regarding their experience of relationships. Results showed that memories of parents were more inclined to highlight issues relating to separation however self-defining memories of friends highlighted closeness and romantic relationships. Therefore, memories of teenage years are often of occasions in which identity creation is at its greatest, a period that Arnett (2000) labelled emerging adulthood. Many theorists including Habermas Bluck (2000) suggest that this period, in which identity formation is at its peak, entails the development of a more distinguished and integrated knowledge of their own self. Singer and Salovey (1993) suggest that each person creates self-concepts from the information enclosed in the life experiences they choose to share. As they do so, they expand a remarkable source of knowledge, including knowledge about their individual capabilities, accomplishments, desires, values, and aims. This creation of the self-concept does not come about by chance; the information is precise, original, and inspired to each person. Disparity in the c ontent and order of self-knowledge portrays crucial variations among individuals in social histories, insights, and behaviour. It is from this knowledge that self-images materialize, which are defined as mental ideas of the self regarding the past, present, and future ambitions and make up part of the conceptual self (Conway, 2005). The main argument throughout this paper is that human memory is a key element of the self and there has been much research carried out supporting the notion that memory can be reconstructive in order to support current aspects of the self, e.g., Loftus (1993), Loftus Ketcham (1994). According to Conway (2005) this is done in order to make memory coherent with an individuals present goals, self-images, and self-beliefs. Therefore, memory and key features of the self shape a system in which, regarding healthy persons, ideas about, and knowledge of, the self are verified and sustained by memories of particular incidents. According to Neisser (1988) what information we remember is dependent on what we currently believe along with what has been stored. What we recall and what we decide to share with others is crucial as it influences others perception of us. This can be related to our need to belong and studies such as Tice (1992) and Schlenker, Dlugolecki, Doherty (1994) suggest that p eople use self-presentations to uphold a certain identity, and how they portray themselves to others determines how they end up viewing themselves. Jones, Rhodewalt, Berglas, and Skelton (1981) provided a biased scanning model suggesting that certain behaviours cause people to scan their memories for certain kinds of information, and these scans can leave a biased example of ones own behaviour in memory, thereby determining how the person thinks of himself or herself. McLean et al. (2007) claimed that To witness the construction of situated stories is to understand the dynamic development of the self. Indeed, sharing stories is the mechanism through which people become selves. (p. 275). This final quote sums up the argument of the paper in that the self can never fully be appreciated without the memories and experiences with which it is defined. Conclusion The argument presented in this paper introduces the importance of self knowledge and in particular the extended self in developing a greater understanding of the self. While incorporating other theorists views, self knowledge is emphasized in that it can shape and is inter-related with various other aspects of the self. Autobiographical memories and life stories of the extended self affects interpersonal relations, which in turn can affect an individuals need to belong and self presentations or vice versa and so on, thus, is at the heart of the discovery of the self. As stated in the introduction, the view portrayed in the present paper is similar to that of Belks, that the self cannot simply be viewed through components which are universal. Self knowledge and specifically an individuals extended self is a vital contributor to a greater understanding of the self, one that is completely unique to the person and thus defines the self through their own personal life stories and experien ces. This does not mean to deny the important contribution of self-esteem and a variety of other components in understanding the self but merely addresses the significance of another perspective which incorporates the contribution of self-knowledge in the construction and perception of the self.

Reading the poem Essay

In his poem ‘Slough’ Betjeman uses a number of ways to put across his views. The title itself suggests he feels that ‘Slough’ is an appropriate title, that a poem on the place deserves no better or imaginative title than just its name because the place is dull and unimaginative also, or that ‘Slough’ says it all already. The first line of the first stanza means you immediately know what he thinks, his opinion being straight to the point, asking ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’ which is a good use of juxtaposition as bombs are never seen as friendly, but in this case they would be if they bombed Slough as they would be doing him a favour. Asking for bombs to fall on Slough is an outrageous, extreme demand which he repeats in the second stanza and in the final stanza to reinforce his plea, and he also uses other extreme terms such as the people have Slough having ‘tasted Hell’ which shows clear dislike. He is very flippant about asking the bombs to blow Slough ‘to smithereens’ as if he wants no part of it left and it’s a reasonable demand. Betjeman’s phrases such as ‘It’s not their fault that they are mad’, ‘they do not know’ and ‘they often go’ makes it sound like he feels the people of Slough are alienated and are very different to himself, as if they were another species altogether, calling them ‘they’, disassociating them from himself, and being patronising about their lives. He also conveys his attitude of Slough by describing what he thinks of the people that live there such as the ‘man with the double chin’ who will ‘always cheat and always win’ and who he also refers to as a ‘stinking cad’. He is not complimentary about the people of Slough, like the wives with ‘peroxide hair’ and the men who sit in ‘bogus Tudor bars’ with nothing better to do. His descriptions of the people help explain why he dislikes Slough, and he is saying that it may be the people who live there that help to make it a bad place, so this is a view he has of Slough. But he also pities the people , saying ‘it’s not their fault’ so I think he is unsure himself whether it is the people making Slough a terrible place, or Slough making the people terrible. Either way, he subtly ridicules the people of Slough and their ways of life as he feels the wives sit and paint their nails’ and the men talk of cars and’belch’. Betjeman makes use of repetition such as the first line ‘Come, friendly bombs’ and, in the second stanza’ ‘Tinned fruit, tinned meat†¦ As repetition is a way of reinforcing and strengthening a statement or opinion. Making everything from the food to the minds and breath tinned makes it sound like the people of Slough are all the same and are dull and lifeless. He also uses alliteration in the form of ‘cabbages are coming’ and ‘grass to graze’ which help the lines to flow easily. He uses negative words clusters such as ‘Hell’, ‘repulsive’, ‘stinking’ and ‘dirty’ which show his view of Slough with strong words that appeal to the senses and the imagination of the reader. The tone of the poem is one of dislike, where Betjeman cares so little for Slough that he would cheerfully see it bombed and destroyed. This is a strong image because it must take extreme dislike for someone to want something bombed. The rhyme scheme of the poem also reveals his views because the pattern is AAAB so the first three lines of each stanza flow easily and quickly, and rhyme so the poem seems almost cheerful and happy. But the last line of each stanza is used to put across his point in a harsh phrase such as ‘They’ve tasted Hell’ and ‘Swarm over, Death! ‘ which brings the flowing stanza to an abrupt, harsher sounder end like ‘death’, ‘tears’, ‘Hell’ and ‘yell’. The majority of the stanzas finish at the end of a sentence and this is used to make strong end statements, then the next stanza will begin again in the slightly humorous tone, ridiculing Slough. The rhythm of the first three lines of each stanza is fast and light, but the rhythm is broken by the abrupt end of each stanza which breaks up the flow to remind the reader of what Slough is like. The rhythm of the poem is also Iambic Pentameter which means that Betjeman has used this to make the stresses of each line land on important words such as ‘bombs’, ‘blow’ and ‘mess’ so these words are emphasised when reading the poem, and stand out so they are noticed more. Betjeman uses certain phrases to imply that Slough is a fake, manufactured place because of the ‘air-conditioned, bright canteens’, the ‘bogus Tudor bars’ and the ‘synthetic air’. He seems to hate the fact that Slough is a place that has been built up with ‘labour-saving homes’ and has ruined the land so much that ‘There isn’t grass to graze a cow’ meaning they have built over all the land and ruined the landscape. In the final stanza, he wants to bomb Slough again so that it can be turned back into a nice place again where they can grow food and make use of the land, rather than wasting it like it is being misused now. He claims the people are false and materialistic as they do not know the ‘birdsong from the radio’ and ‘daren’t look up and see the stars’ because birdsong and stars are two of the beauties of nature that the people of Slough couldn’t possibly appreciate, in Betjeman’s opinion. Betjeman uses irony in his poem as he describes the ‘polished oak’ desk belonging to the ‘man with double chin’ and I think Betjeman has mentioned this because he feels that the land that was there before, has now been destroyed, with the trees all being cut down to make room for the buildings, and as if this wasn’t bad enough, the trees have been used to make the desks for the people who are responsible for ruining Slough which he sees as sadly ironic. One of Betjeman’s key phrases is ‘It isn’t fit for humans now’ which is a strong statement about the state of the place but also the use of the word ‘now’ at the end suggests how he feels Slough was not always like this and it has slowly been ruined over the years. In this way, I think the poem is tinged with sadness as he feels it has been ruined to the point where there is no way to solve it but to destroy it which is a very emotive, strong view. I think you can sum up Betjeman’s view of Slough by the line repeated at the beginning and end of the poem ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’.

Biography of Lucrezia Borgia, Italian Noblewoman

Lucrezia Borgia (April 18, 1480–June 24, 1519) was the  illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) by one of his mistresses. She had three political marriages, arranged for her familys advantage, and likely had several adulterous alliances. Borgia was also for a time a papal secretary, and her later years were spent in relative stability as the Good Duchess of Ferrara, sometimes acting as de facto ruler in her husbands absence. Fast Facts: Lucrezia Borgia Known For: Borgia was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and an important Italian noblewoman.Born: April 18, 1480 in Rome, ItalyParents: Cardinal Rodrigo de Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) and Vannozza dei CattaneiDied: June 24, 1519 in Ferrara, ItalySpouse(s): Giovanni Sforza (m.  1493–1497), Alfonso of Aragon (m.  1498–1500), Alfonso dEste  (m.  1502–1519)Children: Seven Early Life Lucrezia Borgia was born in Rome in 1480. Her father Rodrigo was a cardinal in the Catholic Church when she was born. Lucrezias mother was his mistress of some years, Vannozza Cattanei, who was also the mother of two older children by Rodrigo, Giovanni and Cesare. After Rodrigo became Pope as Alexander VI, he advanced the career within the church of many Borja and Borgia relatives. Not much is known about Borgias childhood, but by about 1489, she was living with her fathers third cousin Adriana de Mila and her fathers new mistress Giulia Farnese, who was married to Adrianas stepson. Adriana, a widow, had care of Lucrezia, who was educated at the nearby Convent of St. Sixtus. When Cardinal Rodrigo was elected Pope in 1492, he began to use that office to his familys advantage. Cesare, one of Lucrezias brothers, was made an archbishop, and in 1493 he became a cardinal. Giovanni was made a duke and was to head up papal armies. First Marriage The Sforza family of Milan was one of the most powerful families in Italy and had supported the election of Pope Alexander VI. They also were allied with the French king against Naples. A member of the Sforza family, Giovanni Sforza, was lord of a small Adriatic fishing town called Pesano. It was with him that Alexander arranged a marriage for Lucrezia, to reward the Sforza family for their support and to bind their families together. Lucrezia was 13 years old when she married Giovanni Sforza on June 12, 1493. The marriage was not a happy one. Within four years, Lucrezia was complaining of his behavior. Giovanni also accused Lucrezia of misconduct. The Sforza family was no longer in favor with the pope; Ludovico had provoked an attack by the French that almost cost Alexander his papacy. Lucrezias father and her brother Cesare began to have other plans for Lucrezia: Alexander wanted to switch alliances from France to Naples. Early in 1497, Lucrezia and Giovanni separated. The Borgias began the process of annulling the marriage, charging Giovanni with impotence and nonconsummation of the marriage. Eventually, Giovanni agreed to the annulment in exchange for keeping the substantial dowry Lucrezia had brought to the marriage. Second Marriage Lucrezia, age 21, married Alfonso dAragon by proxy on June 28, 1498, and in person on July 21. A feast much like that at her first marriage celebrated this second wedding. The second marriage soured more quickly than the first. Only a year later, other alliances were tempting the Borgias. Alfonso left Rome, but Lucrezia talked him into returning. She was appointed governor of Spoleto. On November 1, 1499, she gave birth to Alfonsos son, naming him Rodrigo after her father. On July 15 of the next year, Alfonso survived an assassination attempt. He had been at the Vatican and was on his way home when hired killers stabbed him repeatedly. He managed to make it home, where Lucrezia cared for him and hired armed guards to protect him. About a month later on August 18, Cesare Borgia visited Alfonso, who was recuperating, promising to complete that which had not been finished earlier. Cesare returned later with another man, cleared the room, and, as the other man later recounted the story, had his associate strangle or smother Alfonso to death. Lucrezia was devastated by the death of her husband. After returning to Rome, Lucrezia began to work in the Vatican at her fathers side. She handled the popes mail and even answered it when he was not in town. Third Marriage A still-young daughter of the pope remained a prime candidate for an arranged marriage to solidify Borgia power. The eldest son, and presumed heir, of the Duke of Ferrara was a recent widower. The Borgias saw this as an opportunity for an alliance with a region that was physically between their current power base and another they wanted to add to the familys lands. Ercole dEste, the Duke of Ferrara, was understandably hesitant to marry his son, Alfonso dEste, to a woman whose first two marriages had ended in scandal and death, or to marry their more established family to the newly powerful Borgias. Ercole dEste was allied with the king of France, who wanted the alliance with the Pope. The Pope threatened Ercole with the loss of his lands and title if he did not consent. Ercole drove a hard bargain before consenting to the marriage in exchange for a very large dowry, a position in the church for his son, some additional lands, and reduced payments to the church. Ercole even considered marrying Lucrezia himself if his son Alfonso did not agree to the marriage—but Alfonso did. Lucrezia Borgia and Alfonso dEste were married by proxy at the Vatican on December 30, 1501. In January, she traveled with 1,000 in attendance to Ferrara, and on February 2, the two were married in person in another luxurious ceremony. Death of the Pope The summer of 1503 was oppressively hot and mosquitos were rampant. Lucrezias father died unexpectedly of malaria on August 18, 1503, ending the Borgia plans for solidifying power. Cesare was also infected but survived, but he was too ill at his fathers death to move quickly to secure treasure for his family. Cesare was supported by Pius III, the next pope, but that pope died after 26 days in office. Giuliano Della Rovere, who had been a rival of Alexander and long an enemy of the Borgias, tricked Cesare into supporting his election as pope, but as Julius II, he reneged on his promises to Cesare. The Vatican apartments of the Borgia family were sealed by Julius, who was revolted by the scandalous behavior of his predecessor. Children The main responsibility of a Renaissance rulers wife was to bear children, who would in turn either rule or be married into other families to cement alliances. Lucrezia was pregnant at least 11 times during her marriage to Alfonso. There were several miscarriages and at least one stillborn child, and two others died in infancy. Five other children survived infancy, and two—Ercole and Ippolito—lived to adulthood. Patronage and Business In Ferrara, Lucrezia associated with artists and writers, including the poet Ariosto, and helped bring many to the court, distant as it was from the Vatican. Poet Pietro Bembo was one of those she patronized and, judging from the letters surviving to him, its possible the two had an affair. Recent studies have shown that during her years in Ferrara, Lucrezia was also a shrewd businesswoman, building up her own fortune quite successfully. She used some of her wealth to build hospitals and convents, winning the respect of her subjects. She invested in marshy land, then drained it and recovered it for agricultural use. Later Years Lucrezia received word in 1512 that her son Rodrigo dAragon had died. She withdrew from most social life, though she continued her business enterprises. She eventually turned to religion, spending more time at convents, and even began wearing a hairshirt (an act of penance) under her fancy gowns. Visitors to Ferrara commented on her melancholy and noted that she seemed to be aging rapidly. She had four more pregnancies and perhaps two miscarriages between 1514 and 1519. In 1518, she wrote a letter to her son Alfonso in France. Death On June 14, 1519, Lucrezia gave birth to a stillborn daughter. Lucrezia contracted a fever and died 10 days later. She was mourned by her husband, family, and subjects. Legacy Because of her scandalous reputation, Lucrezia Borgia has become a popular character in fiction, opera and drama. Her life has been dramatized in works such as Victor Hugos Lucrà ¨ce Borgia, the 1935 Abel Gance film Lucrezia Borgia, and the BBC series The Borgias. Sources Bradford, Sarah.  Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in Renaissance Italy. Penguin Books, 2005.Meyer, G. J.  The Borgias: The Hidden History. Bantam Books, 2014.

Is Macbeth Really Blame For Duncan s Murder - 1743 Words

Is Macbeth really to blame for Duncan’s murder? ‘Macbeth’ is a tragic play that dramatizes the tragic flaw (hamartia) of ambition and murderous intent in Macbeth, which is manipulated by his equally ambitious wife and the inherently evil witches, which leads him to murder Duncan. The fact that this play is a tragedy suggests that it is intentional for the audience to feel sympathetic towards Macbeth. This is why Shakespeare focuses some of the blame on the witches and his wife. Lady Macbeth first impression is ambitious, manipulative and very intelligent from the quotation â€Å"Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and I feel now the future in the instant† which shows us that she has already begun planning for the future. Her lack of scepticism in Macbeth’s letter telling her of the prophecies by the weird sisters despite knowing that the outside the chain of being are evil and dangerous and could lead her astray by lying, implies that she is eager for the prophecies to come true and is an exponent. Even if her husband had never mentioned murder in his letter to her, she drastically started planning the king’s demise as well from the quote â€Å"O, never shall that morrow see!† which shows how murderous and determined her mind is. She reveals her deceptive and manipulative side in the quotation â€Å"†¦look like the innocent flower but be a serpent under’t, which tells the reader that she is only putting on the illusion of being good The serpent also has theShow MoreRelatedWho Is Responsible for Duncans Death?984 Words   |  4 Pagesresponsible for Duncan s death is Macbeth. However this does not necessarily mean he is to blame, for his violent death is obviously the consequence of certain influences that forced Macbeth to perform his fatal deed. Furthermore, to unearth the truth about who is really the guilty for Duncan s murder we must explore the influences the different characters have on Macbeth s impulses and the overall scenario of the slaying. br brFirstly, we shall consider Lady Macbeth and Macbeth as they are theRead MoreEssay The Fault of the Character Macbeth in Shakespeares Macbeth1220 Words   |  5 PagesCharacter Macbeth in Shakespeares Macbeth Macbeth by William Shakespeare is the story of a brave, honourable soldier who ruins his life due to his own greed for power, respect and wealth. The story starts with Macbeth as the kings favorite soldier, a very respectful, honorable man. Macbeth then is told by the witches his life will change for the better - All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!. In a desperate effort to obtain this promised position of King, Macbeth takes hisRead MoreMacbeths Faults877 Words   |  4 PagesThe Rise and Fall of Alexander the Great Macbeth One of Shakespeare’s most hailed plays, Macbeth, is a narrative that centers on a gentleman that goes by the name of Macbeth and his story of going from a normal man to King in only a short amount of time. He achieves this through sheer self-indulgence, as he could have remained a noble, but elected to destroy everyone in his path to becoming King. Macbeth loves becoming King, but is constantly craving more and more control, with the play eventuallyRead MoreLady Macbeth By William Shakespeare1163 Words   |  5 PagesThrough the play of Macbeth by Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is responsible for Macbeth’s actions through her manipulation. In Act One of the play she is especially responsible for his actions, then does not do much after the murder of King Duncan but she still plays a crucial role in the downfall of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth starts out as this assertive and powerful woman then wanes out, not having that much of a role in Macbeth’s plans. Macbeth then pick s up the metaphorical torch and continues to thoughtlesslyRead MoreSympathy for Macbeth1715 Words   |  7 Pageshave any sympathy for Macbeth at the end of the play? Our first impressions of Macbeth are that he is a hero, he is brave and fearless, and although we get this impression we also get the feeling that he is ruthless. We get this impression from the way he is referred to when his name is first mentioned. Macbeth has just been in battle against The merciless Macdonwald and a Captain is talking about how Macbeth and his fellow Captain, Banquo, performed in battle. While Macbeth is in battle the ThaneRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth 867 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most influential plays in mankind s history be revolved around one object? Does Shakespeare s most terrific play Macbeth be all surrounded in encompass by a single dagger? This may not be the case, but the dagger does change the play in a dramatic way. This is one of the most symbolic objects in all of Shakespeare s writing and maybe one of the biggest turning points in any of this place. MacBeth s dagger symbolizes his ambition for power and it s an apparition. This ambition is his mostRead MoreMacbeth1388 Words   |  6 Pages Macbeth: Character Analysis The Tragedy of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is about a soldier, Macbeth, and his friend, Banquo, who meet up with three strange witches who share prophecies with the two men. Macbeth is told that he will become king someday and rule the land of Scotland. The rest of the play follows the actions of once a loyal soldier turned into a greedy king, who seeks to hold the crown forever no matter what the consequences may be. Throughout the play Macbeth displays himselfRead MoreTheme Of Corruption In Macbeth1030 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a play about a Scottish aristocrat who learns, from a prescience given to him by three witches, that he is to end up ruler. At the point when Macbeths desire defeats his ethical judgment, he kills the prevailing ruler and satisfies the prescience. In doing as such, in any case, he undermines his own manage with uncertainty - frailty he made when he disturbs the normal progression to the position of authority. Decapitated in the fight, Macbeths p assing enables the legitimate beneficiaryRead MoreMacbeth Appearance Vs Reality1747 Words   |  7 Pagesan answer in his play, Macbeth. The way individuals follow-up (act) on the outside and who they truly are within might be two entirely unexpected things. Some may change since they feel they do not fit in while others put on a show to be someone they are not. Regardless of which way one looks at it, if an individual attempt to be someone he is not, his reality will eventually show up at last. This is precisely what occurs in William Shakespeare s play, Macbeth. Via Macbeth, William Shakespeare exploitsRead MoreMacbeths Mental State with Quotes1195 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth s general mental state throughout the Play â€Å" All his earlier work was naturalistic and realistic - Finally, in the last paintings, the canvasses became nonsense† -Oliver Sacks 558 When the play first start s Macbeth is referred to by King Duncan his â€Å"Worthiest cousin† but later on in the play Macbeth begins to show signs of mental illness perhaps due to traumatizing events such as killing Duncan, and ordering the murderers to hunt down Banquo, and his son. When Macbeth begins