All About Dream

How does the power of the human imagination influence artists and designers in producing fantastic, dreamlike creation? Have you ever imagined you slept in an ‘over-sized’ shirt, as a bed you usually sleep on? Have you ever dreamt about dressing into a hot air balloon or have you ever thought that you saw a strange thing in the world which was a fish but had a human body? People always think these kinds of thoughts are over the top, but this is all about fantasy, our dreams and human imagination. Designers are able to create fascinating work; artists are able to construct gorgeous creations, because of the human imagination. In 1940 Dali summed up his aspiration to create objects, ‘I try to create fantastic things, magical things and things like a dream. The world needs more fantasy. Our civilization is too mechanical. ’ I will never forget his words, especially when he said, ‘We can make the fantastic real and then it is more real than that which actually exists. ’ I agree with him. I think the world needs more fantasy. People seem to forget how to dream and what dreams are. They are too sensible now. In my personal study, I would like to look at how the power of the human imagination influences artists and designers in their creations. I will first of all look at the surrealism movement which first appeared in Paris in 1924. In Oxford Intermediate Learner’s Dictionary, ‘surreal’ is an adjective which means images mixed together in a strange way like in a dream. In art, it is an expression of eccentric thoughts of the subconscious mind. Surrealist artists always create something which people think are nonsense, because their creation is influenced by their imagination and it is something that comes from dreams. There were lots of famous artists who came from the surrealism movement; Rene Magritte is one of the popular artists within this movement. Unlike other surrealist artists’ work, of rich and complex layers, Magritte’s works are straight forward and accessible. In â€Å"Magritte† written by Richard Calvocoressi, he described the way Magritte’s style was concentrated on the relation between the image of an object and object itself. I am totally in agreement with him. In addition, I have chosen to look at The Listening Room by Magritte. This is an example of the relation between the object and another object, by reducing the size of the room and enlarging the size of the apple. Magritte had tried to provoke a reaction from the audience. I found this picture especially interesting, because it clearly demonstrates how the artist uses his imagination and sub conscious to express his ideas. In 1956, Magritte wrote, ‘For me the conception of a picture is an idea of one thing or several things that can become visible through my painting. ’ I think Magritte means that his paintings are a means of expressing his ideas and his imagination. In The Listening Room which has a gigantic apple in its tiny room is one of the examples of Magritte’s variation of the objects scale. The apple is depicted realistically but the fact that it is so large within the room is very disconcerting. We cannot tell whether the apple is too big or the room is undersized. In his book Richard Calvocoressi has interpreted the painting as â€Å"a feeling of claustrophobia, of near panic,† this is generated by the sight of the objects, â€Å"behaving irrationally or adopting human characteristics. † I strongly agree with his idea that the painting makes you feel breathless in the room which makes the audience have a deep impression. In ‘VOGUE’ April 2006, there was an article with a surreal photograph which linked in the topic of ‘Small space, Big Idea’. The idea of the picture is basically same as ‘The listening room’. A model suffered in an unfitted room which is as big as she is. It seems that the model is a giant, otherwise is a model come to a draft house. When I first look at this picture, a feel of claustrophobia and uncomfortable were came into my mind. The picture had just gave a very deep impression to the audience. Magritte has written that, ‘The only thing that engages me is the mystery world. I think this means that he likes to challenge his audience with a sense of unusual and the strange. Calvocoressi went on to say ‘these ideas were in the nature of speculation on the world. ’ I think that by this he means that surrealist artists were challenging their audience to look at the world in a different ways, and try to introduce the world of fan tasy. Magritte is also successfully bringing surreal fantasy into our daily life. Just like Magritte, Salvador Dali is another famous surrealist. He had and enormous impact on twentieth-century painting. He based all his work on the human imagination and sub conscious. I found ‘Three Young Surrealistic Women Holding in Their Arms the Skins of An Orchestra' which is painted in 1936 is particularly interested me, because the image in the objects in the painting are strange and behaving in a strange way. In his seminal essay ‘The conquest of the Irrational'(1935), Dali has described his quest, ‘My whole ambition in painting manifest the images of concrete irrationality in terms of authoritative precision†¦images which for the moment can neither be explained nor reduced by logical systems or rational approaches. I think Dali means he is trying to show irrational images using a visual language. Therefore his fantasy world could actually come ‘alive'. This is another great example of Dali's variation of objects melting. It shows three shapely but mysteries women who are standing on a sandy place, holding fluid instruments which seem to be slide away from them. The colour of the piano is sandy colour which is confusing as to whether the piano is made of sand or not. The women are portrayed with heads of flowers, which adds a calming and serene effect to the painting. In Dalinian symbolism the heads of flowers represent the sexuality of the woman. In the background, we have a landscape of Catalonia, the rocky crags that line the Mediterranean Sea near Port Lligat and Cape Creus. Behind the woman who is holding the piano skin, there seem to be a reflection of the rocky crag, but because of the colour of the ground, we cannot tell whether there is the sea or not. It seem to me they are inside a very quiet place, which I believe is the colour effect, because the major colour of the picture is white, which represent innocence, purity and virginity. In 1938, Elsa Schiaparelli interprets images from three Dali’s painting of 1936, which are Necrophiliac Springtime, The Dream Place Its Hand On Man’s Shoulder and Three Young Surrealist Women Holding in Their Arms The Skins of An Orchestra. She create a real dress taking the idea out of those three painting. ‘The real dress (like the dream dress in the paintings) dissolves the boundary between clothing and body. ’ In Surreal Things by Glislaine Wood. The dress is like the garment wear in the painting Three Young Surrealist Women Holding in Their Arms The Skins of An Orchestra, Schiaparelli may use a flimsy fabric with a next to the skin cutting to bring the woman in the painting into the live. The pattern on the fabric designed by Salvador Dali, which is ‘printed with the illusion of torn animal skin’, suit in the painting, where the women are wearing a torn white dress. Another accompanying with the garment is the veil which ‘appliqued with fabric that adds a third dimension to the illusionary tears. The collection finale has featured a traditional wedding dress but twisted in the surreal way, which again synthesized human imagination as well as surrealist’s dream and bring it into the daily life. ‘Schiaparelli’s designs often lost their Surrealist references when the original model copied by department-store couture salons or by manufacturer who adapted them for the mass market. ’ B y Glislaine Wood. When surrealism’s designs faced the population, they often lose some of their colours. We are still in a realistic world; instead of a dreamland create by ourselves. We still need to be more realistic about the fashion we wear in our daily life. Although that is the fact, human imagination is affecting our daily life. In the way, I have chosen to look at Viktor & Rolf ‘s collection in Fall Winter 2005, because they had put their imagination into the real life, every garment in this collection are fantasy creation. They had been inspired everything by bed, and able to convert this idea to a wearable collection. Viktor & Rolf dreamed up a surreal idea, ‘Why not go to work in your bed? ‘(written by Sarah Mower in style. com). It had make me queries about this idea. Firstly, we will never go to work in our bed, also how can this dreamlike idea come to realistic; secondly, how can it link to their collection. As soon as I looked at the collection, my queries had all been answered. The first model had come down on runway with her hair spread over on a lace-edged cotton pillow as a ‘collar', with neatly folded over sheet as her coat. On my personal view, she looked like a sleeping beauty and dressed into a sleeping bed. In fact, ‘Viktor & Rolf don't allow surrealist antics to block the view of their increasingly accomplished way with smartly normal cloth'(written by Sarah Mower in style. om). After the sleeping beauties, they had a second part of the collection. The most eye catching garment was a white lacing edges with a great contribution of folded fronts. The garment has show the exaggeration a normal white shirt created by human imagination. The garment was a very simple design but after twisted by imagination of the design, it bec ame a dreamlike fantasy. The Viktor & Rolf Fall Winter 2005/06 collection had show a series of surrealistic ideas, the power of human imagination had influenced Viktor & Rolf's creation. By having simple daily object, bedspread needlework, the idea had been turned into a array of skirts, jackets and pant. The result is they had made up a dreamy night. ‘In many ways, Surrealism carried the seeds of its own commercialization. ’ By Glislaine Wood. Surrealism has influenced lots of craft work and design, especially fashion design. ‘Fashion design has long had a huge admiration for this movement and many of our leading designers will admit to be influenced by it. ’ By Alexandra Shulman. Surrealism had inspired lots of fashion designers’ works, especially for the haute couture. A sense of exaggeration needed to provoke the audience in haute couture fashion show. The Haute Couture in Christian Dior by John Galliano will be a great representation. John Galliano has a little reformation on 22nd of January, 2007 with glamorous, recreated the traditional Japanese art in his extraordinary style, transferred these ideas on to fabric and created a speechless fashion show for Christian Dior haute couture spring 2007. Everything about this collection is inspired, John Galliano said,† by Pinkerton's affair with Cio-Cio San, Madame Butterfly† With regard to this nspiration, every models in this collection has given a ‘fully painted, red lips and full Kabuki style make up' ( Camilla Morton, elle. com) The make up are obviously overstate, but the clothes do not make the audience be disappointed as well. The first exited model shown a bright pink formal jacket with an enlarged origami collar and pockets, decorated with beading and embroidery; the other m odel came to the stage with a big lily origami laid over on her shoulder, the fabric used for the lily look like a traditional Japanese origami paper. On my personal view, she looked like a flower fairy dance on the stage. The surprise will never ended in Galliano's creation. A bright green kimono-like jacket, with a exaggerated large gathered sleeve and very traditional Japanese pattern, underneath this gorgeous jacket, we have a sleeveless, long shaped yellow dress with the same pattern on the jacket. This garment was really stand out because of the colour. This collection ‘reconfirmed his unique talent to evoke beauty, sensitivity, narrative, and emotion in fashion show' (written by Sarah Mower in style. om) These garments to the population are over-the-top, but they are coming from human imagination, they are dreamlike creature, the most important point is they are not just a art pieces but wearable. Although the collection has a theme of Japanese costume, but it is different from the original. They are full of imagination and dreamlike creature, this make Sarah Mower in style. com think, ‘What psychological process did it take to lift John Galliano to the extraordinary place of brilliance he reached–or rediscovered–in his spring couture? From the stage set decorated with cherry blossoms, to the garments themselves, everything is surreal and has been exaggerated. The Japanese art of paper folding has been used in fabric and give the garment an extra decoration. Everything is like a dream in this fashion, something different and something new has explored by John Galliano. Using a culture as a theme does not mean changing something on the traditional clothing, but by research the art of culture and putting them into the design are always important. ‘The world needs more fantasy. Our civilization is too mechanical. ’ By Salvador Dali in 1940. I believed in what he had said, I thought our world is too reasonable and sensible. Those realist think the people have dream are having a airy-fairy mind. For those dreams which can not become true, the realist using their realistic mind thinks we are just a dreamer, no contribution, nonsense and desk studying. However they have never recognized how important dream and human imagination is, without those unrestrained and vigorous idea, we cannot progress and penetrate more. Nowadays the society is too realistic, we have so many rule to constraint ourselves, therefore we need dreams and imagination to break through those inappropriate rules. We can make the fantastic real and then it is more real than that which actually exists’ By Salvador Dali. This world should be a unconstraint world, people are realistic, because we live in a commercial world, everything is particulars in their own values. No one would like to pay more; this is how our society becomes self-concerned world . If we can imagine more, create more and pay more attention to the surrounding, and try to be less realistic than before, we can produce the real fantasy and it will be ‘more real than that which actually exists. ’

Mental Health and Psychotropic Drugs Essay

In the last thirty years, the number of patients diagnosed with depression has doubled. (doubled from what? What percentage) The sharp increase in these diagnoses is due to the fact that the medical community has blurred the distinction between everyday unhappiness and clinical depression. (what percentage or numbers are you getting the 40% from? The use of Psychotropic medication in depressed patients has increased in the United States by more than 40 percent over the last decade. (you have a website but what is the website for? ) (http://find. galegroup. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/ovrc/retrieve. do? subjectParam=Local) The bulk of the increase can be accounted for by the aggressive use of SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) in patients. It is the class of drugs that includes Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. The question is: Are more Americans clinically depressed now than in the past, or has medical science started to treat the far more common experience of â€Å"everyday unhappiness† is this a quote from someone or from you? with medication, thereby increasing the number of drug prescriptions? A Psychoactive drug or Psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain functions, resulting in perception, mood, consciousness, and behavior. These drugs may be used recreationally to purposefully alter one’s consciousness, as entheogens for ritual or spiritual purposes, as a tool for studying or augmenting the mind or therapeutically as medication. (www. Wikipedia. org ). (Is this whole paragraph a quote? If so, it needs to be centered and in quotation marks. ) For example: On January 22,2008, acclaimed Australian actor, Heath Ledger, died from an accidental overdose of six types of prescribed painkillers and sedatives. Ellen Borakone, spokesperson for the New York Medical Examiner’s office, said the cause of death was â€Å"acute intoxication by combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam [Valium], temazepam [Restoril], alprazolam [Xanax] and doxylamine. Valium, Restoril and Xanax are benzodiazepines or tranquilizers/sedatives. The U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation into how Mr. Ledger acquired the prescription drugs that killed him. (Why did you use this example? The usage of this example is in a incorrect location of the essay) A year earlier, on February

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The Act in fact tries to attain the goal of socio-economic justice enshrined in the Directive principles of state policy under part 4 of our constitution, in particular, articles 41, 42 and 43 which enjoin the state to make effective provision for securing, the right to work, to education and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement. The act strives to materialize these avowed objects through only to a limited extent. This act becomes a wider spectrum than factory act, in the sense that the factory act is concerned with the health, safety, welfare, leave etc of the workers employed in the factory premises only. But the benefits of this act extend to employees whether working inside the factory or establishment or elsewhere or they are directly employed by the principal employee or through an intermediate agency, if the employment is incidental or in connection with the factory or establishment. Origin: The Employee State Insurance act was promulgated by the Parliament of India in the year 1948. To begin with the ESIC scheme was initially launched on 2nd February 1952 at just two industrial centers in the country namely Kanpur and Delhi with a total coverage of about 1. 20 lakh workers. There after the scheme was implemented in a phased manner across the country with the active involvement of the state governments. Objectives: The ESI Act is a social welfare legislation enacted with the object of providing certain benefits to employees in case of sickness, maternity and employment injury. The insured employees and their dependants are entitled to the following benefits: * Medical benefit

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Central school district vs. Rowley 458 US 176 (1982) - Essay Example These helped to increase the amount of training and funding individuals that were responsible for education could receive; specifically with regard to learning and understanding how to educate children with mental retardation and issues pertaining to blindness/disabilities with sight. Further, the State School’s Act of 1965 provided additional grant funding from the federal government as a means of accomplishing the tasks that have thus far been denoted with respect to the provisions made available for those with distinct disabilities within the educational system. As one can adequately note, the purpose of all of this legislation was to provide a more fair and equitable distribution of education; one did not favor or preference one specific of individuals. As this served as the fundamental backbone of what came to be known as FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), it had a profound impact with regard to the way in which educators came to understand their role and allocated funding based upon the unique disabilities that were exhibited within their student body. The context of education at the time was one that of course placed a higher emphasis upon the average student and most often ignored the needs and requirements of those that had what were referred to as special needs. As a means of seeking to make this reality a distant memory, Congress and stakeholders within the educational system sought to effect a more reasonable and ethical approach whereby students with disabilities would have their educational needs determined and provided for in a similar degree as compared to those that were considered as average. The core challenge to FAPE came as a Supreme Court case that challenged that Free Appropriate Public Education was not being provided to a deaf girl within a particular school district; as the district had denied her parents request for a deaf translator. Seeing this as an egregious denial of FAPE, the suit

Research method - Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research method - Critical Review - Essay Example Here the authors have used a quantitative research for the study and a total of around 300 responses have been got for the research. The focus has been on the Indian organisations. The findings clearly show a major link and co relationship between human resource capabilities and the organisational performance. The researcher however has been able to effectively gain responses and the findings are relatively more reliable and valid as compared to the previous research. In the second stage the incomplete questionnaires of the first stage were resent and an attempt to get the responses was made. This sampling method is not very clear and although the authors explain that the research included the two stages, the second stage does not seem to be complete and requires more attention for better sampling. The data collection method here in this paper is based on case studies and on secondary data. There has not been any clear data collection for the research which causes the biggest drawback here. Although secondary research can prove to be very effective in other researches, here in this case with the aims and objectives of the research, the method is not an efficient manner and needs changes. Analysis has been conducted based on the secondary data found. This however cannot be recognised to be most effective manner as it merely relies on views and research data of other authors and does not contribute to the field of study as effectively as it could have. Here the analysis is merely rephrasing of the views of the other researchers (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2000) This research paper focuses on an effective data collection method for the paper. The authors have carefully planned and picked their research methods and the method adopted here allows the researcher to gain the answers to the objectives (Sekaran, 2000). However there is major scope for improvement here and the research can be proved to be much more effective if the data collection

Midterm Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Midterm Exam - Essay Example A country’s state of democracy is affected by its economic state due to the presence of funds and jobs, which reduces the level of poverty in individual country. According to researchers in these regions, oil as a source of wealth has played major role in the political democratization of these countries (Peruzzotti 34). They include the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the Middle East that are rich in oil deposits. However, various strategies have been put in place to help as sources of wealth since the economic levels of these countries largely influence democracy levels in these countries. Economic stability due to oil as a source of wealth in these Arab countries has largely influenced the political structure. Various economical factors have led to the democratization of these countries. The economic stability of a country accrues to a large percentage of the political stability. Economic stability means that there are enough funds to cater for the governmentâ₠¬â„¢s operations. Democracy highly depends on the level of literacy in the society. In most of the developed countries, education is highly valued due to its contribution to the level of democracy in the member states, a situation where people are a literate. Education directly or indirectly provides knowledge to members of the society. Most of the countries provide education measures that contribute to the level of awareness. Education of the public provides them with the knowledge to help the society to vote the right representatives in congress or parliaments according to the provided individual government. In most third world countries, illiteracy contributes to political instability, which entails to high rates of in democracy in most of the countries. Leaders from the gulf countries provide the public with political knowledge that helps them to vote for the right representatives. Oil has a major role in the provision of amenities such as education and other social amenities. T here are certain roles that come up due to the presence of oil in a country. Oil provides for the larger part of the country’s heritage by contributing to the tourism industry. The industry has contributed to the economy of these Arab countries due to the increased tourist attraction constructions such as the Palm Islands and other national projects that will help in the provision of funds to most of the running projects in these Middle East countries. Tourism is a project that has been put into consideration to help most of the countries to maintain their budgets after all of the oil reserves have been utilized. For example, countries such as Dubai have started constructing buildings and other tourism facilities that help in attracting the Western countries o these regions after the oil reserves have gone dry. This will balance the economy source of income, which must contribute to political stability in the country. Tourism will ensure that the provision of social utilizes such as education, health and other social responsibilities. Due to education, members of the society have the knowledge to choose some of the elite members. Elite politicians have a major role to shape the political structure in the community. In modern day society, provision of health activities has been an act from the politicians to search lure leaders to look for the best representatives in the community. Oil has contributed as the major source of income in the Gulf members, which helps in provision of funds to provide for government operations. Funds have contributed to health facilities which help in the control of social amenities a such as education that helps individuals to have a broader

Music Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Music - Assignment Example In this manner, the element of rapping is always very common and is almost predominant in nearly all forms of hip hop music (Katz, 2012). This paper is going to explore the origin of the hip hop music, taking into consideration several aspects involving the problems that the youths passed through that may have been responsible for the emergence of the hip hop music. In addition, the paper is going to explore some of the regions where the music genre of Hip hop music was mostly concentrated in the United States, as well as the reasons that may have influenced the rise of the hip hop music. The origin of the hip hop music is attributed to early histories relevant to the problems faced by the youth in America. Such youths saw it fit to spell some of the problems that they faced through rapping alongside the music. Other than rapping, it is important to note that the other characteristic of the hip hop music involves several forms of dancing as well as dancing styles. In connection to the above, it is crucial to note that hip hop music is mostly characterized by such forms of dancing including break dancing. These were some of the ways in which the youths employed in expressing their emotions as well as their problems relevant to the social, political as well as economic challenges that they faced in the regions of America (Flores, 2000). Other than the issue of dancing as well as rapping, the other common elements of the hip hop music includes scratching as well as graffiti writing. These are some of the artistic styles that accompany the issue of hip hop music. It is important to note that the origin of these elements is vested in the culture as well as the age brackets of the people mostly involved in the hip hop music. For instance, most youths are always the ones who mostly revere this musical genre called hip hop. It is of crucial significance to acknowledge the fact

Resolved collective bargaining rights Assignment

Resolved collective bargaining rights - Assignment Example Collective bargaining rights have made the employees of the state and local government employees of New York to earn salaries that are above the average wages for workers and this means that, taxpayers would have to pay through their noses in order to ensure that, the government pay the wages of these workers. Thus, the collective bargaining rights are causing a heavy burden on the taxpayers and for this reason, it should be repealed. The repealing of the collective bargaining rights in the state and local government of New York would help save huge sums of money that would have been used in paying these workers. â€Å"Nothing is more dangerous to public welfare than to admit that hired servants of the State can dictate to the government the hours, the wages and conditions under which they will carry on essential services vital to the welfare, safety, and security of the citizen.† (Disalvo par. 12). The fact that, the collective bargaining rights have empowered the labor leaders to dictate to the government is not in any way healthy for democracy, as one cannot have two drivers in the same bus. Thus, the resolved collective bargaining rights for state and local governments in New York should be

Health Care Delievery systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Health Care Delievery systems - Essay Example In others, there is a joint attempt among trade unions, religions, governments, charities, or other corresponding units to provide designed health care services aimed at the population they assist (Saltman & Von, 1995). This paper will assess the similarities and differences between different health care delivery systems. Publicly funded health care is financed partly or entirely by people’s tax sums instead of through exclusive fees. This are made directly to health care givers or insurance companies through deductibles, insurance premiums, or copayments. Two-tier health care is a system whereby an assured public health care system is in existence. However, a corresponding health care system functions in equivalent competition. The private health care system gives the patients a chance to hold more alternatives in selecting their physicians and waiting lesser periods. Nevertheless, two-tier health care system is expensive and set aside for only those who can meet the expenses (World Health Organization, 2000). Physicians who work in the private health care systems may also have an advantage because they can establish their own charges. Single-payer system is a method to financing health care with a single source of funds for paying health care givers. The range may be community based, national, or state-wide. The payer may be an entity like an insurance agency or a governmental unit. The proposed benefits may comprise large savings in overhead charges and administrative simplicity for providers and patients. Universal health care system is also referred to as social health protection, universal care or universal coverage. It depicts a health care system that gives free coverage and health care to everyone in the population of that state or country. Conversely, universal health care does not cover everybody for all things. Moreover, universal health care can be influenced by three vital

Muscle Dysmorphia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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The Purposes of Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Customer Satisfaction Essay Example for Free

Customer Satisfaction Essay Filipino’s have been given a chance to finally choose groceries business and minimart across the country. One of the pioneer groceries in town is the Consumers Minimart Inc. formerly named Caragan. Ever since Consumers Minimart Inc. experienced a lot of competitors on their times, minimart is still existing and alive.At this time many establishments exist like CSI, Royal Mall, Save More, but the Consumers Minimart Inc. is still having a profit and their loyal customers were always remained.Bayambang is one of the town with the largest number of barangays in Pangasinan, a largest place to establish a business. Business opportunity is increasing like mini grocery market, malls, fast food chains, banks, water refilling station and other small and big enterprises. This business establishment where very profitable and have impact to the customers especially here, is the groceries stores because customer or people can get or buy their daily needs into this kind of business, and one of that business is the Consumers Minimart Inc.Consumers Minimart Inc. is owned and manage by Jovita De Leon. It was established last March 18, 2010. They established their business in Bayambang because this place is very promising town, has 77 barangays and there is a lot of nearby town, and prospect customers such as Bautista, Alcala, Urbiztondo, and Malasiqui.Caragan was became Consumers Minimart Inc. because of being long term industry and the owners were became stockholders. The standard monthly income has been reach also by the said business. The formerly competitors were Lita’s grocery, old Royal mall stores and some local stores located at the market of Bayambang.But there are things that this business needs to improve, including the satisfaction of the customers. Consumers Minimart Inc. need additional effort in making their service much better including in queueing system or waiting time, delivery service, visual merchandising and physical set-up, and add to the strategies of the business. This will be used as strategy to makes their customer more satisfy in their service, it will add to have more customers and become more profitable, more improvement in their services. Consumers Minimart Inc. also need to improve their marketing strategy because it is a part of over all plan of the said business by establishing another branch in the province of Pangasinan for expansion for them to become more popular in terms of selling diffirent kinds of product. According to Peng Shao and Zeliang Sun (2012), Groceries today have to deal with the more dynamic and competitive environments than before. The frequent mergers and acquisitions among the groceries suppliers and retailers made industry structure strongly concentrated and competitive.And the limited retail stores are being increasingly standardized and homogenized. Facing the Bayambang market which only has 96,609 population, the three major competitors grocery, CSI, Savemore and Royal Mall need to differentiate themselves. Thus maintaining long-term relationship with customers is important, in order to keep their good organizational performance and profits. Identifying the key attributes influencing customer satisfaction during customers’ purchasing in their stores is critical. Groceries need to explore their resources and internal capabilities, so that they can make proper strategies to remain competitive. Unique attributes and sub-attributes are the important resources and internal capabilities of each grocer, which can help grocer to differentiate themselves from its competitors, and maximize the level of customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction means that customer needs are fulfilled when doing the purchases. So the groceries must understand what the customers want and provide customers with what they need. A large number of studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between organization performance and customer satisfaction. Keeping long-term customer satisfaction is seen as a critical success factor for grocery retailers, because the competition in the groceries industry is strong and margins are becoming limited. There is a straight forward and simple link between customer satisfaction and profits. Retailers used to shape customers shopping habit, without listening much to consumers needs and desires. However, as the industry has been changing, customers change their shopping behavior. For example, the proximity between home and stores become less concerned, so retailers should adapt to new change of customers shopping behavior. Retailers must concern about the attributes, including quality of product, assortment, customer attention, additional service, store atmosphere, store location and price and discount, so that they can shorten the customers perception gap. In the future, the company will have applied its best practices especially to the customer satisfaction in their service not only in the province, but also in the entire Philippines. These Best Practices will not only consist of the most efficient systems, but also consider human elements such as local knowledge and relationship building which are equally essential in attaining great satisfaction. Statement of the problemThis study focused on the extent of customer satisfaction of Consumers Minimart Inc. located in Bayambang, Pangasinan. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of customers in terms of : a) Types of customers ; and b) Average purchased per transaction 2. What is the extent of customer satisfaction in terms of : a) Queueing system or Waiting timec) Visual merchandising b) Delivery systemd) Physical set-up 3. What are the problems encountered by the customer in terms of: a) Availability of product b) Parking area c) Sanitation d) Ventilation e) Services Accuracy f) Facilities g) Physical set-up h) Distribution i) Inventory j) Pricing Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study determined the extent of customers satisfaction of Consumers Minimart Inc. in the Municipality of Bayambang. The respondents of this study have the total of 100 respondents in a random basis like owners of sari-sari store or retailers, and end users who purchased in the Consumers Minimart Inc., regarding in their types of customers and average purchased per transaction, queueing system or waiting time, delivering system, visual merchandising, physical set-up, availability of product, parking area, sanitation, ventalition, services accuracy, pricin, inventory, distribution and facilities. Significance of the Study The researchers believed that the result of this study would benefit the following. The Manager. This study will enhance competence in the management and operation of the business and will provide with additional knowledge on how to improve business and to get customers satisfaction and loyalty. The Customers. The result of this study will serve as the source of affordable and easy buying decision. They would also be informed and be guided about the different services and existing prices that the business render to the public which the people will appreciate. The Government. This study will bring about additional income to the local government in the form of taxes and they will be provided with some needed basis to come up with rules and regulations to prevent cheating on the suggested retail price. The Future Entrepreneurs. This study will serve as a guide to those future entrepreneurs who wants to establish this kind of business. Definition of Terms To facilitate understanding of this study, the following terms were defined operationally. Consumers Minimart Inc. It is the name of the mini grocery business in the Municipality of Bayambang, that we are studying in our research. Satisfaction. Is an attitude of a person of being happy of the products and services offer. Suppliers. Is a person, company or organization that sells or supplies something such as goods or equipments to business. Customers. They are the retailers and end-users who consumed or use the products and services. Product. Something that is made or created by the manufacturer or supplier. It is offered to customers. Services. A product of human activity meant to satisfy a human need but not constituting item of goods. Queueing System. The queuing discipline describes the order in which arrivals are serviced. Visual Merchandising. Is a form of store presentation of all forms of advertising and marketing. Physical Set-up. Is a form of displaying the products. Delivering System. process for conveying a product or service to a customer. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES This chapter present a review of professional literature and related studies relevant to the present study. This literature and studies have given the researchers more information and clearer view of the problem in this study. Those that are relevant to this research are presented in the following discussion. RELATED LITERATURE This section presents the both foreign and local related literature relevant to the study. This relevance is shown by the proponents in order to give more reason and understanding of the proposition. Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction provides a leading indicator of consumer purchase intentions and loyalty. Customer satisfaction data are among the most frequently collected indicators of market perceptions. Organizations need to retain existing customers while targeting non-customers. Measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products. In retailing, consumers typically patronize multiple outlets. Thus, an important issue is why consumers vary in how they divide their purchases across outlets and how outlets can get a greater share of consumer expenditures. Two potential avenues for increasing customer share are to raise customer satisfaction, and increase repeat purchase through loyalty cards. This study examines the effects of customer satisfaction and loyalty cards as well as consumer characteristics on customer share spent on the primary grocery store. The findings suggest that customer satisfaction has a positive, albeit modest, effect on share while consumer economic shopping orientation has a negative direct effect on share. The economic orientation of shoppers, their felt importance of a personal relationship with store personnel, and the level of their aggregate purchase volume moderate the effect of satisfaction on customer share. Finally, the results provide mixed support for the impact of loyalty cards on customer behavior. Customer Satisfaction in Queuing Systems Companies have to increase their customers’ satisfaction to keep their competitiveness. In services, waiting has great impact on service level and customer satisfaction. Consequently, in time-based competition, one of the main objectives of service companies is to minimize customer waiting. Waiting can be defined in several ways; however, the ultimate management objective should be the maximization of customer satisfaction. The paper shows how customer satisfaction can be approximated with utility functions and establishes a theoretical background for utility transformation of waiting time. The case study of the checkout system of a real do-it-yourself superstore is used to illustrate the application of the suggested method. The results show that utility related objective function may justify queuing system changes even if the average waiting time does not improve. Elements of Queueing Systems Population of Customers can be considered either limited (closed systems) or unlimited (open systems). Unlimited population represents a theoretical model of systems with a large number of possible customers (a bank on a busy street, a motorway petrol station). Example of a limited population may be a number of processes to be run (served) by a computer or a certain number of machines to be repaired by a service man. It is necessary to take the term customer very generally. Customers may be people, machines of various nature, computer processes, telephone calls, etc. Arrival defines the way customers enter the system. Mostly the arrivals are random with random intervals between two adjacent arrivals. Typically the arrival is described by a random distribution of intervals also called Arrival Pattern. Queue represents a certain number of customers waiting for service (of course the queue may be empty). Typically the customer being served is considered not to be in the queue. Sometimes the customers form a queue literally (people waiting in a line for a bank teller). Sometimes the queue is an abstraction (planes waiting for a runway to land). There are two important properties of a queue: Maximum Size and Queuing Discipline. Maximum Queue Size (also called System capacity) is the maximum number of customers that may wait in the queue (plus the one(s) being served). Queue is always limited, but some theoretical models assume an unlimited queue length. If the queue length is limited, some customers are forced to renounce without being served. Queuing Discipline represents the way the queue is organised (rules of inserting and removing customers to/from the queue). There are these ways: 1) FIFO (First In First Out) also called FCFS (First Come First Serve) orderly queue; 2) LIFO (Last In First Out) also called LCFS (Last Come First Serve) – stack; 3) SIRO (Serve In Random Order); 4) Priority Queue, that may be viewed as a number of queues for various priorities; and 5) Many other more complex queuing methods that typically change the customer’s position in the queue according to the time spent already in the queue, expected service duration, and/or priority. These methods are typical for computer multi-access systems. Most quantitative parameters (like average queue length, average time spent in the system) do not depend on the queuing discipline. That’s why most models either do not take the queuing discipline into account at all or assume the normal FIFO ( First In First Out) queue. In fact the only parameter that depends on the queuing discipline is the variance (or standard deviation) of the waiting time. There is this important rule (that may be used for example to verify results of a simulation experiment). The two extreme values of the waiting time variance are for the FIFO (First In First Out) queue (minimum) and the LIFO (Last In First Out) queue (maximum). Theoretical models (without priorities) assume only one queue. This is not considered as a limiting factor because practical systems with more queues (bank with several tellers with separate queues) may be viewed as a system with one queue, because the customers always select the shortest queue. Of course, it is assumed that the customers leave after being served. Systems with more queues (and more servers) where the customers may be served more times are called Queuing Networks. Service represents some activity that takes time and that the customers are waiting for. Again take it very generally. It may be a real service carried on persons or machines, but it may be a CPU time slice, connection created for a telephone call, be ing shot down for an enemy plane, etc. Typically a service takes random time. Theoretical models are based on random distribution of service duration also called Service Pattern. Another important parameter is the number of servers. Systems with one server only are called Single Channel Systems, systems with more servers are called Multi Channel Systems. Output represents the way customers leave the system. Output is mostly ignored by theoretical models, but sometimes the customers leaving the server enter the queue again (round robin time-sharing systems). Queuing Theory is a collection of mathematical models of various queuing systems that take as inputs parameters of the above elements and that provide quantitative parameters describing the system performance. Because of random nature of the processes involved the queuing theory is rather demanding and all models are based on very strong assumptions (not always satisfied in practice). Many systems (especially queuing networks) are not soluble at all, so the only technique that may be applied is simulation. Nevertheless queuing systems are practically very important because of the typical trade-off between the various costs of providing service and the costs associated with waiting for the service (or leaving the system without being served). High quality fast service is expensive, but costs caused by customers waiting in the queue are minimum. On the other hand long queues may cost a lot because customers (machines e.g.) do not work while waiting in the queue or customers leave because of long queues. So a typical problem is to find an optimum system configuration (e.g. the optimum number of servers). The solution may be found by applying queuing theory or by simulation.

Disaster Management Planning For Earthquake

Disaster Management Planning For Earthquake The risk for disaster occurs when the social, physical, environmental and economic vulnerabilities are hit by hazards. The biggest volumes of disasters are mainly a result of events originating hydrometeorogically. Even in the face of gradual understanding of the significance of reduction of disasters and disaster response capabilities, disasters continue to be a global problem especially the one of disaster management techniques. It is now globally accepted that plans should be put in place to reduce the risk of a disaster. The plans should be conceptualised and brought into action in spheres such as policies, programmes for poverty reduction and should be assisted by international and regional cooperation. Poverty reduction, proper governing and sustainable development are mutually cooperative plans along with disaster management. Efforts have to be made at a rapid pace to put in place the required plans to counter any threats posed at the regional and international level by disast ers. Introduction The occurrence of such disasters has continued to increase in a rapid succession. More than three million lives were lost due to disasters in the last quarter of a century itself. This number does not stop as billions have been affected in some way or the other. The cost of rehabilitation from these disasters has run into thousands of billions alone. The increase in the population of the world only enhances the chance of disaster risk which could cause massive casualties and harm to the human life in large numbers. The six billion mark in world population was reached on the 16th of November in 1999. The annual growth rate was estimated at nearly 1.33 %( seventy eight million every year). There is a greater risk on account of the industrialization and vast urbanization since a lot of people are moving to urban areas which do not have sufficient health care and infrastructure in place. Energy is released after accumulation in the volcanic activity or geological faults which cause seismic waves to bring about movement of the crust which is known as an earthquake. Humans are able to only detect three thousand earthquakes from the total of five hundred thousand earthquakes that occur every year. 7 to 11 out of these 3000 earthquakes cause significant damage to property and human life though this figure has increased the past few years. The toll of death due to an earthquake can range from as less as five to higher than two hundred and forty thousand. One out of two cities in a developed country is susceptible to a natural hazard like earthquake. Seventeen of the twenty largest cities are situated in countries with low resources. Eighty percent of the population of the world will reside in developing countries by the year 2025 according to an estimate. The research on natural disasters is of a lot of significance in case of developing countries. What is a Disaster? Many definitions have been put forward regarding disaster. Samuel Henry Prince started the study related to disasters in 1971 in Canada during the worst disaster witnessed in Canada. The disaster in point is the ship explosion occurred in 1917 in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia. His research and social exploration of the implications of the disaster paved way for further theoretical and empirical research that lasted through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. This saw a change in the way disasters were perceived. The focus shifted from the primary physical agent to the description and definition of disasters related to the social impact caused by it. Various academic disciplines were dedicated to the study of nature and disasters during the 1960s and 1970s. The definition of a disaster can be classified between the national and international level. The working definition of a disaster is designed in way to suit the professional background of the place where it is defined and is closely associated to the studies, work and research that is carried out. The World Health Organization has defined disaster on the base of the resultant health implications post the disaster. They have made use of the terminology called as Health Action in Crises. The International Red Cross has taken into account the factors that cause interference in human life. IN simple words, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes only acquire the status of a disaster when they leave behind a negative and disruptive impact on the living force. Al-Madhari et al in 1997 studied if a universal definition for the term disaster is possible and came up with a definition that takes into account both the factors of economic and health implications. The definition was as follows- an event localized in time and space with one or more of the following consequences occur: 1) Ten or more fatalities, 2) Damage exceeds $1 million, 3) 50 or more people evacuated. This is the basic essence that is found in most definitions of disaster which may carry different views. All the definitions accept disaster as a situation that is beyond the cope of control of the local community which warrants the need of external help. The disasters maybe a result of naturally occurring phenomena like extreme changes in climate or weather, technological and man made threats. Psychological stages of disaster Heroic stage The heroic stage is shown by the community and the individuals within that direct the various levels of energy in the tasks of help, rescue, shelter, clean up and repair. This behaviour is carried out in the span of a few hours to even days if required. Honeymoon stage The optimism characterized by the people in the community is the showcase of this stage in spite of the losses that occur due to the disaster. There is a wide media attention and, flow of resources inwards, and reassurances by personal visits by high profile personalities that look towards the rehabilitation process of the community. They provide the hope and belief that life will return to normalcy and no traces of the disaster will be seen. These resources though tend to exhaust by the third week of the aftermath of the crisis, there is reduced media attention and the real problems in the rehabilitation program start to develop. The energy shown by the survivors in the community gradually starts to fade away and gives way to the next stage of disillusionment. Disillusionment The hard experiences, the lack of necessities and the work needed to be done to restore normalcy creeps up on the person which leads to disillusionment among the survivors. Survivors find that the various types of financial help being offered are in the form of loans instead of grant, home insurance was not the best available option and that politics played a bigger role in the decision making. Signs of disgruntlement is how by means of complaints related to abandonment, betrayal and injustice, incompetency and bureaucracy. Stress is a negative aspect that troubles the survivors which slowly disintegrates any hope that may be left. Recovery All the work for which the base has been setup starts to show results. The applications are passed, loans are approved, and reconstruction is started. The individuals start to work at their normal capacities. People start regaining the state of normalcy with a period of six months after the disaster. Some individuals might take up to thirty six months. There is an overall sense of appreciation to aspects like life, relationship and morale towards tackling problems all owed to the lessons learnt post the disaster. Stages of Disaster Response Preparation stage The main objective of this stage is to improve the healthcare system and the general system that can be improved to the extent that future disasters can be tackled with ease and efficiency. Quick Reponses Stage The main objective of this stage is to make sure that there is a prober health response in case of a disaster strike that may create some needs. Counselling is provided during this stage which is present in the current health system. There should be help sought from external sources to boost the resources that are available in case they are not sufficient to fulfil all the necessary needs. In many cases the local supplies may not be enough to meet the requirement of the community which is why the stock has to be filled with the help of some additional commodities obtained from other external sources. Recovery Stage This stage has to be worked upon continuously and lasts more than a month after the disaster takes place. This stage could go on for years depending on the resources that are available for rehabilitation and the impact and type of the disaster. The needs of the survivors are taken care of by the local providers in this stage. Federal funds may flow in case the disaster is declared as a Presidential Declared Disaster. The funding is given to those in need of individual help. Disaster Management Definition of disaster management A lot of definitions have been put forward by authors on the topic of disaster management. A lot of these definitions merely explain the meaning of the term rather than completely stating the terms of preparation for a disaster. Christopolis, Mitchell and Liljelund regarded efficient and effective abilities and result of disaster response as the main themes of preparation for a disaster (2001). Creating a local response system and providing early warnings is also a big part of preparation (Integrated Regional information Networks, 2005). The definitions by United Nations Development program, McEntire and Twigg have definitions similar in theme with their own take on the preparation for a disaster. The program by United Nations holds hazard easing as the central source for disaster preparation along with the inclusion of planning in the description (2004). Similarly, McEntire and Twigg also consider hazard easing as a crucial aspect in disaster preparation saying that it should be a p art of it (McEntire, 2003 and Twigg, 2002). McEntire talks about different factors relevant for disaster preparation as a local government function that includes vulnerability and hazard evaluation. The lesser highlighted aspects of disaster preparation are also very important. Izadkhak and Hosseni point out education to be the foremost media in the preparation of a community for disasters (2005). The emergency plans, storage of food, securing furniture to walls and creating inventories of storage commodities are a part of this level (Paton, Smith, Johnston, 2003 and Siembieda, 2001). Review of preparation literature The disaster preparedness aspect is basically dynamic in nature which keeps changing constantly. The researches find out new facts with the occurring of new disaster even with respect to the community. The disasters and crisis are consistent but the practises applied in its management still lack the capacity to provide necessary results. McEntire has worked towards some crucial points in disaster preparedness and emergency management in his study. McEntire, Fuller and Johnston and Weber (2002) published an article reviewing the emergency management and the methods related to it. The main concern in the 2002 research was vulnerability while McEntire also finished his research related to disaster preparedness. Dynes also provide his view on emergency planning. His views were based on research instead of military models. The problem solving methods of Dynes emphasizes cooperation and coordination as the key aspects. (1994). This concept has been used in developing many other models as opposed to the earlier practice of using military models and instead switching to a research based and discipline specific model. The best methods of disaster preparedness incline towards discipline specific objectives as in the case of emergency management. A valuable amount of work has been spent for the identification and evaluation of the concepts and principles that are used in disaster preparedness. Some contributions have been made to development of disaster preparedness with the aim of creating a theory based practise and practise based theory (Gillespie and Streeter, 1987). The contributions from most individuals are not aimed at the creation of a complete disaster preparedness technique but individual research has helped immensely in making contributions towards building a complete disaster preparedness plan. A case in point is the research by Kirschenbaum (2002) article based on disaster preparedness from the point of view of Israel. The inferences drawn from his study were found to be applicable in a general environment. Perry and Lindell (2003) based their study on disaster management on the principles of perspective and planning and were able to identify 10 guidelines that should be used in the process of planning. Lindell was more focused on the planning while Kirschenbaum gave more importance to localized applications and principles. Each on his own was able to contribute an important aspect that led to the creation of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan although none of the studies focused on all the aspects on the whole. Components of disaster management Earthquake Risk The risk of earthquake is a seismic risk to the environment and its habitats. The earthquake risk is inversely proportional to the capacity of resisting it. Research based on social learning by May (1994) shows that the more knowledge that is available, the less is the worry and lesser in the rationale for prevention. Knowledge and the use of the knowledge in the best way are required to improve the safety measures today. There is a process known as Earthquake Risk Management that works towards the prevention of threat or danger from an earthquake, reducing risk or consequences of an earthquake. It also deals on topics like preparation for dealing with a disaster, responding to a threat due to natural disaster, capacity building and knowing the effects of the natural disasters. There are the basic points of evacuation, rescuing, relief, rehabilitate and reconstruct that are covered. The population in India was marked at over a billion in 2001 and is estimated to be doubled by the yea r 2050. This calculates to a population growth of 1.61% per annum. The risk of earthquake increases by leaps and bounds in such a scenario. The urban areas are been populated to the extent of being overcrowded and figure in the highest density in the world of 237 people per square kilometre. This only worsens the situation. People in thickly dense areas have no alternative but to live in conditions like low lying areas situated closely near the rivers. This makes it mandatory to keep a full time alert and be ready with a disaster preparedness plan. Gillespie and Banerjee (1993, pp.242) have proposed there is a 5 stage plan which spirals upward with more refined levels including avenues, assessment, knowledge, preparedness and practise. The central point in these levels is considered to be knowledge. As pointed by Srivastava et al (2007), the reduction in disaster risks can be brought about by the proper use of information. Disaster management planning for earthquake In the past few decades, a high level of importance has been attached to the effective and efficient management of information and its use as a key component of disaster management in the regions of Asia especially Pacific Asia. Disaster management information systems have been setup by a number of countries according to their own calculations and needs. The applications include early warnings, reduction of disaster risks and emergency planning. The information plays an important part in disaster management and it should be used wisely. The needs of the information related to disaster management can be classified in two activity categories Pre disaster activities like research and analysis, prevention, risk assessment and preparedness. Post disaster activities like rehabilitation, response and reconstruction. The data related to disaster can also be classified into two categories- Pre disaster data consisting of the risks and the country Post disaster data showing the impact of the disaster and the resources available to counter the effects. National Disaster Management Information System The main aspects of a disaster management information system is a database containing the following- Mapping of hazard assessment Vulnerability Assessment Distribution by Demography Lifelines, Infrastructure and Critical Facilities Transportation Routes and Logistics Material and Human Response Resource Communication Facility The use of Disaster Management Information System is based on three aspects- Preparedness planning Response and mitigation Recovery Earthquake activities Preparation and Planning Identifying areas prone to earthquake Identifying problems Identifying and using Resources Control and command Advance Preparatory Action Post earthquake activities The relief activities needed to be performed by the government are- Maintaining uninterrupted communication Endorsing disaster preparedness and relief measures through media like newspaper and AIR. Evacuating and movement of commodities of essence such as petroleum should be facilitated in transport. Making sure that essential commodities are available at a reasonable rate. Providing adequate supply of drugs, vaccine and medicine. Restoration and preservation of physical communication links. Providing infrastructure such as latrines, shelter, electricity, road etc. On a temporary basis by making the necessary investment. Mobilising financial resources. In addition to these aspects, there are certain secondary functions that are needed by the relief efforts of the State such as Military aid should provide relief, restoration and rehabilitation services to the civil authority. Backup plans for cattle preservation, crops and health measures should be put in place. Technological and technical inputs for providing drinking water. Providing technical assistance for water management, water budgeting and several other uses. Coordinating activities of the voluntary and state agencies. Knowledge Management The knowledge related activities are dealt taken care of by the knowledge management procedure (Wiig, 1997: Civi, 2000). These activities include organizations and creation of knowledge along with share and use of the knowledge. Knowledge management can be more appropriately defined as the strategies and processes of identifying, capturing and leveraging knowledge. This definition was provided by the American Productivity and Quality Centre. Knowledge management is a field on the rise which has been able to collect considerable attention especially from the industrial community. A large number of industrial organizations have taken to knowledge management programs which serve as proof of its widespread use. These programs are helpful in making the industries more competent and improving their organizational performance. It is only a matter of time when all the companies will adopt such a program and the only factor to be accounted for is the way in which it has to be implemented to m ake optimum use of knowledge management and managing it properly at the same time. Implementation of Knowledge Management The Knowledge Management concept has caught a lot of attention due to its importance but there are only a few industries that have been able to make optimum use of the knowledge management techniques by managing the knowledge in their respective organizations. Stoney and Barnett (2000) suggest that a major number of Knowledge Management steps are bound to fail. This is due to the fact that the implementation of Knowledge Management is not an easy task that can be carried out by an organization. Technological infrastructure needs to be in place for the implementation of Knowledge Management along with change in the culture of the organization and managing knowledge of different types. Organizations that have made use of the Knowledge Management without making certain of the necessary resources at their disposal have mainly failed due to improper infrastructure and implementation. Implementation of the Knowledge Management is a tough task for any organization as pointed out by Drucker (1993) who is known as the father of modern management theory. He stressed on the fact the biggest challenge faced by an organization is the building of a systematic framework for the management of knowledge. Hence, it is imperative to build a perfect prototype or framework which helps the organizations before the implementation of Knowledge Management. Framework definition According o the Oxford English Dictionary, (2003), the framework is defined as a structure composing of parts that are framed together especially designed for enclosing or supporting anything like a skeleton or a frame. Popper (1994) has defined framework as a set of assumptions or fundamental principles of intellectual origin that form the basis for action. In accordance with these definitions, framework can be said to be a framework or a structure formed using a set of specific instructions or principles that is required to provide a base for carrying out necessary activities and actions. Knowledge Management Frameworks According to Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001b), Knowledge Management frameworks are categorized as a mode of providing guidance in a specific discipline. This means that it shows the way towards the building of Knowledge Management in a specific discipline completely. Dale (1999) defines framework as a tool used for the development and laying out of plans, a guide that helps an organization to carry out a certain action that works best for their business needs at their own pace. The framework most importantly acts as a link between the practical and theoretical aspects of the Knowledge Management and eases its implementation during an emergency or disaster. Various Knowledge Management frameworks The frameworks that have been described in theory are made to focus on different parts of Knowledge management and achieving its various purposes. The most popularly known framework is the framework for knowledge creation created by Nonaka (1991, 1994) that explains the evolution and conversion seen between tacit knowledge (not easy to articulate) and explicit knowledge (can be easily put into words). This is not the perfect form of a framework since it is only concerned with the creation of knowledge which is nothing more than a part of the Knowledge Management. Another type of framework that is described in theory is the one that provides information on cyclic processes of the Knowledge Management. From the studies of Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a), it is evident that many of these frameworks only provide activities that stress on the knowledge cycle activities. They lay importance on phases of knowledge without providing supervision in the implementation of Knowledge Management. The examples of such frameworks are plenty including the framework by Bose and Sugumaran (2003) and many of the frameworks that were studied by Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a). A third type of framework is the one developed by researchers that is used to explain the performance of Knowledge Management in an organization. The framework provides reference to shoe the analysis, structure and evaluation of the Knowledge Management in various organizations belonging to different fields. They were developed by Apostolou and Mentzas (1998). Framework requirements The framework helps in understanding, improving awareness and gives the conceptual definition of the Knowledge management that informs the people about the processes involved in it. Al the components can be understood with the help of a framework and puts the Knowledge Management in perspective by providing the people with a clear and concise vision which helps in its implementation. Managers find framework as a beneficial and important tool since it helps to decide whether all the aspects related to the Knowledge management have been covered that may be easily overlooked without the framework. It also helps in enabling the implementation process and helps coordinate the efforts put in by the organization in a controlled and systematic way. System Approach Framework Holsapple and Joshi (2002) laid out a three layer framework which consists of three major building blocks known as knowledge resources, activities and influences. The resources pat highlighted the pool of the knowledge of the organization that can be classified into six main forms of resources namely participants knowledge, infrastructure, culture, knowledge artefact, strategy and purpose. The activities block represents the processes to be used by the organization for manipulating the knowledge resources. Holsapple and Joshi (2002) were able to identify 4 activities related to this aspect namely acquiring, selecting, internalizing and using the knowledge which means the generation and externalization of knowledge. The manners in which these activities are performed tend to be influence by a number of factors that can be seen in the next block called as knowledge influences. The implementation is greatly influenced by this block and is classified into three categories namely resource (human, financial, material and knowledge), managerial (coordination, leadership and measurement) and environmental (customers, competitors, suppliers, markets and other conditions). The three aspects when viewed collectively act as the main components in the operation of Knowledge Management. A framework was created with the idea of four stages namely review, concept, reflect and act by Wiig et al. (1997) in order to explain a number of Knowledge Management techniques and methods. Review is the first step and relates to evaluating and monitoring the performance of the organization to find out whether the desired results have been obtained. Conceptualize has two parts namely analysis of knowledge and inventory knowledge. The former is used to identify and assess the problems, weakness, strengths threats and opportunities related to knowledge. The latter is used to find out the state of knowledge in the organization by finding out the knowledge assets. TH reflect part is used for the following- Create teams for assessing. Find out the Knowledge management requirements. Collect knowledge by identifying. Design structure to knowledge in warehouse. Maintain technology. Test the technology again. Train the knowledge workers. Show the use of Knowledge management practises. Track the usage. Get the system to start. Measure the productivity and quality, measure Knowledge Management practices. Conduct assessment review of the processes. Hygoyo Protocol Framework of Hyogo The priorities, mission and vision of the National Framework were created in synchronisation with the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) 1005-2015 that was agreed upon by all the nations in January 2005 in the city of Kobe, Japan during the UN-World conference held for Disaster Reduction. The expected result of the HFA after ten years is significant reduction in the lives and economic, social and environmental assets of the countries and communities. The following objectives have been adopted by HFA to attain the desired results- Better integration of disaster risk considerations and accordingly makes development policies. Planning at all the levels with focus on disaster prevention, preparedness, reduction and vulnerability reduction. The strengthening and development of institutes, capacities and mechanisms at all the levels especially at the community level that can help in building resistance to hazards. Incorporation risk mitigation approaches in the implementation of recovery programs, response and emergency preparedness that is used in rehabilitation of the affected communities. Scope This particular framework relates to provision of guidelines and direction to the national, local and provincial institutions. Aspects such as capacity building and vulnerability reduction are the crucial factors that help the communities and institutions to counter disaster risks. The strategies, policy implementation are taken care by this phase and programs for the parts of disaster are provided for. There are certain challenges that are recognized in the five major areas as follows- Governance- legal, organizational and policy frameworks. Risk identification. Monitoring, assessment and early warnings. Knowledge education and management. Reduction of risk factors. Preparedness to improve response and recovery. The Yokohama strategy concludes in its review the discussions in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and the desired result that was decided can be described into five priorities of action as follows- Make sure disaster risk is a local and national priority with a very strong institutional base for execution. Identify, monitor and assess the disaster risks and identify early warnings. Use innovation, knowledge to build a safety culture which is strong at all the levels. Reduce the risk factors Make the disaster preparedness strong for better response. Case study of earthquake in Pakistan with respect to Knowledge Management The earthquake in Kashmir in 2005 was a massive earthquake with its epicentre in Pakistan controlled Kashmir close to the city of Muzaffarabad that affected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilbit Baltistan province of Pakistan. It took place at 8:52:37 PST on the 8th of October. It was similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and 2001 earthquake in Gujarat with magnitude of 7.6. Tremors of this earthquake were felt in surrounding nations like western China and Tajikistan. Four people died in Afghanistan while close to fourteen hundred people died in India controlled Kashmir according to reports. The damage caused was blamed on poor construction and major up thrust. Infrastructure Network usage- the network usage was high throughout the phases of recovery. Data and voice communication was very good in Islamabad. The landline network was brought on track within a coupe of days in town hit by the earthquake and the cell network was extended post the earthquake. The areas that were hit the worst had no assistance and relief and were left with no communication. Some parts were wiped out entirely. The skills to manage the technology were available in Pakistan but the management was not properly planned. Network Availability- At first the network was very low during recovery and later was raised to a medium level. The inconsistency of connection was the main factor rather than low bandwidth. The connection would break consistently which proved to be disruptive. The limitations were known fully in the remote areas but the staff did not pay heed to the cell coverage problem. Cell phones are not adequate in such circumstances. Inter

The Community Analysis Of Homeless Families

The Community Analysis Of Homeless Families This paper analyzes the social issues surrounding homeless families and describes the extent of the problem within the U. S. community, while comparing the U.S. community to other communities in other parts of the global system. Causes listed in this paper include unemployment, mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, and lack of affordable housing. Three theoretical models guide the analysis: social systems theory, functionalist theory and conflict theory. The data come from statistics of homeless families in the U.S. and global communities. These results deliver some evidence for current explanations for homeless transitions, and they propose probable avenues for additional research on the dynamics of homelessness. Macro Community Analysis Homelessness is a significant concern within the U. S. and global community. This situation arises when its individuals are poverty stricken and do not have regular access to affordable housing. In the U. S. in the early 1980s, families with young children became one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population and now consist of 34% of the homeless population, which includes 23% children and 11% adults (Burt et al., 1999). The issues of homelessness have always been a problem around the world, even though it varies greatly, it has been considered to be one of the oldest social dilemmas in the world. Any day, no less than 800,000 individuals are homeless in the U.S., including about 200,000 homeless families. Most homeless families have incomes below 50% of the federal poverty level that makes it nearly impossible for them to find rental property within their means. To make matters worse, as many as 70% of homeless people struggle with serious health problems, mental an d physical disabilities, and/or substance abuse problems (Burt, 2001). Countries have different ways of reporting homelessness, dissimilar measures with which to define homelessness. Some countries have no policy regarding this condition at all and for that reason are unable to report on the statistics. Causes and Effects of Homelessness As mentioned, homeless is also a global issue and not a problem specific to the U.S. It is estimated to be around 3 million homeless individuals in 15 countries of the European Union. Philip Alston, Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights since 1991 states that on any given night, three quarters of a million people in the United States are homeless; in Toronto, Canadas largest city, 6,500 people stayed in emergency shelters on a typical night in late 1997, a two-thirds increase in just one year (Unicef, 1998). Furthermore, abuse and assault appear to be silent characteristics of homelessness. Studies have frequently found, in the histories of both individuals and families who are homeless, high rates of sexual and physical abuse in childhood, frequent foster care and other out of-home placements, and a variation of other family disruptions. Those that are always getting assaulted by their families might choose to run away and seek shelter in the streets than consent to a life of day-to-day abuse from beatings and molestation. The most significant reasons why people become homeless may be due to the inaccessibility of affordable housing for low income people. Studies show that people are likely to become homeless out of unavoidable situations. There are people who do work but they earn too little to pay for rent, electric, gas, and other housing utilities and expenses. If a person becomes unemployed, they will be unable to pay for anything at all. Homeless Families Demographics Although homelessness is a difficult number to measure, one way to analyze the extent of the problem is through demographics. According to The National Center on Family Homelessness (2008), the typical sheltered homeless family is comprised of a mother in her late twenties with two children. Eighty-four percent of families experiencing homelessness are female-headed. This is due to number of factors: Most single-parent families are female-headed (71%). Single-parent families are among the poorest in the nation and as such, are extremely vulnerable to homelessness Several family shelters do not take men into their programs, causing families to separate when they become homeless Families of color are overrepresented in the homeless population. Nationally: Forty-three percent are African-American Fifteen percent are Hispanic Thirty-eight percent are White, non-Hispanic Three percent are Native American Families experiencing homelessness frequently have limited education: Fifty-three percent of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma Twenty-nine percent of adults in homeless families are working Forty-two percent of children in homeless families are under age six (The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2008). The lack of reasonable housing has led to high rent payments for families that already struggle to pay their living expenses. These issues force many families to become homeless each day. A solution would be to lower the cost of housing, provide more support for those that are in need, and for the government to recognize that homelessness is a large scale problem. Application of Theory Social Systems Theory Social inequality is shown all over the world stemming from situations of race, gender, and age. An individuals social environment includes all situations a person comes into contact with on a day-to-day basis such as the individuals home, job, and income level, and the social rules that govern them. Person-in-environment refers to interaction between an individual and the multiple systems surrounding that individual, and adaptation refers to ones capability to change in order to adjust to new situations. In order to endure, an individual must be able to function effectively within their social environments (Kirst-Ashman Hull, 2002). The important factor behind the social selection model is that homelessness signifies the final point in a process characterized by the slow reduction of an individuals social and economic resources. As an individuals substance use escalates, the persons financial reserves are exhausted as they sustain an increasingly expensive habit. They either fall into rent debts that leads to eviction (Bessant et al., 2002), or family relationships break down leading to homelessness (Coumans Spreen, 2003). Fountain and Howes found that 63% of their sample of homeless people in Britain named drug or alcohol use as a reason for first becoming homeless. The researchers decided that drug use is traditionally seen as one of the major routes into homelessness, and this was borne out by our survey (Fountain Howes, 2002, p. 10). This compares to the above U.S. percentages that have reported drug and alcohol abuse as one of the causes of homelessness. Functionalist Theory Homelessness can be explained by functionalism, a theory developed by Durkheim. Poverty is best understood from a mixed perspective involving conflict, by Karl Marx and functionalist, by Emile Durkheim. Since poverty certainly plays a role in a homelessness community, this theory certainly applies. In my opinion, functionalist theory explains that our country does actually help those in need but occasionally we can be unsuccessful. This theory continues to remind us to live practically and tells us that the social order does essentially work (Meyerhoff 2006). Regrettably, at this time, scientific studies of family homelessness have been unable to instantaneously reflect all of these probable risk factors. Most of the research can be divided into those studies that present family homelessness as the product of separate faces or of community conditions, without examining both factors together (Shlay Rossi, 1992). Conflict Theory Conflict theory, which is significant to the analysis of the homeless condition, is the belief that the means of mental capability and mental achievement plays a role in the determination of what interests will be articulated effectively. Conflict theory studies the macro level of our society, its structures and organizations. While functionalists dispute that society is held together norms, values, and a common morality, conflict theorists consider how society is held together by power and coercion for the advantage of those in power (Ritzer, 2000). Though individuals and groups appreciating great wealth, prestige, and power have the resources needed to impose their values on others with fewer resources, Max Weber, a theorist viewed a range of class divisions in society as normal, inevitable, and acceptable, as do many contemporary conflict theorists (Curran Renzetti, 2001). Webers theory separated the class of individuals into bourgeoisie and proletariat. Bourgeoisie are those capitalist who possess the means of production while the proletariat is deemed as the working class; they are the ones who sell their own labor power. These groupings show how people are classified according to their status in life. It basically defines the societys state of inequality that is stabilized and reproduced through cultural ideology (Meyerhoff 2006). Social Ill within Turley Homelessness Poverty and inequality continues to afflict many residents in Turley, Oklahoma. The best theory that explains the social ill in Turley, Oklahoma, is conflict theory. One of the conflicts impacting Turley residents is the lack of transportation and close health care facilities. Without access to transportation, residents cannot get to work or to doctors or hospitals easily. Webers theory separated the class of individuals into bourgeoisie the haves, and the have-nots were called proletariat. It would be ideal if Marxs idea of constructing a fundamentally equal society where there is no competition for wealth and power (Meyerhoff, 2006). It is known that several of Turley residents have less than other communities. One of the social ills within the Turley community is the many houses that are abandoned, boarded up, falling down or even burned-out by vandalism, which results in minimal to no housing for Turley residents. Also, from low income or unemployment, this may be caused by lack of transportation. This can result in individuals becoming depressed and utilizing drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Prolonged use of drugs or alcohol may result in a mental disorder. People who have complicated life issues related to mental illness and of drug or alcohol use are the most common people who tend to be homeless. There is a common perception that substance abuse and homelessness are linked, but there is considerable contention about the direction of the relationship (Kemp, Neale, Robertson, 2006; Mallett, Rosenthal, Keys, 2005; Neale, 2001; Snow Anderson, 1993). Many people in Turley, Oklahoma are homeless due to lack of affordable housing and lack of access to health care facilities, both of which makes life worse for residents with mental illness or substance abuse problems. Severe mental illnesses may be caused from substance abuse and affect peoples ability to carry out vital stages of everyday life, such as retaining a job, household management or even self-care. Mental illnesses may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause them to misconstrue assistance from others and react in an angry manner. This often results in pushing away family, friends and caregivers who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless. Some studies indicate that substance abuse is a risk factor for homelessness, whereas others suggest that homelessness induces drug use (Neale, 2001, p. 354). Summary In summary, when comparing the U. S. to other global communities, the causes of homelessness were similar, with poverty being the leading cause. To effectively address homelessness, communities need a clear understanding of the problem and realize that it could affect anyone at any given time. Homelessness continues to be an increasing problem and requires social action to overcome the injustice that those people suffer. A change can be made by building or offering affordable housing units to people with low or very minimal income, as well as shielding families from the abuse they may get exposed to and trying to help guide them in the right path. Finally, through helping communities with programs that assist addicted individuals to overcome their addiction as well as people with mental illness by providing affordable health care programs, the homeless have an opportunity to rise above their current situation. As a Child Welfare Supervisor, I selected this particular social justice issue because several of the children that come into OKDHS custody will age out of the system without a permanent home or family, which results in most of them becoming homeless; this was learned in our Child Welfare Trainings. I wanted to learn more about this ongoing problem and feel it is very important that we help homeless people obtain a better life.

The Godfather Essay -- essays research papers

The Godfather is the story of a Mafia family. It follows the rise of Michael Corleone within the family. Michael was once a war hero and did not want to be involved in the family business. When his father is shot though, Michael takes revenge on the people who did it and becomes a part of the Mafia lifestyle. When his older brother is murdered, Michael ascends to become the boss of the family, and proves to be more ruthless than his father and brother combined. The scene that I am analyzing is one where Michael is becoming his nephew’s godfather at his baptism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Godfather is a traditionally edited movie. This particular scene however uses Eisenstein’s method of montage editing. Francis Ford Coppola uses hard cutting in order to show a stark contrast in the main character Michael Corleone. The scene begins with a shot of Michael’s godson. In the Catholic religion, a newborn baby is born with original sin. At the moment of its baptism, it is the most pure thing on earth; it has no sin. The godfather is the baby’s guardian into life. The scene cuts to all the different assassins Michael has deployed to take out his enemies. It cuts back to the baptism and the priest asks Michael if he believes in god, Jesus, and the church. Michael replies yes. The scene cuts back to the assassins. The voice of the priest is heard giving the ceremony as the assassins prepare to kill. The scene cuts back to Michael and the priest asks Michael if he rejects Satan ...