A Description of Marketing Essay Example for Free

A Description of Marketing Essay Philip Kotler has defined marketing as satisfying needs and wants through an exchange process. The marketing concept is the philosophy that firm should analyze the need of costumer and then make decision to satisfy those needs, the better than competition. A marketing plan is a comprehensive blueprint which outlines an organizations overall marketing efforts. The last step in the process is the marketing controlling. The marketing plan can function from two points that is strategy and tactics. In most organizations, strategic planning is an annual process, typically covering just the year ahead. Occasionally, a few organizations may look at a practical plan which stretches three or more years ahead. Behind the corporate objectives, which in themselves offer the main context for the marketing plan, will lay the corporate mission, which in turn provides the context for these corporate objectives. In a sales-oriented organization, the marketing planning function designs incentive pay plans to not only motivate and reward frontline staff fairly but also to align marketing activities with corporate mission. The marketing plan basically aims to make the business provide the solution with the awareness with the expected customers. According to Malcolm McDonald, marketing strategies can be seen as the means, or game plan, by which marketing objectives will be achieved and, in the framework that we have chosen to use, are generally concerned with the 8 Ps that is price, product, promotion, placement, people, physical, process and packaging. See more:Â  Mark Twains Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay * Price is the amount of money needed to buy products * Product is the actual product * Promotion is getting the product known by all people. * Placement is where the product is sold * People is represent the business * Physical environment is the ambiance, mood, or tone of the environment * Process is the Value-added services that differentiate the product from the competition e.g. after-sales service, warranties * Packaging is how the product will be protected A marketing plan for a small business typically includes Small Business Administration Description of competitors, including the level of demand for the product or service and the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, description of the product or service, including special features, marketing budget, including the advertising and promotional plan, Description of the business location, including advantages and disadvantages for marketing, pricing strategy, and market segmentation.

How Globalisation Has Harmed And Benefited The World

How Globalisation Has Harmed And Benefited The World This essay deals with various aspects of the globalisation process and the ways in which it has benefited or harmed different regions, nations, organisations and peoples. Globalisation is a complex process that concerns the progressive integration of people, goods, finances, thoughts, concepts, and ideas across nations on account of a range of political, economic, social and cultural drivers (Perrons, 2004, p 16). Whilst it has been an ongoing process since the beginning of history, the history of the world has been distinguished by specific periods of high and low globalisation. Globalisation in historic days occurred primarily on account of conquest, travel, and trade between nations, but was perforce slow because of the numerous constraints that existed in areas of travel and communication (Perrons, 2004, p 16). Its pace increased rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries on account of numerous technological developments, the Industrial Revolution in England and other western countries, and the growth of colonialism across the world (Went, 2002, p 41). Whilst the period between the First and the Second World Wars saw marked contraction in economic and other interactions between nations, the years after the closure of the Second World War have experienced phenomenal increase in the globalisation process (Went, 2002, p 41). Globalisation has profound effects on the economies, societies, and cultures of nations. Whilst the social and cultural aspects of globalisation are undoubtedly extremely important, the financial well being of people is primarily affected by the economic consequences of the globalisation process (Beresford, 2000, p 54). It has often being seen that whilst globalisation improves the economic health and financial wealth of certain nations and specific segments of the global population, it also reduces the economic capacity of other countries and peoples (Beresford, 2000, p 54). The globalisation process of the 18th and 19th centuries, for example witnessed an enormous increase in the wealth of western colonising nations like the UK, France, Spain and Portugal, even as it impoverished hugely affluent nations like China and India, pushing them from being vastly wealthy civilisations to terribly poor societies (Horton Patapan, 2004, p 23). Although the ongoing process of globalisation ha s undoubtedly enhanced the economic well being of many nations, organisations, and peoples, critics of the process assert that it has also resulted in the growth of income inequalities and has harmed the economic conditions of millions of people, more so in the developing and poorer countries (Horton Patapan, 2004, p 23). This essay focuses on the positive and negative impact of globalisation on different nations, organisations and peoples. With globalisation being a huge subject, this essay focuses on the ongoing process of contemporary globalisation and on those who have won or lost out on account of its effect and implications. Commentary and Analysis The ongoing process of globalisation commenced after the defeat of Germany and Japan and the victory of the UK, the USA, Soviet Russia, and their allies in the Second World War (Mikic, 2000, p 287). The cessation of hostilities led to the demarcation of new political boundaries and to the division of the world into three specific political segments, namely the western nations led by the United States, the Soviet bloc and the non aligned nations (Mikic, 2000, p 287). Whilst the globe was broadly divided into these three groups of nations in the 1950s, the years succeeding the war saw the independence of India and rapid decolonisation in Africa and Asia (Mikic, 2000, p 287). The 1980s witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, the disintegration of the communist bloc and the reunification of Germany. The following years also witnessed a wave of liberalisation and the implementation of economic reforms across developing countries, and the consequent economic emergence, first of China, and then of India and other countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia (Nesadurai, 2003, p 63). The world is also experiencing the development of astonishing advances in areas of technology and communication in the past few decades, which in turn are making it possible for people to interact across nations and even continents, despite political barriers and geographical distances (Nesadurai, 2003, p 63). These developments in geopolitics, economics, and communication have had and are having an enormous, reinforcing, and multiplying effect on globalisation and are resulting in greater economic and financial interactions between different nations (Kiely, 2005, p 76). Multinational corporations are exploiting low cost regions to install production facilities. Business organisations are using relaxed trade barriers to export their goods to previously closed markets (Kiely, 2005, p 76). The formation of the European Union has resulted in free movement of people within Europe in search of employment. The growth of the Internet is making it possible for people to work from distant loc ations and service others in remote areas of the globe (Kiely, 2005, p 76). Such globalisation has resulted in tremendous growth in global business and trade. This increase in economic activity has primarily been driven by multinational corporations, (MNCs), who have used globalisation opportunities to (a) install production capacities in low cost regions with skilled workers and (b) to exploit the huge markets that have emerged, primarily in the Middle East and Asia, as also in Latin America, Russia and East Europe (Clark, 1999, p 78). Such growth in economic activity has obviously benefited the multinational corporations. These organisations now account for more than one third of world output and more than two thirds of global trade (Clark, 1999, p 78). Apart from boosting the economic fortunes of these organisations, the growth in economic activity has also most certainly helped in increasing the real wages and economic conditions of many people (Eschle Maiguashca, 2005, p 92). It cannot however be denied that (a) this period has witnessed growing inequa lity between nations and peoples, and that (b) the benefits of globalisation have eluded millions of global inhabitants. Growth in production, consumption, and travel has also resulted in environmental degradation and in the destruction of the natural habitats of thousands of humans (Eschle Maiguashca, 2005, p 92). The economic impact of globalisation is visible first and foremost in the enormous increase in volumes of trade, industry and business (Munck, 2004, p 55). The increase in economic activity during the period after the Second World War is far more than what occurred in the years between the two World Wars. Numerous studies also show that countries with higher levels of globalisation achieved greater levels of growth in this period than others (Munck, 2004, p 55). Global economic activity has furthermore grown much faster than the increase in global population, thus implying a significant increase in the real per capita income of the worlds inhabitants. Such economic growth has certainly helped the financial well being and wealth of nations, organisations, and individuals (Munck, 2004, p 55). The greatest beneficiaries of globalisation have undoubtedly been the larger international corporations, mostly from the west but also very substantially from other countries in Asia and certain parts of Latin America and Africa (Saskia Appiah, 1999, p 44). International corporations have been quick to spot the substantial opportunities for reducing production costs in shifting production activities to low cost locations in the developing economies. China has experienced dramatic increases in its production facilities, even as smaller countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh have also become production centres for global corporations (Saskia Appiah, 1999, p 44). Whilst China has truly become the production centre of the world, Indonesia and Bangladesh are now home to numerous textile factories whose products are sold in the best stores in the advanced economies (Saskia Appiah, 1999, p 44). The development of huge facilities in China for manufactured products has been accompanied by a similar growth in Indias services sector. Call centres in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore employ thousands of employees who work for western corporations engaged in marketing, banking, finance, and insurance sectors. The shifting of production activities to low cost locations has helped international corporations significantly in achieving scale economies and reducing production costs. Ongoing globalisation is also helping global corporations by providing them with access to huge new markets in growing economies like those of China, India, Brazil, Russia and East Europe. MNCs are rapidly expanding their presence in these markets in order to increase sales and profits and enhance organisational growth. UK retailers like Tesco and Marks and Spencer now have strong presences in numerous countries across the world (Micro Focus, 2007, p 1). Jaguar Land Rovers third largest market, right after the UK and United States, is China (HT Media, 2010, p 1). McDonalds has more than 1200 outlets in China and is planning to add 600 more in the course of the coming decade (Yan Jones, 2010, p 1). Apart from enhancing the fortunes of MNCs, globalisation has also helped in the dissemination of knowledge and technology across the world. Western universities are accepting increasing numbers of students from the developing economies, even as universities like Harvard are opening centres for higher learning in distant countries (Perrons, 2004, p 73). The Internet is making academic interaction between people far easier. Indian coaching organisations are helping thousands of American students to improve their academic performance in mathematics and sciences (Perrons, 2004, p 73). Expansion in economic activity has specifically helped a number of states to improve their national production steadily from year to year (Horton Patapan, 2004, p 47). China is of course the foremost example of this facet of globalisation. The country shed its insular policy in the late 1970s under the leadership of Chairman Deng and adopted various policies for liberalisation and furtherance of export oriented growth (Horton Patapan, 2004, p 47). The Chinese economy has expanded at a rate of approximately 10% for more than 25 years, making it the second largest in the world today. Apart from China, globalisation has also resulted in positive economic benefits for Brazil, India, and South Africa and for the countries of South East Asia, all of whom have continuously achieved plus 5% economic growth for years (Eschle Maiguashca, 2005, p 109). Countries like Taiwan and South Korea have emulated Japan by developing world class products and penetrating sophisticated markets in the dev eloped countries. Huge increases in exports have radically altered the economies of these countries, and both Taiwan and South Korea now have per capita GDPs that are approaching those of the western nations (Eschle Maiguashca, 2005, p 109). The GDP growth rate of Bangladesh has accelerated in recent years on account of the growth of the textile industry and repatriation of monies from emigrant Bangladeshis (Osmani, 2004, p 5). The readymade garments (RMG) industry has registered phenomenal growth in recent years. Starting from a low base in the mid-1980s, it has by now become both the leading industry and the leading export item of Bangladesh. By the mid-1990s, it was contributing somewhere between 20 and 25 per cent of total value-added and employing between 40 and 50 per cent of the workforce engaged in large and medium scale manufacturing. Its share in total export has risen from barely 4 per cent in 1983/84 to over 75 per cent by the year 2000. (Osmani, 2004, p 7) Supporters of globalisation and neoliberal economics argue that the advantages of economic growth, achieved from globalisation, are bound to trickle down into the economy and improve the economic conditions of lower segments of society (Kiely, 2005, p 76). Whilst it may be too early for such trickle down effects to be clearly visible, there is no doubt of the very substantial improvements that have occurred in the employment levels of developing countries that have received foreign investment in production facilities (Kiely, 2005, p 76). China, easily the largest recipient of production FDI among the developing nations, has seen huge migration of labour from the countryside to the towns, with agricultural workers leaving their fields in hundreds of thousands to take up jobs in new factories. It is estimated that approximately 150 million Chinese have been able to escape poverty in the last two decades on account of the countrys integration with the global economy (Kiely, 2005, p 76). Countries like Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as the countries of east Europe, have also witnessed significant increases in employment figures. The Indian call centre industry provides employment to hundreds of thousands of graduates, who would have had very little chances of remunerative employment in the pre-globalisation era. Such increase in employment has certainly changed the lives of millions of people around the world. It has helped them to grow out of lives of poverty and to provide better life chances to their families (Nesa durai, 2003, p 68). Critics of globalisation point out that the benefits of globalisation are not as rosy as they appear to be. The net increase in global economic production and wealth indicates it to be a net benefit process, even as critics argue that its continuing progress is generating numerous losers; who are being adversely impacted, economically, socially, and culturally, by its spread (Horton Patapan, 2004, p 47). The globalisation process has in the first place enabled multinational corporations to seek out low cost production centres and to transfer much of their production and service facilities to such locations. Such movement of production facilities from the developed countries to low cost environments has resulted in significant reduction of jobs in the advanced nations, primarily in the strongly market driven economies like the UK and the USA, and also to some extent in the more worker friendly societies of West Europe (Eschle Maiguashca, 2005, p 109). Such losses of jobs have result ed in the creation of significant social and political tensions and to subsequent protectionist actions, like those being considered and taken by President Obama to stem the movement of IT services jobs to India (Kiely, 2005, p 76). The opening of trade barriers and liberal import norms has also had significantly adverse impact on local producers, many of whom have not being able to respond effectively to savage competition from low priced Chinese goods. The indigenous fire cracker industry in Europe has practically been demolished by large scale imports of Chinese fire crackers at a fraction of their local cost. Imports of Chinese silk by Indian importers have resulted in severe economic consequences to Indian silk growers and weavers (Went, 2002, p 44). The production of Rare Earth Metals (REMs) has been discontinued in the United States because of Chinese exports of these metals at prices that were fractional of their manufacturing costs in the United States. With REMS being vital for production of important defence products, the US now finds itself vulnerable to Chinese plans to reduce supplies, on account of various reasons, of these metals (Areddy, 2010, p 11). It is also seen that whilst movement of production facilities are leading to the creation of jobs in low income countries, the majority of such jobs are poorly paid and involve exploitative working conditions. Studies on banana growers in Brazil, coffee growers across Latin America, and textile industry workers in Bangladesh reveal that the overwhelming majority of these workers are paid low wages, sometimes less than the minimum wages of these countries, and are forced to work in difficult working conditions (Osmani, 2004, p 6). The readiness of investing companies to take their investment and the associated jobs elsewhere, if their work is obstructed in anyway, leads to the inevitable acceptance of their demands by the governments of developing countries, who do not wish to lose out on their investment and presence. Studies on Indian call centres in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Madras reveal that the employees of these call centres are made to work extremely long hours, given short break s, and not allowed to leave their seats even to go to the toilets. They are castigated and ill treated in public for minor irregularities in work (Perrons, 2004, p 82). Critics of globalisation argue that whilst unemployment in these countries may have reduced to some extent, the quality of employment that has been provided is poor and essentially degrading to the concerned individuals. Globalisation has also resulted in immense environmental degradation. The environment can in fact be considered to be one of the biggest losers of the globalisation process. Multinational corporations, especially those dealing in natural resources, have engaged in numerous anti-environmental activities in order to satisfy increasing global demand for such products. The mining of REMs in China for example has resulted in severe environmental degradation across large tracts of the Chinese countryside (Areddy, 2010, p 11). Mining companies in India have driven tribals out of their natural habitat and destroyed thousands of acres of forests. Oil companies have engaged in unsafe drilling practices and, as evidenced by BPs oil well episode in the Gulf of Mexico, have caused enormous loss to ocean life and to the coastline (Raines, 2010, p 1). It is very clear that globalisation, whilst causal in improvement of global economic activity, has certainly not been even handed in its largesse. The enrichment of some has been accompanied by the deprivation of others. Conclusions This essay focuses on the winners and losers of globalisation. Globalisation, it is evident, is bringing about immense economic, social and cultural change across the globe. With MNCs from the western world driving the process to a large extent, much of the benefits of the globalisation have gone to western corporations and consumers, even as certain areas of the developing world have gained on account of economic investment in production and service facilities. The benefits of globalisation have unfortunately been accompanied by large scale environmental degradation, uneven development, and low wage employment for the poor. With awareness increasing steadily about the adverse consequences of unregulated globalisation, most governments are taking policy actions to regulate its adverse effects. It is important for nations to ensure that their integration with the global economy does not lead to the marginalisation of the poor and the destruction of their natural environment. Word Count: 3000, apart from bibliography

Images of Women in European Art

Images of Women in European Art John Berger is a critic of art, a novelist and a writer. He is also a painter. Berger is known for his book, The G which has won may awards. Berger is also known for his feature an art stick on Ways of seeing. He was born in England in 1926. He attended schools in England and then joined the army. His critic tradition stemmed while teaching drawing in London schools. After dropping from the army he avoided criticizing the Soviet Union but eventually his views of the same union became more acute. It is also beneficial to know that, in 1962, Berger drove himself out of Britain to a self imposed exile. The reason he exiled himself from Britain was because he had considered days in this country distasteful. The article Images of women in European Art is part of Bergers book Ways of Seeing. In this book, Berger has made the reader see art in a different dimension. He argues that the view of the world is not similar with the way it actually is. He uses pictures and not words in first chapters to try to make readers see themselves in a different dimension. An image of Women in European Art has different fallacies that portray the way he sees women in society. He argues in this article that women are sensuous objects that are there to arouse the male audience. He argues that there is a variance in being naked and being nude. Being naked is to be oneself but being nude is to be seen naked by other people. Berger asserts that women are inactive objects that are always available. The article is, therefore, criticized in several ways because of its portrayal of women in the European art. In this article, John Berger reconstructs the way of seeing and attends to perspective and conventions for visual dialogue based on the peoples collective and personal belief constructs. He analyzes the origin of art and the way in which people look at art which he specifies are affected by a chain of learnt assumptions about truth, genius and civilization form. He deals with geometric perspective; the setting of a vanishing point in paintings and the way in which man was induced to believe, he was the center of the uniqueness in the world as the spectator. His discussion of perspective and mans position, as a sole viewer with universal seeing power, informs his discussion of the inherent gender divisions initiated in early works of art. Not only was the viewers perspective god-like and all knowing, but it was overwhelmingly male. More specifically he demonstrates this point i n reference to European art. In the form, of European art, the spectator-owners and painters were always men and these men always saw women as objects. This unequal relationship is so deeply rooted in culture that it still shapes the consciousness of many women. Women in the society always see themselves in the manner in which men see them. They also treat themselves the way men treat them. They explore their own femininity. This is the chief legacy that he points out in this article. It also shapes the way in which the artists view women. Berger was a painter and, therefore, most of his opinions stemmed from his paintings. He clearly distinguished himself as a painter. The paintings of nude women hanged on museum walls were considered as some form of immoral act. They were seen as images of sex. They were considered as images that were there to be used and violated. The male nude forms of male paintings in museums had a different perspective according to Berger. He argued that in the past nude male paintings were seen as a way in which the imitated Christians messiah. They were seen as striving to be like Jesus. In todays paintings, male nudity is seen as not a way of immoral act but as a form of strength. They are considered to be exuding some form of virility. In these present days women, pictures that are nude are seen as a phonographic. These present opinions stem from the past portrayal of women. The question is, is there a difference in a nude man and a nude woman. They are both nude. Why is the woman portrayed in a negative form then? From the deep discussions of the past to the analysis of the present in the use of publicity images, Bergers ideas about the social and beauty assumptions that inform the way we see are fundamental to understanding the image saturated environment and media consumed lifestyle. From art history, and the basics about the changing nature of perspective to spectator viewing and notions of intimacy revealed in European nudes and modern publicity images, promoting lifestyle and brand identities, Ways of Seeing is complete in its dissection of the complexities of the visual culture and comprehensive in its exploration of our reality. Berger has played a role in modern female thinking by exploring how women are portrayed in classical painting and advertising. He takes on the subject so straightforwardly, taking into question the entirety of the womens classical images. Bergers conclusion and that of his interviewees are that the nude womens paintings hanging in the best European museums is nothing more than pornography. The women in those paintings are nothing but objects that can be consumed or violated. He so forcefully speaks against this part of the western canon. However, Berger is not without faults. His appeal of oil paintings portrays them as the highest of visual forms. This may not be the case. In history, photography is somewhat fuzzy, but according to Berger, photography, as a work of art, was finding its way into the finest galleries and museums in the world. Photography is now in the same class with other visual forms of art as almost equal. Bergers reliance on his own arguments and opinions, too, br ings problems. In almost half of his arguments, he has not had a single female critic discussing the subject. Berger proficiently weaves the visual with discussions on the subject of the visual in clear-cut and jargon less language. He clearly presents his views making cautious observations about the visual without looking into art school discussion-style solipsism, ambiguity, tautology, or prevarication. Berger also argues that judging women as beautiful is a way of an artists perspective. In Paris, a woman is judged by how beautiful she looks. Men are the ones who view and judge women as whether they are beautiful or not. This has been incorporated with judgment. A present is awarded to a woman who is tremendously beautiful. This judgment has given birth to what is normally considered like a beauty contest. Those women who are considered to be beautiful, gets the price, and those who are not, do not get any reward. This is how men have set standards for women to use in judging themselves. Does this mean that only women who are considered beautiful by men always win? Is it possible that there are other ways of judging women? Why is it that men are never evaluated in terms of their beauty? Women can also be evaluated a variety of other abilities and not how beautiful they are. There are women writers, painters who have excelled in this field and have won themselves prices (Berger, 197 2). The prizes to be won in beauty contests are owned by the judge. These judges are, in most cases, men. This means that women are available to them. It is also to say that these nude pictures have been placed to satisfy male urge and their desire to possess. Berger argues that, most of the nude paintings in museums have been hung to satisfy the sexuality of a man looking at the picture. Does it mean, then, that nude paintings are hung to satisfy the male sexuality only? Berger also argues that the womans sexuality should be minimized so that the male audience has control of passion being exuded. He further says that women are there to fuel and feed the males appetite. Who will feed the womans appetite if it is only the males that has to be fed? It is hypocrisy that men paint nude pictures of women because they enjoy looking at them and then shove picture to the woman to look at her shame. This is condemning the woman whose picture he had painted to amuse himself. While men look at women, women also look at themselves the way men are looking at them thus making a double audience for themselves. They, therefore, look at themselves as intensely conscious of how they are presented and how they look in the male eyes. He says that a woman who looks at herself is considered as a narcissist while a man who looks at whatever he likes is considered an art connoisseur. Berger argues that only a person can turn someone into being nude. This is taken a step further when Berger points out that the fan owner of a painting becomes the spectator owner of a representation of a woman; therefore, the spectator is depicted as the male and the nude image as the woman who is intended to flatter the man. Male spectators are applied in two ways in the following example that represents a picture: the exchange between Gerty and Bloom and the mention in the painting which was painted in the twentieth century. In Making a spectacle of Herself, Gerty MacDowell in the painting, Katherine Mullin Joyces; suggestive and arousal Gerty are compared to modest and sexually pure Flint of Cummins. She is seen like she is conscious of her beauty and her power to provoke the mans attention, but, Flint is totally unconscious of her beauty. This device is used most of the times to pass on a message to young ones. The prude and modest Flint serves as the role model for youthful Irish women. Mullin states that her reward for her diffidence is her u ltimate marriage to her childhood darling. On the other hand, the sexually open and provoking Gerty is left at the end not married. Why is it, then, that men paint pictures of nude women and later on condemns them? In this example, a naked woman was not married later. It is true even to date that those women who are portrayed as naked in the websites or televisions are rarely married. This is because men believe that they have exposed their nudity in a truly sinful way. Why then did they paint these pictures if they were not destroying the moral reputation of women? Bergers discussions of nakedness are taken further when he asserts that, in western Christian art, nakedness of male is a symbol of a struggle to be more like Christ, while that of female symbolizes lust and sin. The male nudity is, therefore, closer to perfection than that of female. The discussions by Miles, about Adam and Eve, are based on this argument, emphasizing that Eves believed guilt in the fall of man and her creation from the body of Adam have been conventionally treated as the reasons of Eves weakness to Adam. If Eve is a representation of every woman, her imperfections speak to the common limitation of women and their shared sinfulness. Based on Bergers Miles views, the treatment of all women by Christianity as potential witches and the credence of their expected vulnerability to evil are seen as unfairness paid to the depiction of women. There is, therefore, a great reason for the need of a new form of feminist art. Representation of women according to Berger has fallen victim to two systems a) The use of their bodies to provoke the male gaze and the ultimate objectification of women b) The aversive and negative treatment in western Christianity. The two systems are crucial factors that have contributed to the agenda approach used in art, literature, and on screens major types used in gender depiction, which was created by men for themselves. When these are examined, the hidden agenda in representation is exposed, and it sparks one of the most castigatory actions to sexual category politics: women discontinue watching the men in suits and embark on their own representation. In the Judgment of Paris, a story presumably originated by men, starts by displaying the, vanity of female: a dispute of three goddesses over their individual beauty triggers the meeting with Paris, the inducement and the consequences. Then their characters are with vindictiveness and conceit fleshed out, so there is no way that a safe decision can be made by Paris, let alone one that is just. The goddesses are blamed for all of it. Yet this story gives possibilities for the artist (who is not apprehensive with blame) to scrutinize the relationships between power and sexuality. Supposedly, as Berger suggests, Paris and other male viewers have the authority of judgment over the female beauty, but inside the world of the story, the real authority is with the goddesses. In the after effects the argument at Troy was about goddesses who were always responsible for the defeats and victories of men, by their unswerving divine intervention. The goddesss divinity has been artistically represented in various ways. Cranach decided to make their figures bright, but also weak and wife like. They are then infused with vigor by Reuben, but they are on display clearly, for us, as well as for Paris. The figures for Raphael are extremely powerful. They are nude; a world that is naked and filled with parity, but none of the representations undoubtedly represents the power of the power of goddesses over Paris to the level that is achieved by Watteau. The iconographic essentials are in this picture just as they are in Cranach and Raphael. Paris is shown sitting on the lower part of the picture before the key form of Aphrodite. Athena is on the right, and she is already dressed. Hera is retreating at the top of the picture and is followed by Peacock, having said all these. The picture is quite contrary in its components from any that had gone before this because it is representing a valuable genius in this painting; the power of Paris is utterly destroyed. Paris almost cowers, and the way she puts her hands humbly over her head is not a gesture of a judge who is conferring an accolade but that of a supplicant making a submission. Athena and Hera see this too with Hera conceding already and Athena appearing to be shielding herself from the power of the winning goddess. The situation is more intricate that this, for the power that Aphrodite has is openly sexual. All attention is on her as she disrobes (except for Hermes turned away, of course). However, all that can be observed by the spectators in the representation is her lower half. Cupid makes sure that Paris gets a clear view of the genitals of Aphrodites, and that, it seems that it is enough to secure h er victory. Berger considers nudity as a process and not an act. The question is what process? A European humanism, which tried to view nakedness in terms of individuality, argued that nudity should be arrived at by piecing different parts of the body. The reason for this argument is that painting pictures of nude women is a personal interest. There are parts, that he likes most, and, therefore, will want those parts painted for him. Conclusion Bergers representation of these facts about women; can be generalized as fallacies that try to define nudity of women. It is not fair that Berger has these opinions on women. The nude presentation of women poses several discussions on whether women are quite sensual objects that are just there for the amusement of men. The techniques, which Berger has used, are not a fair representation of women. Contrary to Bergers believes, women are not passive in the society and are not sexual symbols. The oil paintings of naked people of whether male or female constitute nudity and should be viewed in the same way as nudity in women is viewed.

20th Century Essay -- essays research papers

Music written since 1900 is called twentieth century music. There have been more types and styles of music written in the twentieth century then ever before. In the twentieth century, the only limit is the composer's imagination. This great variety of musical styles reflected the diversity of life during the early twentieth century. More people were free to choose where to live, how to earn a living, and how to spend their time. The car, airplane, telephone, phonograph, movies, and radio all made the world more accessible and expanded the range of experiences. Technological developments have also had an influence on the twentieth century music, especially electronic music. Like all people, musicians have been affected by the political, economic, and social problems of twentieth century. Hitler’s rise to power in Germany in 1933 had an especially dramatic impact on the lives and careers of musicians. Many composers left Europe for the United States. These refugees made huge contributions to musical culture. One of the most significant changes in components of music that formed twentieth century music is rhythm. The modern music is full of complex rhythms and time signatures. The major reason for the increase of rhythms in twentieth century music is the development of the ballet. The second component of twentieth century music is melody. This new music moves away from the traditional melodic line that previous musical styles had developed. Modern composers have also rejected...

Cuban Cuisine :: Cuban Food

Cuban Cuisine Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Traditional Cuban cooking is primarily peasant cuisine that has little concern with measurements, order and timing. Most of the food is sauteed or slow-cooked over a low flame. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves. Many dishes use a sofrito as their basis. The sofrito consists of onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and ground pepper quick-fried in olive oil. The sofrito is what gives the food its flavor. It is used when cooking black beans, stews, many meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces. Meats and poultry are usually marinated in citrus juices, such as lime or sour orange juices, and then roasted over low heat until the meat is tender and literally falling off the bone. Another common staple to the Cuban diet are root vegetables such as yuca, malanga, and boniato, which are found in most Latin markets. These vegetables are flavored with a marinade, called mojo, which includes hot olive oil, lemon juice, sliced raw onions, garlic, cumin, and little water. A typical Cuban breakfast consists of a tostada and cafe con leche. The tostada is a portion of Cuban bread which is buttered then toasted on an electric grill. The cafe con leche is a combination of strong, espresso coffee with warm milk. Cubans break the tostada into pieces, then dunk them into the cafe con leche, as Americans would dunk their doughnuts into their coffee. Additionally, some may eat ham croquetas, smoky creamed ham shaped in finger rolls, lightly breaded, and then fried. For those on the run, with no time or desire to eat, a shot of cafe cubano, Cuban coffee, will revive the dead. Lunch consists of empanadas, chicken or meat turnovers, or cuban sandwiches. The sandwich could be a media noche (midnight sandwich), consisting of a slice of pork, ham, and swiss cheese and then topped with pickles and mustard on sweetened egg bread. The pan con bistec is a thin slice of palomilla steak on Cuban bread garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and fried potato sticks. One may also order a side of mariquitas, thinly sliced plantain chips, to accompany their hearty sandwich.

Love is Like Water Essay

Love is Like Water, We can Fall in it, We can Drown in it, But we can’t Live Without it Men are born inferior to women. Now I’m Sure there are many men who disagree, however it is a scientific fact. Any person born with the ‘y’ chromosome is born inferior. The conflicting views of men and women have been questioned and debated for centuries. For many years it is said that the male species are superior to women. It wasn’t until August 18, 1940 men deemed women smart enough to vote and have our own political voice. Men have always been the dominant species in most anything in society. It wasn’t until recent studies that show women actually have higher IQ’s then men. It is believed that juggling family life and building a career on top of that has made women smarter. In reality Women and men brains are just wired differently. Men differ from women with their emotions, their affection and also their communication skills. Women are said to be more emotional than men The fact of the matter women do actually communicate with through emotions and intimacy. Research shows that women use language as a way to maintain and develop relationships. Women tend to react more emotionally than men, resulting in submerging themselves, (mind body and soul) into making decisions. For example, women often ask there signficant other â€Å"are you listening† and the man replies â€Å"yes honey I’m listening† and then we reply â€Å"what did I just say† It’s because women feed off of body language. We believe that if your not looking at us, youre not listening. Men see women as less competent to making decisions that involve a lot of thought, and this is due to women’s emotions. Which is probably why a women have never been elected to be president. Women are just more emotional when it comes to, Movies, relationships, and everyday life trials and tribulations. Women use words to start and continue a relationship with a person they find special and close to their heart. They focus more on what they say and do when conversing, which explains why they also find listening an important part in a conversation. Those are the causes that affect women more then men. The difference of emotion is mostly noticed during the midst of a relationship, when a woman seems to not be understood by men and vice versa. Men on the other hand impulsively react to situations for the sake of having a reason to do so. Men tend to simplify their communication in times of  hardship, they do not ex press themselves they way women do. Many women believe that men are very simple minded with no knowledge of anything, and don’t care about anything. In reality most men can communicate and their patterns for thinking are based on logic and reasoning. Men communicate as a way of power rather than as a way of reaching out to another person. For men, conversation is the way you negotiate your status in the world and keep people from pushing you around. They use their communication skills to preserve their independence. Men tend to think that it is logical to state how important their lives are so that they would rise above other men and be seen as the â€Å"Alpha Male†. During a conversation, body language seems to play a much smaller role for men. Men tend to be less skilled at using body language to influence communication without seeming to be doing so. The male’s brain has a greater mass and more gray matter, which leads to a higher ability to process information as facts instead of their emotions like women. Women show affection in a lot of ways. Women show their affection by physical touch, holding hands, giving hugs, or rubbing our significant others back. Some women do it by saying nice things. Some do it by giving gifts. Other women may show their affection by cooking you tasty dinners. There are a lot of ways to show affection, and no two women show it in exactly the same way. â€Å"Actions speak louder than words† is actually more than a clichà ©, it’s truer of men than it is for women in regard to how they show affection. men are more likely to show affection in unspoken ways through actions. There is less subtlety with men. When a guy cares about you, he is likely to find ways to spend time with you, whether enjoying your company or sharing activities such as movies, bowling, miniature golf etc. When a man cares about a women he wants to show her off. studies show that, even if a man is not particularly confident, he will try to engage in physical intimacy with the one he loves and cares deeply about. Women relationships focus on making connections talk is crucial to this process. Sharing secrets, relating experiences, revealing problems and discussing options are essential during a woman’s development. Women generally take another approach to relationships. Their mate is not less profound, it’s just different. focusing on activities rather than conversation. Men believe communication should have a crystal clear purpose. Every conversation is suppose be problem solving or a point that needs to be made. Communication  is used to get to the root of the an issue as efficiently as possible. Women uses communication to discover how she is feeling and what it is she wants to say. She sees conversation as an act of sharing and an opportunity to increase intimacy with her partner. A women tries to dispose negative feelings to strengthen her bond with the man she loves. Although there are many diffrences between men and women. For the most part, men and women use, and prefer, the same ways of comforting their partner.

Gmat -Awa

Guide to Perfect 6. 0 AWA GMAT Score 1. General Structure 1. 1 Argument Intro – Restate argument, point out flaws or state intention to discuss them below 1st Para – First,†¦ 2nd Para – Second/In addition,†¦ 3rd Para – Third/Finally,†¦ Conclusion – The argument is flawed/weak/unconvincing because of the above -mentioned†¦ Ultimately, the argument can be strengthened if/by†¦ 1. 2 Issue Intro – Restate issue, take a position 1st Para – First/One reason†¦ 2nd Para – Second/Another reason†¦ 3rd Para – Third/Perhaps the best reason†¦Conclusion – Acknowledge the other position but re-affirm yours and conclude that it is the stronger. 2. Structural Word (should be all over the essays) Supporting examples – for example, to illustrate, for instance, because, specifically Additional support – furthermore, in addition, similarly, just as, also, as a result, moreover Import ance – surely, truly, undoubtedly, clearly, in fact, most importantly Contrast – on the contrary, yet, despite, rather, instead, however, although, while Decide against – one cannot deny that, it could be argued that, granted, admittedly Ying-yang – on the one hand/on the other handConcluding – therefore, in summary, consequently, hence, in conclusion, ultimately, in closing 3. Templates 3. 1 Argument Intro: The argument claims that †¦. (restate) Stated in this way the argument: a) manipulates facts and conveys a distorted view of the situation b) reveals examples of leap of faith, poor reasoning and ill-defined terminology c) fails to mention several key factors, on the basis of which it could be evaluated The conclusion of the argument relies on assumptions for which there is no clear evidence. Hence, the argument is weak/unconvincing and has several flaws. 1st Para:First, the argument readily assumes that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ This statement is a s tretch†¦. For example,†¦ Clearly,†¦ The argument could have been much clearer if it explicitly stated that†¦ 2nd Para: Second, the argument claims that†¦. This is again a very weak and unsupported claim as the argument does not demonstrate any correlation between†¦. and†¦ To illustrate,†¦ While,†¦ However,†¦. indeed†¦. In fact, it is not at all clear†¦ rather†¦. If the argument had provided evidence that†¦.. then the argument would have been a lot more convincing. 3rd Para: Finally,†¦ (pose some questions for the argument)†¦..Without convincing answers to these questions, one is left with the impression that the claim is more of a wishful thinking rather than substantive evidence. Conclusion: In conclusion, the argument is flawed for the above-mentioned reasons and is therefore unconvincing. It could be considerably strengthened if the author clearly mentioned all the relevant facts†¦. In order to a ssess the merits of a certain situation/decision, it is essential to have full knowledge of all contributing factors. In this particular case†¦. Without this information, the argument remains unsubstantiated and open to debate. . 2 Issue Intro: Many/some people think that†¦. Others†¦.. (restate) The issue is a controversial one but a closer examination reveals that†¦. (take a position)†¦ for several reasons. 1st Para: One reason is that/for†¦ For example,†¦ Furthermore,†¦ Clearly,†¦ 2nd Para: Another reason is that/for†¦ To illustrate,†¦ As a result,†¦ 3rd Para: Perhaps the best reason is (that)†¦. Specifically,†¦ Moreover/In addition†¦. In fact,†¦. Therefore,†¦. Conclusion: In summary, while there are arguments to be made for both sides, it is clear that there are greater advantages to†¦. repeat the reasons). Certainly,†¦.. outweigh†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Hence,†¦. (re-affirm your position) 4. Going from the templates to full-fledged essays 4. 1 Argument ESSAY QUESTION: The following appeared in the editorial section of a national news magazine: â€Å"The rating system for electronic games is similar to the movie rating system in that it provides consumers with a quick reference so that they can determine if the subject matter and contents are appropriate. This electronic game rating system is not working because it is self regulated and the fines for violating the rating system are nominal.As a result an independent body should oversee the game industry and companies that knowingly violate the rating system should be prohibited from releasing a game for two years. † Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.YOUR RESPONSE: Quote: The argument claims that the electronic games rating system, although similar to the movie rating system, is not working because it is self regulated and violation fines are nominal, Hence, the gaming rating system should be overseen by an independent body. Stated in this way the argument fails to mention several key factors, on the basis of which it could be evaluated. The conclusion relies on assumptions, for which there is no clear evidence. Therefore, the argument is rather weak, unconvincing, and has several flaws.First, the argument readily assumes that because the electronic game rating system is self regulated, it is not working well. This statement is a stretch and not substantiated in any way. There are numerous examples in other areas of business or commerce, where the entities are self regulated and rather successful. For instance, FIA, the Formula1 racing organization is self regulated. Yet, the sport is very popular and successful, drawing millions of spectators around the world each year. Tickets are rather expensive, races are shown on pay-per-view, and nearly all drivers are paid very well.Another example is the paralleled movie rating system that the argument mentions. The author fails to clarify whether it is working well, but it is clear that the movie rating system is pretty well received by people, who often base their decisions to go see a movie with kids or not on the movie rating. It has never been a case when someone would feel cheated by the movie rating and express disappointment afterwards. Since the movie rating system is also self regulated, it follows that this regulatory method is working pretty well and it is not obvious how it can be the reason for the poor electronic game rating system.The argument would have been much clearer if it explicitly gave examples of how the self regulatory system led to bad r atings and customer dissatisfaction. Second, the argument claims that any violation fees for bad electronic game ratings are nominal. It thus suggests that this is yet another reason for the rating system not working. This is again a very weak and unsupported claim as the argument does not demonstrate any correlation between the monetary amount of the fines and the quality of the electronic game rating system. In fact, the argument does not even draw a parallel with the mentioned movie rating system and its violation fines.If any such correlation had been shown for the movie rating system, which supposedly works well, then the author would have sounded a bit more convincing. In addition, if the argument provided evidence that low violation fines lead to electronic game manufacturers to ignore any regulations with respect to the game rating system, the argument could have been strengthened even further. Finally, the argument concludes that an independent body should oversee the game industry and companies that violate the rating system, should be punished.From this statement again, it is not at all clear how an independent regulatory body can do a better job than a self regulated one. Without supporting evidence and examples from other businesses where independent regulatory bodies have done a great job, one is left with the impression that the claim is more of a wishful thinking rather than substantive evidence. As a result, this conclusion has no legs to stand on. In summary, the argument is flawed and therefore unconvincing. It could be considerably strengthened if the author clearly mentioned all the relevant facts.In order to assess the merits of a certain situation, it is essential to have full knowledge of all contributing factors. 4. 2 Issue ESSAY QUESTION: â€Å"Poor health and high stress levels diminish the productivity of today’s office workers. In order to maximize profits, companies need to provide white-collar employees with free exercise facilities and free wellness classes. † In your opinion, how accurate is the view expressed above? Use reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading to develop your position. YOUR RESPONSE: Quote:Some people think that productivity at work could be increased if workers are provided with free exercise facilities and wellness classes, as this will improve the workers health and diminish the level of stress in the office. Other people support the claim that people should manage their own health and stress level outside the work space. The issue is a controversial one but a closer examination reveals that companies that promote healthy living among their employees are indeed more productive. One reason is that people often do not find the motivation or the energy to o to a wellness class and exercise outside of work. Most people are usually very tired by the end of the work day and have other family duties or priorities to worry about. For example, do ing grocery shopping, cooking, picking up the kids from practice, etc. Therefore, it is very difficult for such people to make time for exercising and maintain healthy habits. As a result, the stress from a long day of work at the office gets carried over to the next day and the pattern repeats. Eventually, the health of those people worsens and their productivity on the job diminishes.Another reason is that people often find it attractive to do what their friends or colleagues do. For instance, if five colleagues of a worker join a pilates class and are happy about it, they then tend to recommend it to the worker in question and she will eventually join the class. Contagious behavior such as this can be very easily achieved on the job if pilates classes are offered, because then the discovery of the opportunity and the motivation to join are easily found. Hence, exercising at work becomes a very comfortable activity easily fit into a schedule and promotes the health and happiness o f the employees.They not only feel better heath-wise after exercise, but also strengthen relationships with co-workers by doing activities together. In a way, this whole experience can be viewed as team building. Consequently, workers are more energized, alert and therefore productive in their jobs. Perhaps the best reason is that by providing free exercise facilities and wellness classes companies improve their image and become attractive places to be at for future employees. Not only can such companies attract more viable candidates for new openings, but they can also retain longer the employees they already have.To illustrate this point, let us take Google for example. The company was recently ranked as the best one to work at. One of the main criteria for achieving this rank was the fact that the company takes very good care of its employees in terms of encouraging healthy living. There are numerous sports facilities on the Google campus which people are encouraged to use. Those include gyms, swimming pools, volleyball courts, massage chairs, etc. Personal trainers are also available for free for anyone that needs them. There is also a health center facility on site.With that kind of environment it is difficult to not take advantage and live a healthy living, resulting in better productivity on the job. In summary, while there are arguments to be made for both sides of the issue, it is clear that there are much greater advantages for companies to provide their workers with free health facilities and classes. Workers find it not only much easier to take advantage of such opportunities on site, but also are much more motivated to do so there. Participating in sports activities improves the workers' mood, desire to work hard, keeps them healthy, and creates a bond among workers.As a result, this translates to a better productivity of the workers and ultimately to maximized profits for the company. 5. Final tips During the tutorial type in a few sentences in t he mock essay window to get used to the keyboard. Again during the tutorial, jot down on your notebook the basic structure of your essays or the opening sentences in case you get too nervous and forget them when the clock starts ticking. Write as much as you can. Try to write at least 500 words per essay. Always have the e-rater in mind as your potential reviewer.Remember that the human rater will make every effort to grade just like the e-rater. In that sense, keep your structure and volume in mind over actual quality/content. Be careful of spelling mistakes. Double check words that you normally know you misspell (e. g. exercise). Try to finish 2-3 minutes before time is up so you can slowly re-read your essay for the purposes of spell checking. Do not reorganize/delete sentences/paragraphs with less than 2 min left. No matter how great you thought your essays went, try to stay humble and focused – remember this was just a warm-up and the real stuff hasn't started yet!Good l uck! —————————- Here is an essay I wrote for a PR Test – Graded a 6. 0 (normally they grade harder than real thing) Prompt: â€Å"The autonomy of any country is based on the strength of its borders; if the number of illegal immigrants entering a country cannot be checked, both its economy and national identity are endangered. Because illegal immigrants pose such threats, every effort must be made to return them to their country of origin. † Assignment: Discuss how well-reasoned you find this argument.In your discussion, be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logicall y sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion. â€Å"This argument relies heavily on unverified assumptions and has a very extreme conclusion.The author fails to make logical connections between the evidence provided and the conclusion that all illegal aliens must be returned to their country of origin. The first problem with the argument is that it suffers from multiple unsubstantiated claims. The first evidence that is given to support the extreme conclusion is that the autonomy of any country is based on the strength of its borders. This statement is also extreme because it infers that every countries autonomy could be ranked by the strength of its borders. There are many European countries that have very little strength exerted at the borders, but still maintain autonomy.The author should clarify this statement by grouping countries together or using a more vague statement that would include most countries but not all. The next statement in the a rgument is conditional phrase stating that the more illegal immigrants that enter a country the worse off the economy and national identity will be. While this statement might be true for some countries it is certainly not true for all countries. The very foundation of early US society was based on immigrant labor and culture that brought from over the sea. There are still many countries whose economy is heavily dependent on immigrant labor.Even though many economist feel this statement is true in the US today, most would disagree that this statement is true of all countries. The final portion of the author's argument is the conclusion. The conclusion states that the because of disadvantages mentioned earlier all illegal immigrants must be returned to their country of origin. Although this statement might appear to be a logical conclusion of this extreme argument it fails to take extra information into account. The author doesn't give any indication on how extreme these problems wil l be or how costly it will be to return the amount of illegal aliens to their home country.What if the cost to the economy was half the amount that it would cost to send all of the immigrants back to their country of origin? The author could use some monetary figures to prove that some savings would be incurred if all illegal immigrants were deported. In conclusion, the argument suffers from logical flaws and makes an extreme conclusion based on unproven assumptions. The addition of hard examples and connections between the statements would prove to strengthen the argument. † *This just shows you how you don't have to write great to get a good score*