Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, follows the...

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, follows the tragic life of Okonkwo, a man who suffers a miserable fate due to the fear of failure that controls every action he makes. Though the fear of failure acts as motivation to become a successful and respected man at first, it later cripples Okonkwo in such a way that failure ultimately defines his life. Okonkwo is constantly afraid of being a victim of weakness and desperately tries to remain a strong and unyielding man. It is his overwhelming fear of weakness that causes things to fall apart in his life, as his attempts to avoid failure and weakness eventually lead to the ultimate defeat: his shameful suicide. Fear of failure and weakness dominates Okonkwo throughout his life. At first†¦show more content†¦Okonkwo’s unhealthy obsession of wanting to be an unbreakable man becomes so paralyzing that he no longer understands how to recognize the line between weakness and strength. His definitions of strength and weakness are so different from that of the other villagers that he feels compelled to prove himself worthy in ways that are not necessary in the opinions of others. Because of this, he leads himself to his own destruction and failure. It is Okonkwo’s contrasting views from the views of the others in the village that lead to his demise. When the villagers of Umuofia gather to have a meeting to discuss what actions to take regarding the white men, Okonkwo attends with the resolution that no matter what his fellow villagers decide, he will indeed avenge himself and act against the white men. During the meeting, however, five messengers come on behalf of the white men. Okonkwo is enraged by this and jumps forward, standing in front of the messengers and confronts them. When the head messenger says that they have come to end the meeting, Okonkwo becomes so infuriated that he kills one of the five messengers. When the villagers let the other messengers escape, Okonkwo realizes that his village will not go to war with the white men and disappears from the meeting. Later he is found hanging from a tree, dead. Okonkwo makes numerousShow MoreRelatedCommentary on Passge (Page 124-125) of Things Fall Apart by Chnua Achebe1162 Words   |  5 PagesIn this passage of Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, the protagonist and main characters of the novel, Okonkwo, has just been sent into exile away from his land of Umuofia , Nigeria . The crime he has committed to receive such a punishment is the sin of murder. While he is attending a funeral for a man named, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, Okonkwo’s gun accidentally explodes and kills Ezeudu’s sixteen-year-old son. Killing a clansman is a crime against their earth goddess, thus, Okonkwo and his family are sentRead MoreEssay on Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe3009 Words   |  13 Pagescolonized societies and the ways in which writers articulate that identity. Things Fall Apart is a good novel that serves as a reminder of what Nigeria once was. It shows how a society can deal with change, how change affects the individuals of that society, and how delicate a change can be; so much so that the people themselves are surprised at the change. Things Fall Apart is an English novel by the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe which was published in 1957. Throughout the book the role of customsRead MoreThe Portrayal of Women in Things Fall Apart Essay1070 Words   |  5 Pagestendency to look at them more or less than a slave. Chinua Achebe’s post-colonial novel, Things Fall Apart, do at some points of the novel support the case of the subjugated African women in the course of Okonkwo’s life through the practice of polygamy, paying bride price, and the atypical case of Okonkwo beating his wives at slight frustration. In Okonkwo’s eyes, women are mere property and the ones that keep a man sane. But, it is also through Okonkwo, we see women – mothers (Ekwefi), wives (Ojiugo)

Types of Sports Fans - 753 Words

Blake Feldmann Orlet English 101-OL01D 16 June 2010 Types of Sports Fans Professional sports has become one of the most popular industries in the world today. The media spends billions of dollars on advertisements and teams spend millions of dollars on professional athletes all for one reason, the fans. The fans ticket sales and merchandise purchases are what keeps all the sport teams around and prevents professional athletes from losing their jobs. There are three types of fans in the sports world, average fans, fanatics, and fair-weather fans. Fans that are fanatics are the ones who are diehard and will put their favorite team before almost all other priorities. Their lives revolve around their favorite team and they will do†¦show more content†¦Usually they will know all or the majority of the people on their team, but will not know every aspect about them. This type of fan is the most common and will root on and follow their favorite team, but their life is not completely consumed by it by any means. Other priorities still come before their sports team and will not let their favorite team consume all of their time. The last type of fan is a fair-weather fan. This is the least liked fan and these fans irritate many people. Fair-weather fans will like one team one year and switch their favorite team the next year because of recent success by the other team. These people are not truly sports fans, and will just root for who is popular or whoever their peers like so they can fit in. Fair-weather fans root for teams that they do not follow because of excitement revolving around a team or because there are some big names on the team that they have actually heard of. These people will like a team, but will not follow them very closely and may only attend one or two sporting events a year at the most. Fair-weather fans will know the names of the star people on their team, but will not know the majority of their favorite team. Usually they will not have much merchandise with their favorite team on it either because they switch teams so much that they do not have tome to accumulate many goods with their team on them. EvenShow MoreRelatedTypes of Sports Fans624 Words   |  3 PagesStudent’s Name: | Level: | Group No.: | Teacher’s Name: | Teacher’s email: | PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM ON COMPUTER. WHEN YOUR TEACHER WANTS THIS, PLEASE PRINT OUT AND SUBMIT THE IDEA FOR THIS IS TO ESTABLISH A LEARNING JOURNAL PLEASE ADD AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE! My ELT Online http://myelt.heinle.com – Level 4 / Units 2; 6; 10; 11; 12 (World English 3) | Unit / Lesson | World English 3 / Materials | Week - Date complete | SubjectWhat do you want to achieve? | Student commentsHowRead More3 Different Types of Sports Fans841 Words   |  4 Pages3 Different Types of Sport Fans Everybody enjoys going to a sporting event. Whether the sporting event is Football, Baseball, Basketball, or even Hockey. Sporting events bring excitement to all of us, thinking that our team will win. If our team wins, we usually go home happy. Then if our team goes home losing, we get upset or sad inside. Anyways, we will always cheer for our team no matter what especially at the game. There are always those fans though that bugs people to death. Anytime at aRead MoreSports Essay1083 Words   |  5 PagesKevin Walters Go Team! Sports have become a huge part of this country’s culture, and the sports fans make up a good portion of the population. Every other conversation you hear, whether it be at the water cooler or in a bar, has something to do with some big play or blown call that happened the night before. The popularity of sports has grown magnificently in just the last 24 years that I have been a sports fan. What used to be all the men yelling and cussing at the TV, has become almost as popularRead MoreThe Impact Of Sports On Sport On Society1263 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Participation in sport is a significant aspect of leisure activity in our society (Filo, Funk, O’Brien, 2008). Additionally, sporting events influence millions of people and create a worldwide phenomenon- sport fandom (Keaton Honeycutt, 2014). The emotions of sport fans rise and fall with their favorite team’s performance. 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College students and more specifically student-athletes are engaging in gambling for various reasons. According to (Huang, Jacobs, Derevensky, Gupta, Paskus, 2007)â€Å"the top 3 reported reasons for student- athlete gambling were â€Å"for fun† (75.6%), â€Å"to win money† (53%), and â€Å"for excitement (52.1%).† College students are participating in all types of gambling most of them being legal. ResultsRead MoreSports Marketing and Mobile Technology Essay971 Words   |  4 PagesSports marketing has made its way directly to the fans. In the past, only the extremely devoted fans would check on their teams online but no w, the norm has changed. Now the devoted fans learn new information before anyone else, and even get rewarded for it. In the article â€Å"The Passion of the Fan†, by Stewart Feil, fans are being rewarded for posting about their favorite teams on social media. 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These types of activities may require different materials or levels of understanding, but they all revolve around competition. It can also be argued that competition is what drives us to success in life. We strive to become better workers at our jobs and better students in class ahead of all of those behind us. Sports are one of the most popularRead MoreJust A Normal Football Fan1049 Words   |  5 Pagesa Normal Football Fan There is a variety of professional sports in the world today. People from all over have come to enjoy watching athletes compete. The fans of these sports all love, cheer and support their respected teams. Even so, there is diversity among sports fans. Sports fans usually exhibit distinct behaviors that separate them from others. By examining the behaviors of a sports fan, a person can categorize the different types of fans. Football fans can be classified into

Impact of Income on Purchase of Luxury Fashion Products Free Essays

string(64) " only buy luxury fashion products when they have a high income\." Executive Summary The current paper is a synopsis of the study on influence of Income on purchase of Luxury Fashion Products. The suggested study is a quantitative study of women and uses age based sampling; women aged 16-45 years. The traditional economics concept that higher income would lead to higher consumption of normal and quality goods and lesser of inferior goods are often challenged by marketers for luxury goods. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Income on Purchase of Luxury Fashion Products or any similar topic only for you Order Now Literature suggests that there are a number of other factors other than income that lead to purchase of luxury fashion products such as brand affiliation, prestige and social status, symbolic, functional, emotional attributes. Thus the research would explain the importance of income when young women in UK make purchase decisions related to luxury fashion products. The study is suggested to be quantitative in nature but in accordance with the logical positivism philosophy. It would follow a survey strategy and close ended questionnaire would be used in the research. The findings from the study are expected to have significant implications for companies in luxury products industry as well as specifically for marketers, marketing luxury fashion products to women in UK. 1 Introduction The current paper provides a synopsis for the study of impact of income on consumer decision making regarding luxury fashion products. The suggested study would use a case study of women in UK between ages of 16-45 years. The synopsis explains the research background, aims and objectives, scope and limitations, literature review and methodology for conducting the study. It further highlights the expected problems and limitations of the research. 1.1 Research Background: The suggested study is aimed at studying the impact of income on purchase decision regarding luxury fashion products. A further case study of women aged between 16 to 40 years from the United Kingdom has been taken. Like other industries, even within luxury goods, the marketers have to consider factors like competition, globalization, increased customer sophistication and maturity of markets etc to formulate its marketing strategy (Djelic and Ainama, 1999). The Economic crisis 2008 affected the sales in the luxury goods industry. However an upturn was observed in 2010. According to Passariello (2011) the luxury goods market in the Europe is worth ˆ168 billion and showed reasonable growth in the year 2010. The growth is not just specific to Europe, but market for luxury goods has increased greatly world over in the last few years. According to McKinsey Co‘s research, the highest growth is expected to be within China which is expected to grow by 20% till 2015 (Atsmon, Dixit and Wu, 2011). In luxury industry, globalization also offers huge opportunities like an emergence of new markets in countries like India, Russia and China (Silverstein, Fiske and Butman, 2003). The fastest growing market as suggested by analysts is that of China since the economy is growing very fast and the income of the people has significantly increased in the last few years (Agarwal and Wu, 2004). According to Roberts (2012) the luxury goods market incr eased by 4% in Europe in 2012, mainly attributable to high tourist spending but low local demand. Each year, more Chinese tourists visit Europe and are counted as biggest spenders on luxury products (Passariello, 2011). The marketers, in order to benefit from the emerging opportunities and promote sales of luxury fashion products, need to know the motivations of the targeted markets. The UK market is now recovering from recession and is an important market for sales of luxury fashion products. The economists suggest that as the income of consumers increases they move to quality goods from inferior goods. This is an objective explanation and the income is given as objective criteria however for luxury goods, marketers stress subjective reasons more. For example, Phau and Prendergast (2000) were of the view that how consumers perceive luxury is in subjective terms and it is their understanding of â€Å"luxury† which determines their related purchase behaviour. Marketers argue that income is not as important as a factor for purchasing luxury products. According to them Luxury goods consumption has always been a significant social practice while Berry (1994) explains that the value one attaches to luxury is a component crucial to the self-realization of a society. The marketers thus need to identify other factors that motivate the consumers to buy luxury fashions products besides income. The suggested research would study impact of income as well as important factors besides income that the marketers need to consider when developing their marketing campaigns for luxury fashion products. Dubois and Duquesne (1993) in their research found that culture is as important as income that determines the consumptions of luxury product s. 1.2 Research Aims and Objective: The research aim is to study the impact of income level on consumer decision making in the case of luxury fashion products. The aim would be achieved by the following objectives: To review literature and understand the factors impacting consumer decision making for luxury products. To study income as a factor and how it impacts purchase decisions regarding luxury fashion products. To understand the role of income for purchase decisions by young women. To develop a framework to explain the income effect on purchase of luxury fashion products by women. To study the significance of variables other than income that has an impact on luxury purchase behaviour. To make recommendations to the companies and marketers dealing in luxury fashion products for women. 1.3 Research Question The main research question that the research would answer is: Does income influence purchasing of Luxury Fashion ProductsThe study would test related hypothesis such as: H1: Income is an important factor for purchase of luxury fashion products. H2: The women in different age groups have different buyer orientations towards luxury products. H3: Income if an important factor for young women in UK for consumption of luxury fashion products. H4: Income is not the main factor but value creation for older women when buying luxury fashion products. H5: Women only buy luxury fashion products when they have a high income. You read "Impact of Income on Purchase of Luxury Fashion Products" in category "Essay examples" H6: Social motivations are more important variable for fashion conscious women in UK. H7: Luxury loving women do not consider income an important factor when purchasing luxury fashion products. 2 Preliminary Literature Review Whenever a consumer, practitioner or a researcher focuses on luxury goods, some specific characteristics of a number of luxury brands may come in mind such as Chanel suits, Cartier watches or Hermes handbags. These are all expensive, excellent quality, aesthetic heritage, design, reputation, desirability, exclusivity, inaccessibility, and personality reflection (Quelch, 2006). Quelch (2006, p.100) states that: Luxury brands are those whose ratio of functional utility to price is low while the ratio of intangible and situational utility to price is high. Besides satisfying the material needs of the consumers, the luxury goods also addresses social and symbolic needs (Wiedmann et al., 2007). Some researchers have further delineated luxury goods by comparing and contrasting their characteristics to the characteristics of mass consumption products. Riley, Lomax, and Blunden (2004) specified various features of luxury goods (e.g., Christian Dior fragrance) differing from everyday consumer goods (e.g., Dove soap). According to scholars, luxury goods are intended for niche market segments (Riley, Lomax, and Blunden, 2004). The marketers of luxury fashion products use exclusive placing, promotion, distribution and marketing segmentation techniques. On the other hand, for non-luxury products, they focus more on functionality and price. When buying luxury goods the consumers are influenced by quality, status and prestigious brands. Marketers emphasize association with heritage and craftsmanship when positioning luxury brands. Riley, Lomax, an d Blunden (2004) also explained that after-sales services and several other methods of value creation are very important in luxury goods. Hauck and Stanforth (2007) said that income effects, to some extent, the perception of luxury. For example, something might be a perceived necessity for one person while a perceived luxury for another. A popular way to identify luxury is based on five factors framework given by Phau and Prendergast (2000). These factors include brand identity, exclusiveness, high level of brand awareness; focus on customer loyalty and quality. In consumer behaviour literature the model given by Vickers and Renand (2003) explains that the purchase behaviour is determined by experiential, interactional symbolic and functional aspects for luxury goods since they are high in both social and personal identity. The non luxury products are only high in functional aspects. The model given by Seringhaus (2005) includes emotion related factors like personality and image, effective symbolic communication for brand identity and congruence with self-concept which positions luxury brands. According to Tse (1996), most of the research done on consumption strongly indicates the reflection of Western society and its impact on individualistic goals. In an individualist society, the behaviour and motivational factors of consumers when purchasing products may be fundamentally different from those in a collectivist society. Numerous scholars (e.g., Phau Prendergast, 2000) have testified that collectivist consumers have different attitudes and perceptions regarding luxury brands as compared to the consumers belonging to the individualist societies. Wiedmann, Hennigs, and Siebels (2007) however, argued that consumer behaviour for product categories like cars, fashion and luxuries is independent of their cultures and regions. According to this school of thought, the information search and exchange are universal in nature for such kind of products. Behaviour is an aspect of attitude derived from values and hence is associated to culture. Since attitudes are a projection of be liefs; consumers holding different beliefs about making purchases will therefore differ in their methods of searching information and making purchase decisions Personal attitude and values of a consumer has a bigger impact on their purchase behavior than their income. This means that people of same income group but different social and cultural backgrounds may have different approach towards buying luxury goods, depending upon their preferences and values. For instance the low income segment of consumers may possibly have a desire to buy only the best, as a result of which they may not buy bulk of luxury goods but quality goods. By and large, consumers can be divided into three categories on the basis of their income level: average, elite and lower class. It must be noted that though there would be a substantial difference between the purchasing power of the elite and lower class however both the classes have certain purchasing habits similar to their respective classified segment. But despite all this, it would be illogical to deny the impact of income on a consumer’s buying behavior, on both, prices and types of products. Early researchers argued that social class can be a better predictor of consumer purchase behavior than income (Keiser and Kuehl, 1972; Shimp and Yokum, 1981). Likewise, Coleman (1960 in Keiser, and Kuehl, 1972) found that while purchasing furniture, the prices of purchased goods and social class have a higher correlation than between the prices of purchased goods and income. To find the answer to the debate of income versus social class, numerous researches were conducted. The answers established the superiority of income over social class (e.g. Myers et al., 1971). According to Myers and his colleagues (1971) income had more predictive power over social class, when examining the purchase behavior of low priced goods, semi-durable and durable products, cosmetics, plus services such as travel, furniture, clothing and appliances. Sivadas (1997) also testified that income is a better predictor than social class when it comes to consumer behavior for leisure and recreational activities. Earlier consumers used to shop according to the value of dollar, which stayed limited to purchasing necessary products and services only. Modern shoppers, however, make purchases when rewarding themselves and utilize shopping as a method of â€Å"feeling good† and self-satisfaction. In contemporary society, consumers make purchases to make a statement, exhibit their personality and boost their self-image. Since the purchased goods are in accordance with the psyche of the consumers, the researcher decided to assess the pattern of consumer purchase behavior with regards to luxury products. Some researches take income as the prerequisite, for example they study elite consumers only when studying consumption of luxury fashion products. They then use psychosocial variables to differentiate between the consumers of luxury products (Xiao and Pras, 2011). Researchers further show that even though men buy more luxury products in few cultures but the decision is influenced greatly by women. Study by Kaefer, Heilman and Ramenofsky (2012) showed that attitude of wife towards luxury products is very important and women have an impact on spending their spouses. Truong (2010) considers the role of personal aspirations and suggested that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are important for consumption of luxury goods. 3 Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy: The methodology design is a very important part of any research based study. For the purpose of this research, it is suggested that a logical positivism research philosophy should be adopted. The philosophy suggests that empirical analysis should be backed by a logical analysis (Potter, 1996). Such a research would not only suggest findings but would also justify the findings using logic and literature. Using this philosophy would add a qualitative aspect to the research and would help the reader better understand the findings and implications. 3.2 Research Approach: Research approach can be defined as the studying of a phenomenon in order to collect, transmit and produce knowledge under the examination of a researcher. Thomas (2003) noted that either of the two research approaches, i.e. qualitative or quantitative or both, can be used in a dissertation depending upon the nature and purpose of the study. Qualitative research is also referred to as inductive approach, through which one can understand the research context and the occurrence of different events. However, the drawback of this research approach is its extensive nature and that it is hard to be defined and measured. Different scholars have observed that this approach relies upon a phenomenological and post-empirical assessment of the world, which perceives that reality is constructed socially as depicted by the situational context (Bryman and Bell, 2007). The quantitative research method, otherwise termed as deductive research approach, can be largely regarded as the scientific data co llection method. The quantitative data can be effectively classified, measured and assessed due to its numerical outlook. It is framed on firm rules or formulas and follows very strict procedures for making determinations (Bryman and Bell, 2007). A quantitative approach is being used because the results can be easily generalised and presented in the form of an empirical analysis. The quantitative study would provide an objective measure for importance of income for purchase of luxury fashion products. Furthermore, significant variables other than income and the extent of dependence of consumption of luxury on them can be identified using the quantitative approach. In this research, a quantitative approach is suggested using a survey strategy. The quantitative approach would help study the significance of income as a variable in quantitative terms. A survey strategy is easy and economical, and can help collect quality data in short spaces of time (Saunders et al., 2007). The sample size for the survey is suggested to be 300 however the size can be reduced due to certain problems and limitations of research. Furthermore, as aforementioned, demographic sampling would be used. Women in UK from aged between 16-45 years would be randomly selected and contacted for the study and would be asked to fill questionnaires. This age group has been chosen because they have exposure to different levels of income as well as social motivations are different at different ages. Furthermore, women are generally thought to be the intra-house income decision makers and consumption allocators (Bourguignon et al., 1993; Ashraf, 2009). 4 Data Collection and Analysis For data collection purposes, a researcher is provided with two techniques: primary data collection and secondary data collection. The suggested research would be primary research and would make use of primary data primarily. As previously mentioned, a survey strategy would be employed and in accordance, questionnaires would be used as data collection tools. The development of a questionnaire is a lengthy process however it is alongside meeting the data collection needs of the research. Prior to development of the questionnaire a framework would be designed using literature review. Using the literature review, main variables would be indentified that have an impact on purchase and consumption of luxury fashion products. For the initial literature review it is suggested to include several variables such as perceived quality, brand loyalty and social status and as such they should be studied as independent variables. Income can be used as an independent variable or a moderating variable in the study. The choice would be clearer for the researcher after reviewing more literature on the subject. Lastly, the purchase behavior would be the dependent variable. For the purpose of analysis, SPSS would be used which would make the data collection, management and analysis easier. 4.1 Reliability, Validity, And Generalisability: For any research, issues regarding qualitative or quantitative data, reliability, validity and generalisability are important factors for determining the quality. For quantitative research, the reliability and validity can be tested in quantitative terms (Creswell, 2009). For example, in the suggested study a pilot test would be conducted and using croncbach’s alpha the validity and reliability would be determined. Furthermore, using triangulation and support from literature the findings would be supported according to the logical positivism approach. This research focuses on an in-depth analysis of the purchase behaviour of women in mainland or suburban areas of the UK, whilst keeping in focus the significance of different income groups of consumers within a market. Since this study is limited to the urban markets of luxury, it might therefore be inappropriate to generalize the results of the study to beyond the urban and suburban areas of UK. Similarly the gender and age based sampling decreases the generalisability of the study. 4.2 Research Limitations The most important limitations that the researcher would need to consider at every step of research are time and capital. Besides time and finance, the scope of the research would be limited to luxury goods and the UK market. The realm of luxury goods constitutes capital goods like personal jets, real estate, luxury automobiles, and yachts; consumer services in expensive retail stores, resorts and hotels; and wines and champagne, as well as exotic vacations, travelling; and financial services such as credit cards etc., targeted at elite class consumers. However this study will keep itself limited to the superior personal fashion goods such as apparel, perfume and accessories, such as watches, handbags, shoes and jewellery. The research conducted in the future could examine the other product categories for further exploration of the luxury goods market in UK. 5 Conclusion This study is aimed at understanding and assessing luxury goods consumer behaviour. Product development, communications management, branding strategies and numerous other business activities require understanding consumer behavior, especially towards luxury products. In order for the designers, retailers and producers of the luxury products brands to benefit from the market expansion trends, they need to have a thorough understanding of the consumer behaviour of their target market. Therefore a proactive investigation of the target consumers and their purchase behaviour is necessary to derive the implications for marketers of the industry. Therefore to this end this research provides an insight for practitioners of the UK luxury goods market by documenting the potential and the landscape of the UK goods industry with valuable information regarding the consumer behaviour. 6 TIME CHART References Agarwal, J. and Wu, T. (2004). China’s entry to WTO: global marketing issues, impact and implications for China. International Marketing Review. Vol. 21. P.279. Ashraf, N. (2009). Spousal Control and Intra-household Decision Making: An Experimental Study in the Philippines. American Economic Review. 99(4). Pp. 1245–77. Atsmon, Y. Dixit, V. And Wu, C. (2011). Tapping China’s luxury-goods market. [Online] Mckinsey Quarterly. Available at: http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Tapping_Chinas_luxury-goods_market_2779 [16th April, 2012]. Berry, C.J. (1994). The idea of luxury: A conceptual and histiorical investigation. New York: Cambridge University Press. Bourguignon, F and Chiappori, PA and Browning, M and Lechene, V (1993) Intra -Household Allocation of Consumption: A Model and Some Evidence from. Annales d’Economie et de Statistique 0(29). Pp.137–56. Bryman, A., and Bell, E., (2007), Business research methods, Oxford University Press, New York. Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry research design: choosing among five approaches. Oaks, Calif.: Sage, cop. Djelic, M.L. and Ainamo. A. (1999). The convolution of new organizational forms in the fashion industry: A historical and comparative study of France, Italy, and the United States. Organization Science. 10(5). Pp 622-637. Dubois, B and Duquesne, P. (1993). The Market for Luxury Goods: Income versus Culture. European Journal of Marketing. 27(1), pp.35 – 44 Hauck, W.E. and Stanforth, N. (2007). Cohort perception of luxury goods and services. Journal of Fashion Marketing and management. 11 (2). Kaefer, F., Heilman, C.M. and Ramenofsky, SD. (2012). 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An Analysis Of Thinking And Research About Qualitative Methods. Mahwah, NJ: Routledge. Quelch, J.A. (2006). Readings In Modern Marketing. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. Riley, F.D., Lomax, W. And Blunden, A. (2004). Dove vs. Dior: Extending the Brand Extension Decision-Making Process from Mass to Luxury. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ). 12(3). Pp. 40–55. Riley, F.D.O., Lomax, W. and Blunden. A. (2004). Dove vs. Dior: extending the brand extension decsiion making process from mass to luxury. Australasian Marketing Journal. 12 (3). Pp 40-55. Roberts, A. (2012). Cavalli CEO Says Europe’s Luxury Goods Market Is in Difficulty. [Online] Bloomberg. Available at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-24/cavalli-ceo-says-europe-s-luxury-goods-market-is-in-difficulty.html [16th April, 2012]. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2007). Research Methods for Business Students, Delhi: Pearson Education. Seringhaus, F.H.R. (2005).Selling Luxury Brands online. Journal of Internet Commerce. 4(1). Pp.1-25 Shimp, T. A., Yokum, J. T. (1981). Extensions of the Basic Social Class Model Employed in Consumer Research. Advances in Consumer Research, 8. pp. 702-707. Silverstein, M.J. Fiske, N. and Butman, J. (2003). Trading up: The new American Luxury. New York: Portfolio. Sivadas, E. A. (1997). A preliminary examination of the continuing significance of social class to marketing: a geo-demographic replication, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 14 (6). pp. 463-479. Thomas, R.M. (2003). Blending qualitative quantitative research methods in theses and dissertations, Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press. Truong, Y. (2010). Personal aspirations and the consumption of luxury goods. International Journal of Market Research. 52(5). P. 655. Tse, D. (1996). Understanding Chinese people as consumers: Past finingds and future propositions. In M.H. Bond, The Handbook of Chinese psychology. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. Vickers, J.S. and Renand, F. (2003). The marketing of luxury goods: an exploratory stiudy—three conceptual dimesions, Marketing Review. 3. Pp. 459-478. Wiedmann, K.P. Hennings, N, and Siebels. A. (2007). Measuring consumer’s luxury value perception: a cross-cultural framework. Academy of Marketing Science Review. 2007 (7), pp 1-21. Xiao Lu, P. and Pras, B. (2011), Profiling mass affluent luxury goods consumers in China: A psychographic approach. Thunderbird Int’l Bus Rev, 53. Pp. 435–455. How to cite Impact of Income on Purchase of Luxury Fashion Products, Essay examples

Between the World and Me Essay Example For Students

Between the World and Me Essay Outline1 Introduction2 Short summary3 The scope of the story4 Challenges accomplished by Coates5 Beliefs of Coates6 Summary Introduction Between the world and me  is a story of Ta-Nehisi Coates in which he is writing a letter to his fifteen-year-old son named as Samori about the best methods to survive in the modern world. As most of the themes are based on racism, the American dream  and inspiring stories, Coates has briefed the concept of struggle and how the hard work had brought significant improvement in his life. Basically, the author is writing the novel by overviewing the racist murders of John Crawford, Eric Garner, Mike Brown and Renisha McBride as the American society has an old tradition of destructing black people’s bodies. Furthermore, he recalls the torture, violence, and efforts of Malcolm X  that helped black parents to protect their children while living in Baltimore. Short summary Between the world and  me is a letter from renown author Ta-Nehisi Coates which is written in reference to son Samori for making him aware of what does it really mean to become a black man in America. As the book-length letter is divided into three parts, each one has a unique theme  and story which makes it interesting for the readers go through. Part 1 Talking about the first part of the letter, the author recounts experiences being a young man and the time he grew up in Baltimore. As it was a period when walking to school was dangerous, and many people  often got murdered, he continued to study at Howard University and became a successful writer. Part 2 The second part of the letter covers the events after the birth of his son Samori. As it starts with the death of an African American man Prince Jones who was killed by a police officer, the writer continues the story by explaining the events of Malcolm X  which led him to move his family to New York City and finally to France. Part 3 The third part is the last section of the letter which covers Coates’s major life events such as the visit with his mother Mable Jones who was a hardworking woman and did her best to raise her children properly. The scope of the story Between the world and me  is all about people  who have been struggling hard in their lives to achieve success. After Ta-Nehisi Coates graduated from Howard University which he calls â€Å"His Mecca†, he moved to Maryland which was an area plagued by police brutality. As the work  mostly covers his lifespan stories and events of Malcolm X, Coates then migrated to New York along with his family where he also established his writing career. Furthermore, Coates believed that things could be changed through hard work, willingness and determination. As he prompts  dreamers about their laziness and ignorant attitude, the meaning  of the story is all focused-on individuals who want to live a happy life ahead. Although Coates is an atheist and was raised in a home where religion was not followed, the work  he performs in his life can surely be considered by readers and young generation to write an appreciable thesis. Challenges accomplished by Coates Coates was intelligent, hardworking and believed that struggle could eventually lead to success. Although he was against dreamers, he wanted individuals to acknowledge the reality and change circumstances on by doing the work  which brings benefit to their community. Furthermore, he followed the approach of Malcolm X  and wanted all young boys not to rely on false hope or stories as set by solitary heroes and maintain equality amongst the countrymen. With the latest advancements in technology, people  have greater chances of making a bright future and help their fellow beings as well. Coates left Dr. Jones house only to make the community aware about the disadvantages of dreaming and brought a positive hope that will surely develop awareness and responsibility amongst people. .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .postImageUrl , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:hover , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:visited , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:active { border:0!important; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:active , .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746 .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u929896d429fdc07c337fead7b3de6746:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Impact Of Hurricanes In Florida EssayBeliefs of Coates Coates was born in a home which did not follow any respective religion meaning that he had no spiritual framework to gain motivation and uplift. Although black Christians pray and hope for justice, their bodies were still being destroyed, and as a result, the act promoted exploitation within the area. Furthermore, this differentiated Malcolm X  from the modern-day leaders and how he had set priorities to protect his citizens and community. Between the world and me  brings great explorations and opportunities for the readers to make augmentative essay  questions. By performing in-depth analysis, one can certainly understand the struggle and focus when reading the acts of Malcolm X  and how did he bring a great revolution to stop brutal activities with black bodies. Summary After reading Coates amazing life story written in a letter form to his son, we can understand the devotion, willingness and positive attitude he had towards his community. With each phase of his life clearly presented, individuals can learn the best ways to develop self-confidence, willingness to do hard work and make their community a better place to live.

Boston beer case free essay sample

Koch blundered by not adopting a more aggressive growth strategy in the 1 9905. His overly cautious approach guaranteed that Boston Beer would never be more than a niche player in the U. S. Beer market Boston Beer Companys main growth strategy was focused by differentiation. The sources of its competitive advantage can be classified as a company that provides high quality beer with unique flavors, a market driven approach, and a very efficient contract brewing strategy. Unfortunately, by the sasss, their initial public offering of $30 went as low as to $8 per share.Since the easy of entry into the microbrewery business is low, that resulted in about 3000 new microbrewery into the market. When there became too many options available for the consumer, Jim Koch should have approached the situation and avoided the risks of the companys shares from falling, right when they saw stocks going down. He could have also approached having a more aggressive growth approach when the company went PIP. We will write a custom essay sample on Boston beer case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They could have avoided the company from becoming part of the niche market, which is still the case today.If he would have been a little more aggressive when they went PIP, they could have invested money into a brewery where they can meet their demands, not over exuberant the expansion. Also, they could have invested in finding the right marketing campaign like using celebrities or just advertising the beer to capture consumers attention. They really needed to create a type of quote or motto people would remember, just like Dos Squish and Coors light. Boston Beer Company has failed to that and for that reason their growth is still at a steady pace where is still not part of the big dogs yet.Since they focus so much on differentiation as their strategy, why couldnt they capture consumers attention quicker and faster? In the 1 asss, Jim Koch should have changed his company from getting into a niche market into a general market, so that today he still does not need to prove or go bar t o bar, to ask them to carry their beer. It should be a first option when someone is opening a bar to have Samuel Adams beer because the consumers love It. He failed to do so by not taking advantage in the asses and he will still have to do the same beer pitch to bars, because of his mistake.

Becomming a Director essays

Becomming a Director essays Directing is a difficult, yet exciting and creative career with a long history and a promising future. It's a career full of stress, but the end production is well worth it. With a little time and a lot of patience, someone could create a successful movie, TV show, or play. Someone always have to be ready for rejection though. Critics can be harsh. "... It's no wonder why directing is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining." (Internet #2), they work with so many people and so many things. They determine how everything should look. It's not always easy to predict the outcomes but everything has to be perfect. The main idea of a director is to make scripts come alive. They do this by hiring actors, choreographers, technicians, stage crew, caterers, etc. (Internet #1). Also, according to this site, "actors must be paid minimum salary and can work no more than a set number of hours depending on their contracts." Directors must obey the rules set by the union (Internet #1). The union is a type of organization that deals with the assurance of actors getting what they deserve; such as salaries, benefits, and working hours (parents input). Becoming a director isn't all that easy. Usually, it's not something 'just anyone' can do. It's not likely someone can do this straight out of high school. First off, they should be prepared to work under difficult conditions (Internet #2). The 'aspiring director' must have at least a bachelor's degree in some kind of media or broadcasting field. Along with that, they should at least complete a short film by their college graduation (Internet #1). Another plus is going to a film school. "Formal training in directing is available at a number or colleges and universities." (Internet #1). The Bachelors degree will help in getting better opportunities to direct in better, high quality, higher paying placements (Career Encyclopedia Vol. II pg. 817-822). Us ...

Discuss the effects of hazardous materials on the fire service Essay

Discuss the effects of hazardous materials on the fire service - Essay Example They are produced due to incidents in plants or other such activities. There are a large number of hazardous materials that are used as chemicals in various walks of life such as in agriculture or cultivation of land. These chemicals get dissolved in the soil and contaminate the water sources as well as compromise the hygiene. The waste from the industries is also a main source of increasing amount of hazardous materials in the environment. These wastes are discharged in rivers, seas, and oceans hence polluting the water sources as well as the aquatic life. In order to understand the effect of hazardous material we must take into considerations the main causes of these hazards, the ways in which they can affect the human body, the precautions that must be taken in order to perform a safe rescue operation during fire service and also the handling of the situation from the beginning to the end with correct decisions and safety as the prime concern. Contamination is simply defined as the contact of a hazardous material with the clothes or some part of a body such as hair, skin e.t.c. while exposure happens when a hazardous material enters a human body through respiration or other means or is in direct contact with human body. To avoid these issues fire service men are provided an apparatus and special kind of clothing that resists exposure as well as contamination. Exposure can happen without contamination however in certain case contamination usually results in exposure unless only the clothing is affected by the hazardous material. For example many gases can enter a human body without coming in contact with the parts of the body or the clothing through the process of respiration or breathing. The human skin has an ability to absorb certain substances which it comes in contact with. But this depends upon certain conditions namely the time for which the substance comes in contact with the skin. If a hazardous material comes

Emergency Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Emergency Nursing - Essay Example experience in critical care. Some nurses have a Baccalaureate degree, others have diplomas and associate degrees as their base education. Some hold Masters degrees as well. PALS- Pediatric Advanced Life Support and ACLS- Advanced Care Life Support are other certifications that can be obtained in specialized areas (NHT, 2008) A minimum of one year work experience is preferred and critical care skills.The nurse must be an independent thinker, be comfortable with and capable of using nursing skills and procedures and be able to make a decision in a timely manner. Assertive and non- emotional nurses are preferred, with excellent communication and critical thinking skills. An excellent understanding of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology is also required (NENA, 2003) Emergency nursing requires expertise in several core competencies. The emergency nurse must be able to interpret data, perform objective assessments, interpret diagnostic results and select nursing interventions to manage the following areas of competencies. 1. Triage 2. Respiratory 3. Cardiovascular 4. Neurological 5. Maxillofacial/ eye/ear/nose/throat 6. Gastrointestinal 7. Genitourinary 8. Obstetrical client 9. Musculoskeletal/ Integumentary 10. Multi-system traumas Emergency Nurse Role 4 11. Environmental Emergencies 12. Immunological/Hematological/Endocrine systems 13. Knowledgeable in Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault 14. Toxicology 15. Mental Health 16. Infectious Disease 17. Psychosocial 18. Discharge Planning/ Client Education 19. Professional Practice Issues/ Legal & Ethical Issues Triage refers to the practice of grouping patients from the most critically ill/injured to the least. This is to ensure that... Patient Care-Emergency nurses care for patients and families in hospital emergency departments, ambulances, helicopters, urgent care centers, cruise ships, sports arenas, industry, government, prisons, military, poison control centers

Global Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Global Economics - Essay Example This paper talks about two big concepts of the global economics which are Inflation and Economy of Scales. There are various reasons which may lead to increase in costs. The first reason includes the rising costs of imported raw materials possibly caused by inflation in nations that heavily rely on exports of these products. Also, a fall in value of a country’s currency in the foreign exchange markets increases the price of imported inputs of that country. The second is the rising costs of labor; this is caused by an increase in wages which exceed and enhancement in productivity. Labor intensive firms are largely affected by this cause. Firms may not be able to absorb higher wage expenditures; thus, they pass the costs to customers. As a result, the wage inflation increases the price inflation. Thirdly, the imposition of higher indirect taxes by the government. An example is the increase in the excise duty rate, VAT, standard rate or fuel duties. These taxes are charged on manufacturers who, depending on the supply for their commodities and price elasticity of demand, may decide to pass on the tax burden onto consumers. In marketing economies of scale, a bigger firm may spread its marketing and advertising budget over a great output. It may also buy its raw materials in bulk at discounted prices. In financial economies of scale, financial markets frequently consider bigger firms to be more creditworthy than smaller firms. This enables these firms to access credit facilities at favorable rates.

Application of Turkey to EU

Application of Turkey to EU Introduction Since its creation, the European Union has been enlarged six times during which it has accommodated twenty one new members. Today there are three candidate states that await membership Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia[1]. The most significant of those is Turkey whose candidacy has created more controversy than any other. Since Turkeys first membership application in 1987, it has sparked numerous debates on whether it belongs in the European Union, back then the European Community. This paper argues that Turkey should not be granted membership in the bloc. Several aspects have been taken into account such as its geographical position, economic state, vast population and cultural incompatibility, that render Turkey unfit to join the union. Moreover, the public opinion in both the EU and Turkey is assessed as important factor that reflects the attitudes towards the admission. Background information As already mentioned, Turkey made its first effort to join the European Community in 1987, when its application was rejected because of its economical and political situation and poor relations with Greece due to the Cyprus conflict. In 1999, however, candidate status was granted and in 2001 The EU Council of Ministers adopted EU-Turkey Accession Partnership[2]. In 2002, the Copenhagen European Council resolved that if the European Council in December 2004, on the basis of a report from the Commission, decides that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, theEU would open accession negotiations with Turkey[3]. Consequently, in December 2004 the European Council decided to open official negotiations[4]. Geographical and demographical aspects Although official negotiations have started, Turkey is not a part of Europe, therefore should not be part of the European Union. Only some 3% of its territory is on the Old continent, the bulk of its territory is in Asia[5]. This trivial fact is often overlooked as not as important in the debate for Turkeys membership. However, as a regional organization the EU should have some borders, and if it plans to expand outside Europe it should at least change its name, maybe to a World Union or Eurasian Union. Also in the event of Turkeys admission, it might become a precedent that would inspire other countries outside Europe to demand membership as well. Another aspect of the territorial location of Turkey is that, if it is admitted, the EUs external neighbors will be states like Iran, Iraq and Syria, all of which are marked by internal crisis and/or have account of terrorist groups operating in theirs territories. This might have serious security implications for the bloc, as dangerous el ements might enter the union through its Turkish border. Even if the territorial aspect is ignored, Turkeys vast population cannot be overlooked so easily. With its close to seventy-six million people[6], if admitted, Turkey will be the second country in population after Germany. According to birth rate projections by 2020 it would surpass Germany in population[7]. The latter prediction means that Turkey would have most delegates in the European parliament resulting in the paradox that the most unrepresentative country for the union would have most seats in its parliament. Another major problem associated with Turkeys population is emigration. With many Western European countries having a substantial Turkish minorities already, the admission of Turkey would mean opening the floodgates to further immigration from a large and poor country[8]. This perspective poses several problems: first, the cheap labor that would flow from Turkey would undermine the employment of native Europeans; second, the problem of the integration of the Turkish minorities, present nowadays, will be invigorated further; and last but not least the previous two will further fuel the already present in many countries antagonism against the Turks[9]. Those are the most obvious problems that emigration from an EU Turkey will bring. However, since Turkey is nothing like the rest of the members in many aspects, there might be other, not so evident problems that might arise with the flow of Turks in the EU countries. Economical and political aspects The countrys economical state, even with its positive GDP growth rates[10] is still falling behind in comparison to most EU member states. In fact, according to Pevehouse and Goldstein, if admitted Turkey would be the poorest state in the organization, even if the newest members from East Europe are taken into consideration[11]. Moreover, Turkey has very high debt to income ratio, twice as high as any other member[12], which indicates that big part of the income of the population goes to paying debts, instead of on covering costs of living. In political aspect, the emerging tensions between secularists and the Islamic government might have implications for the EU. The Turkish government is currently investigating Ergenekon, which according to prosecutors has committed dozens of terrorist acts and ultimately sought to topple Turkeys Islamic-inspired government.[13] The secularists, however, have their own point of view on the matter. According to Aysel Celikel, former justice minister, Egrenekon has become a larger project in which the investigation is being used as a tool to sweep across civic society and cleanse Turkey of all secular opponents[14]. With the political situation growing more unstable, there is ground for the radicalization of both sides. This should be a warning sign for the European Union that Turkey may not have the political steadiness to join the bloc. Also Turkeys unsatisfactory policy towards its Kurdish minority and the conflict of Cyprus indicate that it is not suitable for membership in the uni on. Cultural aspect and public opinion Apart from the more tangible characteristics of Turkey and the European Union, the massive gap between their cultural identities is a significant reason why Turkey does not belong in the organization. According to a 2006 Eurobarometer a clear majority of about 60% support the view that Turkeys cultural differences with those of EU members are so large as to impede its membership[15]. The fact is, that what makes the EU what it is, beside its economical and political aspects, is the common European identity of its members. Turkey does not fit this profile. As member of the Prodis European Commission Franz Fischler put it: Turkey is a sui generis society, far more oriental than European[16]. Turkeys double standard in human rights reflects its different values. Turkey is a member of the Organization of the Islamic conference (OIC), which on the 5 of August adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (CDRHI)[17], a document based on the Shariah law. It can be seen as an equivalent to the UN Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR). However, there are some significant inconsistencies between the UNDHR and the CDRHI, especially in rights of women, right to expression and education and freedom of religion[18]. The drafting of the CDHRI creates a double standard by implying that rights of Muslims are incompatible with the concept of human rights embodied in the UNDHR. The CDRHI implicitly promotes the division between Muslims and people of other religions. As a member of the OIC, Turkey does not belong to the European Union, that adheres to the UNDHR. The view that Turkey is not European is also supported by the overwhelming opposition to Turkeys admission. According to the results from the latest Eurobarometer conducted in spring 2008, in the EU 27 bloc only 31 per cents of the respondents agree, and 55 per cent disagree[19] with the integration of Turkey, making it the least supported country. Moreover, Turkey is the candidate with most steady opposition compared to other previous applicants, as evident from the results from four consecutive Eurobarometer surveys from 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002[20]. Resistance to Turkey varies around 47-48%, whereas the country that is second in opposition, Romania has a result around 42-43%[21]. The strong opposition against Turkeys membership is a clear sign that Europeans do not want it in the EU, and in the event of a referendum on the matter, the public opinion might be the only thing that would ultimately block Turkeys integration. What is even more interesting is that support for the membership in Turkey itself is dropping compared to previous years. A study of the German Marshall Fund indicates that the ratio of Turks who see membership in the EU as a good thing fell from 73 percent in 2004 to 54 percent in 2006 [22]. In 2008, the support is even lower below 50 per cent[23]. It turns out that Turk majority is also against the integration of Turkey. Conclusion In conclusion, Turkey should not be accepted in the European Union, because its values in regard to human rights are incompatible with those of the bloc. The cultural gap between Europe and Turkey is undeniable. Moreover, public opinion marks the strongest opposition against Turkey compared to other applicants. Turkeys territorial location vast population, its economic and political situation will bring more problems than benefits. www.ec.europa.eu/enlargement/candidate-countries/index_en.htm www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/eu-turkey-relations Ibid. Ibid. www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/turkey-europe-acknowledging-reality www.oecd.org, OECD statistical profile, Turkey www.oecd.org, OECD population projections 2009-2020, data for Turkey and Germany compared Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse, International Relations (New York: Longman, 2009), 238 See outcomes of Eurobarometers further in the text www.oecd.org, OECD statistical profile, Turkey Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse, International Relations (New York: Longman, 2009), 238 Ibid. Dan Bilefsky. Subversion trial haunts Turkey; Vast case defines division between secularists and Muslim-inspired party. The International Herald Tribune. 13 Nov 2009 Ibid Standard Eurobarometer 66. National Report: Executive Summary: Turkey. European Commission. Fall 2006, p. 4. Senem Aydin Duzgit. Seeking Kant in the EUs relations with Turkey. (Istanbul: TESEV Publications), 4. www.oci-oci.org Comparison between the UNDHR and CDHRI. Standard Eurobarometer 69. Values of Europeans, Questions QA44.8 QA 44.12. European Commission, November 2008. Lauren McLaren. Explaining opposition to Turkish membership of the EU. European Union Politics (Sage publications, 2007), 253. Ibid. http://www.transatlantictrends.org/trends/doc/2006_english_key.pdf http://www.transatlantictrends.org/trends/doc/2008_english_key.pdf

racism :: essays research papers fc

What would you do if the Constitution said you were just as good as everyone else but some people still acted as if you were something they had just scraped off their shoe? This sort of thing happens to millions of people on a regular basis. Americans of African, Asian, or Mexican descent are all subject to this kind of treatment. Caucasians are as well, but it is not as publicly notarized as the aforementioned. Most of these feelings towards another of a different skin color are deeply rooted in our minds from previous generations. Many, many years ago, African-Americans were used as slaves. The slave owners treated them badly. The owner’s own children then grew up with the same ideals and passed them on to the new generation. Through the years, people have spoken out about these ill-conceived ideas making the ominous threat of racism more discreet than ever before. While searching online I googled Supremacist groups , I discovered a numbered list of Klu Klux Klan, Aryan, Skinhead, and many other white supremacist groups. I was shocked when I saw how many this one list had. It listed over 800 different groups. I know that number is not nearly accurate because there are many smaller groups that have not yet made themselves known publicly. Even people that do not belong in these racially biased groups perform some acts of racism. Racial profiling- the discriminatory practice by police of treating blackness (or brown-ness) as an indication of possible criminality. "Driving While Black (or brown)" is a campaign started by the American Civil Liberties Union because a study showed that minorities only make up 16% of all drivers, yet they are 74% of all drivers stopped and searched. Generally, only 12 to 13 percent of the U.S. citizens are African American, although Black inmates make up 40.29 percent of death row's population. As of 1996, there have been 232 citizens executed under the death penalty since 1977. Only one white person has been put to death for the murder of a black person. One perfect example of true racial profiling and discrimination is this next story. Danny Glover, a famous African-American actor was in New York City. It was late at night and he was trying to hail a cab. None of the cabs would stop and pick him up because of the fact that he was an African-American male.

Light and Dark Shading in 17th Century Art

The use of light and dark shading during the Baroque artistic movement during the seventeenth century was how the artist caught the eye of the observer and brought emphasis to certain areas of the painting.   The technique was used by many of the artists of the day and their influence can even be seen in modern times.   Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer are two examples of artist that used the elements of light and dark shading. Rembrandt’s famous Self Portrait is a perfect example of how he used the technique.   In the portrait, the aged Rembrandt seriously looks out with a far away look.   Most of the picture is dark and the clothing and upper torso of the body is so dark that only a muted outline can be seen of his clothing.   There is a burst of light on his hands.   The eye is drawn upward to the dark red behind the artist’s head.   Even though it is dark, the red brings color to the portrait.   The only true light is centered on Rembrandt’s face.   That is where the emphasis of the whole painting lies.   He does this so that only the actual parts of the real man draw the attention. Vermeer, on the other hand, uses shading differently.   There is a dark tapestry on the wall behind the subject in Woman Holding Balance.   The area to the bottom left is also dark.   An extremely dark blue cloth is draped on the table in front of her and hangs off the side.   The underneath portion of the table is too dark to discern anything.   There is a beam of light that flows from a high window and it illuminates the woman’s face and upper torso so that it is obvious that she is holding a balance. Her skirt and cape are dark, but the edging of her cape and headdress is white, thus outlining her face and hands as she stares intently at her balance.   The light in the portrait bring the focus the woman’s expression, and brings her to the center of the painting. Both Rembrandt and Vermeer did an excellent job of creating emphasis by using light and dark shading.   They were examples of an artistic period that is still admired today. References History of Art: A Brief Survey.   Baroque and Rocco Art. Retrieved June 7, 2007, from http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi1113/html/ch-13-2.htm http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi1113/slides/13-24.jpg http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi1113/slides/13-26-2.jpg Portrait History. Retrieved June 7, 2007, from http://www.family-portrait.net/portraithistory.php      

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne has been popular since the first MTH book for young independent readers, Dinosaurs Before Dark, was published in 1992. By August 2012, there were 48 books in the series for independent readers, 6 to 10 or 11 years old, as well as 26 companion research guides (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction books) for some of the books in the series. The Adventures of Jack and Annie All of the books in the series center around the time travel adventures of brother and sister Jack and Annie, who live in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. The two discover a magic tree house in the woods by their house. In books #1 to 28, Jack is 8 years old and Annie is a year younger. Thanks to the book-filled magic tree house whose books have magical properties and whose owner, magical librarian Morgan le Fay provides them with exciting missions, the two have many exciting adventures. Each book focuses on a subject and story designed to pique the interest of young independent readers. The subjects and time periods vary widely, which means that there will most likely be some, or many, of particular interest to your child. The Basics Magic Tree House books #1 to 28 are generally between 65 and 75 pages long and target children 6 to 9. The reading levels are mostly between 2.0 and 2.4. The books are divided into brief chapters, each of which has one or more intriguing illustrations by Sal Murdocca, the illustrator for all of the MTH books. Teachers and parents looking for specific information about a variety of reading level measures for the books, as well as curriculum connections and lessons plans, will find Mary Pope Osbornes Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures Program site a valuable resource. Your children will enjoy the games, activities and fun, all related to books in the series and the subjects they cover, at the Random House Magic Tree House site. While you may want to have your child start with the first book in the series, which introduces Jack and Annie and enables your child to experience time travel via the Magic Tree House for the first time right along with Jack and Annie, its not necessary to read the books in a particular order. A prologue at the beginning of each book provides the necessary background information. However, to provide incentive for kids to keep reading, there is an overarching mission for each four books, but it is still not necessary to read even each of those books in a particular order. To give you an idea of a mission, in books #9 to 12, Jack and Annie have to solve four ancient riddles, one in each of the books, but since each of the books can be read independently, it will be up to young readers (or their teachers) to decide whether or not to read the books in groups of four. The books are available in paperback, library binding, and as audiobooks and eBooks. A full set of books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree series is also available in paperback. Individual books are also available, as are books in sets of four. Benefits of a Good Series for Young Independent Readers In order for children to learn to be fluent readers, with good comprehension skills, they need to read a lot. When children are relatively new readers, they need to concentrate on decoding each word and comprehending what they are reading without a lot of distractions. It helps if they can find a series they like at a reading level they can comfortably read. Why? Every time they start a new book in the series, they dont have to get used to new main characters, a new story format, a different style of writing or anything else that would distract them from just enjoying the story. Its this enjoyment that will bring them back for more and more stories, which will help them become fluent readers. It also helps a lot to talk about the books with your children. Ask them to tell you about Jack and Annies latest adventure, what it was all about, and what they learned. For kids who prefer nonfiction or who want to know more about the subject of the Magic Tree House book they just read, see if there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction companion research guide. Book List of Books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree House Series Note that a CNB (for companion nonfiction book) at the end of each book listing means that there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker for that book. Dinosaurs Before Dark, Magic Tree House, Book #1 - CNBThe Knight at Dawn, Magic Tree House, Book Book #2 - CNBMummies in the Morning, Magic Tree House, Book Book #3 - CNBPirates past Noon, Magic Tree House, Book Book #4 - CNBNight of the Ninjas, Magic Tree House, Book #5Afternoon on the Amazon, Magic Tree House, Book #6 - CNBSunset of the Sabertooth, Magic Tree House, Book #7 - CNBMidnight on the Moon, Magic Tree House, Book #8 - CNBDolphins at Daybreak, Magic Tree House, Book #9 - CNBGhost Town at Sundown, Magic Tree House, Book #10Lions at Lunchtime, Magic Tree House, Book #11Polar Bears Past Bedtime, Magic Tree House, Book #12 - CNBVacation Under The Volcano, Magic Tree House, Book #13 - CNBDay of the Dragon King, Magic Tree House, Book #14Viking Ships at Sunrise, Magic Tree House, Book #15Hour of the Olympics, Magic Tree House, Book #16 - CNBTonight on the Titanic, Magic Tree House, Book #17 - CNBBuffalo Before Breakfast, Magic Tree House, Book #18Tigers at Twilight, Magic Tree H ouse, Book #19 Dingoes at Dinnertime, Magic Tree House, Book #20Civil War on Sunday, Magic Tree House, Book #21Revolutionary War on Wednesday, Magic Tree House, Book #22 - CNBTwister on Tuesday, Magic Tree House, Book #23 - CNBEarthquake in the Early Morning, Magic Tree House, Book #24Stage Fright on a Summer Night, Magic Tree House, Book #25Good Morning, Gorillas, Magic Tree House, Book #26Thanksgiving on Thursday, Magic Tree House Book #27 - CNBHigh Tide in Hawaii, Magic Tree House, Book #28 - CNB

Legitimacy of the US actions in the Gulf War essays

Legitimacy of the US actions in the Gulf War essays  @Were the actions taken by the UN legitimate? Legitimacy is defined by Franck as a property of a rule or rule making institution which itself exerts a pull toward compliance on those addressed normatively because those addressed believe that the rule or institution has come into being and operates in accordance with generally accepted principles of right process. The UN Security is supposed to be, in practice, the final arbitrator of its final authority for the new world order that is claimed for tomorrow. However, in actuality there is a lack of legitimacy, and the author shows this by diving into four aspects; the indeterminacy of the legal authority of Res 678, the great power pressure diplomacy, its unrestricted character, and in the Council fs hasty retreat from nonviolent sanctioning alternatives permissible under it. These are all interconnected in some way, and they all show that the UN S.C did not act in accordance to the core principles and purposes of the UN in settling international disputes. The indeterminate legal authority for Resolution 678 In resolution 660, the UN explicitly stated that they were acting under Art. 39 and 40 of the charter. However, in res 678 that precision was not used, at least in the use of force. This ambiguity is dangerous. Therfore the author talks about several articles that this enforcement could have been under. Article 42(the authorization of the SC to take military actions)-was not the legal basis for the use of military force. Why? Because of the articles dependant relationship with article 43, pursuant to which the UN membership consents to provide the SC on its call and in accordance with special agreements with armed forces, assistance and facilities to effectuate article 42. Since this makes it so whatever military action the SC might take to ensure int fl peace and security have to be premised otherwise, this article is considered a dead letter. Article 51 (coll...

Making Financial Decision Based on Financial Information Assignment

Making Financial Decision Based on Financial Information - Assignment Example British Airways Plc and Iberia had merged to form a new leading airline group named International Airlines Group (IAG). IAG is formed, and its shares were listed on London Stock Exchange, on 24 January, 2011. As a result of the merger  with Iberia, British airline’s revenue has increased up 17 percent (to ?9,990 million), and the operating profit increased to ?518 million in 2011 (12 months to 31 December) when compared to the profit of 2010 i.e. ?342 million. Profit before tax in 2011 was ?679 million and in 2010 they had a loss of ?32 million. Fuel costs went up to ?3 billion in 2011. 2011 saw noteworthy hikes in the prices of fuel in opposition to the background of slow recovery of global economy.   British Airways was not resistant to outside factors distressing the aviation industry, but the IA Group which spent a great deal of 2011 in delivering powerful operational and financial performance, was able to establish firm foundations for a brilliant future.  The hike in the operating profit was delivered, regardless of fuel costs in the period, beyond ?3 billion, and up to 34 per cent annually. On the contrary, the cost of non-fuel units went down by 4.2 percent. The operating outcome for 2011(31 December) included charges of restructuring amounts ?12 million and they were chiefly concerned with its divisions. The restructuring charges of ?6 million in 2010 are chiefly relating to the costs of lease exit. The taxation charge for 31 Dec, 2011 was is ?7 million; and in nine months which ended on 31 December 2010 the credit was about ?13 million. Diminutions in corporation tax rate in the UK were substantively passed in 2011. The major rate of corporation tax was condensed to 26 from 28 percent with effect from 1st April 2011, and to twenty five per cent from 1 April 2012. â€Å"Net debt comprises the current and non-current portions of long-term borrowings, less cash and cash equivalents, and other current interest-bearing deposits† (Annual Report and Accounts 31 December 2011 n.d). The position of cash remains powerful with the cash and the cash equivalents to ?1,829 million.   Decisions: The current ratio of British Airways, according to the budget analysis for 2011 is 0.75 (Current Assets/ Current liability, 2774/3683). This means that the company has faces some difficulty in the repayment of its bill on timely basis. â€Å"Current ratio is a financial ratio that measures whether or not a company has enough resources to pay its debt over the next business cycle (usually 12 months) by comparing the firm's current assets to its current liabilities† (Current radio Interpretation 2009). Even though there is hike in the price of oil, British Airways preserves a strong focus on controllable costs, by functioning strongly with the suppliers. On the whole, the operational performance of British Airways is much stronger. It flights are punctual, and passenger are aware of it. 2. Explain the calculation of unit cost s and make pricing decisions using relevant information The unit cost is the cost per standard unit supplied, which can be a single sample of a specified number. When purchasing above a single unit, the total cost will rise with the number of units, other than it is general for the unit cost to reduce as quantity is increased. This discount in long run unit costs which occur from an increase in

E-Cigarettes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-Cigarettes - Essay Example Article number one, â€Å"Use of E- Cigarettes Rises Sharply Among Teenagers, Report says† by Sabrina Tavernise and article number two, â€Å"Teens use e-cigarettes for ‘dripping,’ study says† By Susan Scutti both cover the topic of E-Cigarettes usage. In the articles, the authors both include data, research, opinions, and more. Writers Sabrina Tavernise and Susan Scutti use many strategies to persuade and pass a meaningful message to the readers. Each article covers the facts and data of E-Cigarette usage as well as portraying the message that their simply just isn’t enough data and research collected yet on the topic. Although article number two leans more towards the innocent positive side of the topic, from my understanding both authors weren’t sure if E-Cigarettes had a positive or negative effect on youths and people around the globe. In order to portray their message, each author used Logos. Logos relies on logic and reason. Both author s used Logos by including the old and current data as well as showing visuals and adding quotes and opinions by reliable people in the community.

Working with the Excellence Model - Critical Analysis Essay

Working with the Excellence Model - Critical Analysis - Essay Example Business excellence model was devised by the European Foundation for Quality Management in 1991; originally it is based on the Total Quality Management that is needed for the holistic development and the growth of the organization. This model is divided into two aspects – results which are sign of business success and enablers, which are indicators of practices inside the organization that can ultimately lead to business success. Business excellence is the meticulous tool to treat with quality management and business management. The objective of this business management is to improve performance that built on the rectitude of customer‘s focus, stakeholders value and process management. This paper is attempted to critically analyze the Business Excellence Model in relation with Cornwell Headland Hotel organization. The European Foundation of Quality Management (EFOM) described Business Excellence as formidable practices in governing the organization and attaining results, all these practices merely depend on a set of eight rudimentary concepts (Juran, 1972). These notions are: orientation of results; customer’s focus; leadership; management; people involvement and their development; constant learning; innovation and improvement; partnership development and public responsibility. This model requires excellence framework to redesign business plans and process control in organization (porter, 2012). From last few years, organization went through a great competition with other organizations on international level, which ultimately increases the demand of customer’s in market (Taguchi, 1986). On the repercussion of customer’s demand, most of the organizations acquired Excellence model. These model mainly consist of total Quality Management (TQM), Business Process Engineering (BPE), Business Excellence (BE), Performance Excellence (PE), lean thinking (Porter and Turner 2012). Headland hotel start their improvement journey for getting the benefits by using Excellence Model and modify their management according to this model by using its different approaches. Headland hotel organization gets a clear idea about their flaws in management and they seem to be very interesting or satisfied when they called for the Tourism Skills Network six month program. According to the Glimour (1995) the excellence framework is the actual plan of the organization that marks the organization towards the success. Self-assessment is the key practice of the excellence framework. Self-assessment allows the headland hotel to check their position in the market in excellence. Ishikawak (1990) also explain this way of organization to judge their capabilities and their outcomes with the present strategy and can make new ones for improvement to increase their profit. According to Porter and Turner (2012) the self-assessment can be done by using different approaches. They can start their assessment by choosing the framework that is according to the business plans but before this they should form assessment team that consists of all hard working employees. The next step is to collect the information from the external partners, assess the facts and do scoring of all collected data in database. According to Hoyle (2009) the clarification and verification of data should be done by organization collected from external partners. Then through questionnaire get the feedback of customers and plans the action according to their feedback. Self –assessment not only give headland hotel a continuous improvement by forgetting everything other than business but it also gives a base-line measure of the organization for their utilization and encouraged senior management involve in business excellence (Kadolf, 2007). It also gives motivation too. Self-assessment

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Example for Free

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Learning is a natural ability that is wired into many animals DNA; the way that humans should learn has been debated by the various educators because of the endless ways to teach. Teachers and parents take this matter seriously like Ralph Waldo Emerson in â€Å"From Education† and Todd Gitlin in â€Å"The Liberal Arts in an Age of Info-Glut† who created essays on education; and Billy Collins in â€Å"The History Teacher† entail for then and who wrote a poem concerned with the status of education. These people show what the importance of education is entailing what learning should and should not involve; a teacher should respect and have patience for children; a teacher should also let a child have creativity and lessons of the past. Many teens do not respect their teacher which might be because the teacher does not respect them; as the golden rule goes, â€Å"treat others the way you would treat yourself†; Ralph Waldo Emerson in â€Å"From Education† would probably agree with this quote because he strongly believes that, â€Å"the secret of [e]ducation lies in respecting the pupil,† (page 102). Shows that Emerson understood what children are thinking then did something to help them by simply respecting them. Another big issue with education is patience; some people do not have enough patience to guide children to what they are supposed to learn. Emerson also believes that patience is an important part in education, â€Å"to regard the young [children, they require] no doubt, rare patience: a patience that nothing but faith in medial forces of the soul can give,† Emerson was trying to say that someone has to really care in order to teach information to children (page 105). Some people do not see the point in having art classes or history classes; the reason why is because art assists students to express themselves in a way that words cannot along with helping them find out what kind of person they truly are; and history is needed to teach children where they originated from; and to show them mistakes that other people in the past made so they will not make them again. Todd Gitlin in â€Å"The Liberal Arts in an Age of Info-Glut† agrees with this â€Å"[students] need some orientation to philosophy, history, language, literature, music, and arts that have lasted more than 15 minutes,† (page 156) because students need the outlet to express themselves; or if they do not they would not learn morals then they would become exactly what people were trying to stop; as shown in â€Å"The History Teacher† by Billy Collins who stated, â€Å"the children would leave his classroom for the playground to torment the weak and the smart,† all because â€Å"[the teacher tries] to protect his students’ innocence he told them the Ice Age was really just the Chilly Age, a period of a million years when everyone had to wear sweaters. And the Stone Age became the Gravel Age, named after the long driveways of time,† this demonstrates how not teaching children lessons of the past which are the brood violence’ that others committed in history; by not teaching this history it affects children’s behavior in real life (page 143). Morals are right and wrong many people’s morals will differ; this is why teaching them is tricky because the teacher’s morals might not be the same as the parent’s morals. This is why some of the history in textbooks is sometimes just the summary of what really happened but not enough for the main point to be set across unlike in â€Å"The History Teacher† where, â€Å"the Spanish Inquisition [is] nothing more than an outbreak of questions such as â€Å"How far is it from here to Madrid? †,† and â€Å"the War of the Roses took place in a garden, and the Enola Gay dropped one tiny atom on Japan,† explains when a teacher goes too far in trying to protect student’s mind from bad; when only good is taught and everything else is censored then the students become the opposite; because they do not know the consequences of doing bad, which is why history is taught. As teachers and parents they have to let their students make their own choices as shown in â€Å"From Education† Emerson says, â€Å"it is not for you to choose what he shall know, [or] what he shall do,† shows that sometimes a student needs to find out the consequences the hard way, and let them choose what they want to learn (page 143). Education is needed in modern day society to help students and children grow and help the nation; by giving students proper education the teacher are not really helping the students but they are helping themselves. Teaching creativity helps a student express themselves; respect should be given so the student can give it back; patience is needed to help them understand; morals need to be taught through history so the student will make fewer mistakes; these are essential to a good education and an even better future: as shown by the writings of Billy Collins, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Todd Gitlin.

British Colonialism In Daniel Defoes Roxanna English Literature Essay

British Colonialism In Daniel Defoes Roxanna English Literature Essay Max Weber in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism claims that Capitalism educates and selects the economic subjects it needs through a process of survival of the fittest (Weber 154). Weber believes that there is a direct link between institutions and individual characters. In other words, one can say that Capitalism would not survive without economic men and also economic men could not maintain their social place without Capitalism. In the following the researcher tries to show that at least certain men and women, were swayed by the logic of Capitalisms productive possibilities. Defoe was intensely interested in capitalist modes of production, efficiency and improvements and in the exploitation and expansion of new markets along imperialist lines that would favor English trading interests. Defoe was also interested in the politics of his time and in the social issues. Defoe was a mature product of the cultural process initiated by Capitalism. In other words he is a master over circumstances, over nature. He has the confidence, despite his mediocre birth, to comment on the social, political, and economic affairs of his day. In turn, Roxana was a woman, who, despite her reverses and her own mediocre birth, could entertain princes and kings. In the beginning of this emerging capitalist interest, and with the thirst of reform, Defoe was able to synchronize in his own life Capitalisms vision of a new social order, of commerces role and change. All his novels are rich in content and context. Roxana has been called by modern critics Defoes darkest novel. Many critics have claimed that the greatest difference between Defoe last novel and his earlier works is Roxanas greater gravity. Many critics described it as a novel whose primary concern is with the psychological nature of Roxana and Amys sin. Roxana has most often been appraised as a story of moral decay, in which the heroine progresses from virtuous poverty to corrupt wealth. Roxana has also been criticized as a woman with a cynical attachment toward those who love her and whose rational self-interest places her as the embodiment of Defoes vision of a corrupt society. Roxana is a heroine who rushes toward material comfort and self transformation at the price of her soul. Roxanas internal world of memory and guilt concerning her various sexual partners, the death of her daughter Susan at the hands of Amy, and the like, becomes the price Roxana pays for the control she assumes in external world of financial and sexual interests. In this aspect, two factors about Roxana should be emphasized: the nature of Roxana as a new economic woman caught between profit and spirituality and the issues of empire and slavery which were not only important in the fictional life of Roxana, but also in Defoes life. Considering the above mentioned remarks, some examples are traceable in the novel. For instance, when Roxana discusses the dangers of marrying a foolish husband her remarks repeat one of Defoes favorite maxims about the nature of commerce, while also underlining the context of commerces international nature: I was a Warning for all the Ladies of Europe, against marrying of Fools; a Man of Sence falls in the world, and gets-up again, and a Woman has some Chance for herself; but with a FOOL! Once fall, and ever undone; once in a Ditch, and die in the Ditch; once poor, and sure to starve (ibid 96). Roxana addresses her comments to the Ladies of Europe, and Roxana like so many of Defoes novels is at the center of attention internationally and all these shows that Roxanas warning have larger international designs. Another example of this imperialist economic instruction can be found in Sir Robert Claytons disquisition on prudent money management. As he instructed Roxana, he talks about industry as such: If the Gentlemen of England would but act, every family of them would increase their Fortunes to a great degree (ibid 167). That international commerce and empire are part of the overall fabric of Roxana is also evident in the rituals of adornment which Roxana undergoes with each of her lovers. Because the English female body and female dressing were powerful motives of 18th centurys imperialist ideology. Roxanas Turkish dress is an example of this motif. This dress comes to the hands of Roxana from a Malthese Man of War, which had captured as spoils a Turkish ship and enslaved its passengers, one of which Roxana bought during her tour of Italy (ibid 173-174).This dress enables Roxana to market herself to English court culture. Roxana explains: that Notion of the King being the Person that dancd with me, puffd me upto that Degree that I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was very far knowing myself (ibid 177). Further, this dress is also, as Roxana emphasizes, a counterpart to the slave she purchases. She says: I bought the rich clothes tooà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as a Curiosity, having never seen the like (174). Here Roxana confront s the other in the form of a person, and the material culture of that other. The dress is explained as extraordinary fine indeedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the Robe was a fine Persian, or India Damask à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ embroidered with Gold, and set with Pearl in the Work, and some Turquoise stones(ibid 174). Both the slave and the dress are also delivered to Roxana through the agency of imperialist aggression- by the acts of a Malthese Man of War (ibid174). Significantly, Roxana who is without Amy on her travels throughout Italy uses her slave as a means to put the dress, with its various decorations, on her body. In other words, she learned how to cover herself in the dress of the other with the aid of an other. Literally, Roxana is using the local knowledge of the Turkish womans material culture in order to use that knowledge to her advantage and this is a good example of the methodology of imperialist expansion. On the other hand, Roxanas dress is an important metaphor for imperial expansion; another important metaphor is her purchase of a slave. Defoe, like many of his contemporaries during the early eighteenth century, was ambivalent about the issue of slavery; in other words, Defoe was no abolitionist. Defoe demonstrated his ambivalence toward the slave trade by generally giving it strong support to increase his nations share of the market in human chattel, and in the African trade in general. Like Defoe, Roxana was also interested in what profits she could reap from the slave trade. She versed herself in the culture of the Turkish woman she bought from the Malthese, so one can assumes that Roxana did not find her slave, or her slaves manners, repugnant or distasteful. In dressing for her second husband, Roxana even set her picture in diamonds above her heart, which was a compliment among the Eastern peoples (ibid 247). In fact, in learning the language of the Turkish woman, Roxana sought to know this Turkish slave and her culture in a way that was far more intimate than most Westerners at this time could have claimed or even imagined. The knowledge Roxana acquired of her Turkish slave is used to advance her socially and for a time, in London court society. Therefore, for Defoe and Roxana alike, prosperity could be found in the slave trade, and in the monies and knowledge of the world found in that trade. Like Defoe, Roxana claims that I could give up my virtue, but not gi ve up my money (ibid147). In conclusion, while Roxana is a novel with an emphasis on the psychology of sin, that psychology is informed by more than just her own guilt, and her quest for individuality. It is informed by issues that concerned her creator: trade, imperialism, and slavery. Each was used to create networks of knowledge and power over the world within sight of both Defoe and Roxana. Like any other good capitalist, they both used knowledge to further their own ends. The acquisition of this knowledge was, in turn, directed toward populations of others- Africans, Arabs, Native Americans, etc. who could most readily serve their interests. For Defoe it was in form of improving Britains economy and social structure and for Roxana in the form of improving ones social status. Therefore, Roxana, as a creation of Defoe, mirrored Defoes life as a capitalist. Yet she mirrored it as a seeker of personal aggrandizement than as a person committed to seeing Britain flourish. In conclusion, this may ultimately ex plain Roxanas fall.