Biography of Francisco Madero, Led Mexican Revolution

Francisco I. Madero (October 30, 1873–February 22, 1913) was a reformist politician and writer and president of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. This unlikely revolutionary helped engineer the overthrow of dictator Porfirio Dà ­az by kick-starting the Mexican Revolution. Unfortunately for Madero, he was caught between remnants of Dà ­azs regime and the revolutionaries he unleashed and was deposed and executed in 1913. Fast Facts: Francisco Madero Known For: Father of the Mexican RevolutionBorn: Oct. 30, 1873 in Parras, MexicoParents: Francisco Ignacio Madero Hernà ¡ndez, Mercedes Gonzà ¡lez Trevià ±oDied: Died Feb. 22, 1913 in Mexico City, MexicoSpouse: Sara Pà ©rez Early Life Francisco I. Madero was born on Oct. 30, 1873, in Parras, Coahuila, Mexico, to wealthy parents—by some accounts, the fifth-richest family in Mexico. His father was Francisco Ignacio Madero Hernà ¡ndez; his mother was Mercedes Gonzà ¡lez Trevià ±o. His grandfather, Evaristo Madero, made lucrative investments and was involved in ranching, wine-making, silver, textiles, and cotton. Francisco was well educated, studying in the United States, Austria, and France. When he returned from the U.S., he was placed in charge of some family interests, including the San Pedro de las Colonias hacienda and farm, which he operated at a profit, introducing modern farming methods and improving worker conditions. In January 1903, he married Sara Pà ©rez; they had no children. Early Political Career When Bernardo Reyes, governor of Nuevo Leà ³n, brutally broke up a political demonstration in 1903, Madero became politically involved. Although his early campaigns for office failed, he funded a newspaper that he used to promote his ideas. Madero had to overcome his image to succeed as a politician in macho Mexico. He was small with a high-pitched voice, making it difficult to command respect from soldiers and revolutionaries who saw him as effeminate. He was a vegetarian and teetotaler, considered peculiar in Mexico, and an avowed spiritualist. He claimed to have contact with his dead brother Raà ºl and liberal reformer Benito Juarez, who told him to maintain pressure on Dà ­az. Dà ­az Porfirio Dà ­az was an iron-fisted dictator in power since 1876. Dà ­az had modernized the country, laying miles of train tracks and encouraging industry and foreign investment, but at a cost. The poor lived in abject misery. Miners worked without safety measures or insurance, peasants were kicked off their land, and debt peonage meant that thousands were essentially slaves. He was the darling of international investors, who commended him for â€Å"civilizing† an unruly nation. Dà ­az kept tabs on those who opposed him. The regime controlled the press, and rogue journalists could be jailed without trial for libel or sedition. Dà ­az played politicians and military men against one another, leaving few threats to his rule. He appointed all state governors, who shared the spoils of his crooked but lucrative system. Elections were rigged and only the foolish tried to buck the system. Dà ­az had fought off many challenges, but by 1910 cracks were showing. He was in his late 70s, and the wealthy class he represented worried about his successor. Years of repression meant the rural poor and urban working class loathed Dà ­az and were primed for revolution. A revolt by Cananea copper miners in 1906 in Sonora had to be brutally suppressed, showing Mexico and the world that Diaz was vulnerable. 1910 Elections Dà ­az had promised free elections in 1910. Taking him at his word, Madero organized the Anti-Re-Electionist Party to challenge Diaz and published a bestselling book titled  The Presidential Succession of 1910. Part of Maderos platform was that when Dà ­az came to power in 1876, he claimed he wouldnt seek re-election. Madero insisted that no good came from one man holding absolute power and listed Dà ­azs shortcomings, including the massacre of Maya Indians in the Yucatan, the crooked system of governors, and the Cananea mine incident. Mexicans flocked to see Madero and hear his speeches. He began publishing a newspaper,  El Anti-Re-Electionista, and secured his partys nomination. When it became clear that Madero would win, Dà ­az had most of the Anti-Re-Electionist leaders jailed, including Madero, arrested on a false charge of plotting armed insurrection. Because Madero came from a wealthy, well-connected family, Dà ­az could not simply kill him, as he had two generals who had threatened to run against him in 1910. The election was a sham and Dà ­az â€Å"won.†Ã‚  Madero, bailed out of jail by his wealthy father, crossed the border and set up shop in San Antonio, Texas. He declared the election null and void in his â€Å"Plan of San Luà ­s Potosà ­Ã¢â‚¬  and called for armed revolution. November 20 was set for the revolution to begin. Revolution With Madero in revolt, Dà ­az rounded up and killed many of his supporters. The call to revolution was heeded by many Mexicans. In the state of Morelos,  Emiliano Zapata  raised an army of peasants and harassed wealthy landowners. In the state of Chihuahua,  Pascual Orozco  and  Casulo  Herrera raised sizable armies. One of Herreras captains was ruthless revolutionary  Pancho Villa, who replaced the cautious Herrera and, with Orozco, captured cities in Chihuahua in the name of the revolution. In  February 1911, Madero returned from the U.S. Northern leaders including Villa and Orozco didnt trust him, so in March, his force swollen to 600, Madero led an attack on the federal garrison at Casas Grandes, which was a fiasco. Outgunned, Madero and his men retreated, and Madero was injured. Although it ended badly, Maderos bravery gained him respect among the northern rebels. Orozco, at that time leader of the most powerful rebel army, acknowledged Madero as leader of the revolution. Not long after the battle, Madero met  Villa  and they hit it off despite their differences. Villa knew he was a good bandit and rebel chief, but he was no visionary or politician. Madero  was a man of words, not action, and he considered Villa a Robin Hood,  just the man to oust Dà ­az. Madero allowed his men to join Villas force: His days of soldiering were done. Villa and Orozco pushed toward  Mexico City, scoring victories over federal forces along the way. In the south, Zapatas peasant army was capturing towns in his native state of Morelos, beating superior federal forces with a combination of determination and numbers. In May 1911, Zapata scored a huge, bloody victory over federal forces in the town of Cuautla. Dà ­az could see that his rule was crumbling. Dà ­az Quits Dà ­az negotiated a surrender with Madero, who generously allowed the former dictator to leave the country that month. Madero was greeted as a hero when he rode into Mexico City on June 7, 1911. Once he arrived, however, he made a series of mistakes. As interim president, he accepted Francisco Leà ³n de la Barra, a former Dà ­az crony who coalesced the anti-Madero movement. He also demobilized Orozcos and Villas armies. Maderos Presidency Madero became president in November 1911. Never a true revolutionary, Madero simply felt that Mexico was ready for democracy and Dà ­az should step down. He never intended to carry out radical changes, such as land reform. He spent much of his time as president trying to reassure the privileged class that he wouldnt dismantle the power structure left by Dà ­az. Meanwhile, Zapata, realizing that Madero would never approve real land reform, took up arms again. Leà ³n de la Barra, still interim president and working against Madero, sent  Gen. Victoriano Huerta, a brutal remnant of Dà ­azs regime, to Morelos to contain Zapata. Called back to Mexico City, Huerta began conspiring against Madero. When he became president, Maderos only remaining friend was Villa, whose army was demobilized. Orozco, who hadnt gotten the huge rewards he had expected from Madero, took to the field, and many of his former soldiers joined him. Downfall and Execution The politically naive Madero didnt realize he was surrounded by danger. Huerta was conspiring with American ambassador Henry Lane Wilson to remove Madero, as Fà ©lix Dà ­az, Porfirios nephew, took up arms along with Bernardo Reyes. Although Villa rejoined the fight in favor of Madero, he ended up in a stalemate with Orozco. Madero refused to believe his generals would turn on him. The forces of Fà ©lix Dà ­az entered Mexico City, and a 10-day standoff known as la  decena  trà ¡gica (â€Å"the tragic fortnight†) ensued. Accepting Huertas â€Å"protection,† Madero fell into his trap: He was arrested by Huerta on Feb. 18,  1913,  and executed four days later, though Huerta said he was killed when his supporters tried to free him. With Madero gone, Huerta turned on his fellow conspirators and made himself president. Legacy Although he wasnt a radical,  Francisco Madero  was the spark that set off the  Mexican Revolution. He was clever, rich, well-connected, and charismatic enough to get the ball rolling against a weakened Porfirio Dà ­az, but couldnt hold onto power once he attained it. The Mexican Revolution was fought by brutal, ruthless men, and the idealistic  Madero  was out of his depth. Still, his name became a rallying cry, especially for Villa and his men. Villa was disappointed that Madero had failed and spent the rest of the revolution looking for another politician to entrust with the future of his country. Maderos brothers were among Villas staunchest supporters. Later politicians tried and failed to unite the nation until 1920, when Alvaro Obregà ³n seized power, the first to succeed at imposing his will on the unruly factions. Decades later, Madero is seen as a hero by Mexicans, the father of the revolution that did much to level the playing field between rich and poor. He is seen as weak but idealistic, an honest, decent man destroyed by the demons he helped to unleash. He was executed before the bloodiest years of the revolution, so his image is unsullied by later events. Sources McLynn, Frank.  Villa and Zapata: A History of the Mexican Revolution.  Basic Books, 2000.Francisco Madero: President of Mexico. Encyclopedia Brittanica.Francisco Madero. Biography.com.

The Lottery, By Shirley Jackson - 872 Words

It is the human nature to make sacrifices for the people in their community, those they love, and those who they perceive less fortunate. As such, people partake in traditions which have been passed down by their own ancestors, regardless of the place of such traditions in the contemporary society. They simply do them based upon the tradition and respect. In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† Shirley Jackson depicts a small town whose people unquestionably cling on a tradition of human sacrifice despite of being of less significance at the time. Every year, the town sanctions the sacrifice of one individual to keep the town in God’s good graces, by stating â€Å"Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.† (Jackson, 370). The town citizens also believe that the annual human sacrifice significantly contributes to huge harvests in the community. By conducting the sacrifice as a stoning, the town members feel connected to the ancient past, which helps to enfold the entir e process in mystery and a sense of ancient evil in the society. Despite traditional rituals such as human sacrifice having traditional backgrounds, most of them are cruel and unworthy of human observance. The â€Å"Lottery† is a horrible example of the influence of an ancient civic ritual of a society, which is so great that it eradicates all forms of cognitive senses of society’s members. The townspeople have accepted human sacrifice as a part of their lives. It has been a tradition for a very long time and the town keeps itShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1195 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† reads as a work of horror. There is a village that holds an annual lottery where the winner is stoned to death so the village and its people could prosper. Some underlying themes include: the idea that faith and tradition are often followed blindly, and those who veer away from tradition are met with punishment, as well as the idea of a herd mentality and bystander apathy. What the author manages to do successfully is that she actuallyRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson757 Words   |  4 Page ssucceed but many fail just like the main character Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. When someone hears the word â€Å"lottery†, he or she may think that someone will be rewarded with prize. But â€Å"The Lottery† By Shirley Jackson is different than what one thinks. In the story, a lottery is going to be conducted not like Mega Million or Powerball one play here. In the story, the person who wins the lottery is stoned to death instead of being rewarded with the prize. TessieRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lottery† is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s approach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in wh ich random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easilyRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson1504 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson In The Lottery Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even though some people have no idea why they follow these traditions. The title of the story plays a role in how Shirley Jackson used some literary elements to help mask the evils and develop the story. The title â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory. When people think of the lottery majorityRead More`` The Lottery `` By Shirley Jackson894 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Lottery†, author Shirley Jackson demonstrates Zimbardo’s concepts in three different areas: Authority figures, Tradition and Superstition, and Loyalty. The first concept Jackson portrays in â€Å"The Lottery† is the authority figures. Jackson indicates that the lottery is being held in the town center by one authority figure, Mr. Summers, annually on June 27th. Every June 27th, without fail, townspeople gather in the town square to participate in the annually lottery even though mostRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1510 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates several aspects of the darker side of human nature. The townspeople in Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† unquestioningly adhere to a tradition which seems to have lost its relevance in their lives. The ritual that is the lottery shows how easily and willingly people will give up their free will and suspend their consciences to conform to tradition and people in authority. The same mindless complacency and obedience shown by the villagers in Jackson’s story are seenRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson9 34 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson811 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† was published by Shirley Jackson. The story was true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their heinous competence in an annual village event for corn harvest . First, her used to word symbolized main point of the story. Second, Jackson was inspired by few historical events happened in the past and a life incident in her life. Lastly, She was able to accomplish the connection between historical and biographical with the story. Therefore, Shirley Jackson’sRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson799 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some human beings lies. The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time ofRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 Pagesfilled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, created an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than three hundred people, in which a drawing is held once a year. In this â€Å"Lottery,† each family’s husband draws a slip of paper from a black box. The husband

Clocky free essay sample

ANSWER 1. For justifying recommendations with respect to target market segment(s) and positioning option(s) for CLOCKY, I analyze the following: Target market segment(s) 1. CLOCKY should be targeted towards the gift (fun-based) segment based on my analysis. Exhibit 8 of the case shows that the older the customer, the more inclined he/she was to purchase CLOCKY as a gift for someone else. Younger customers were more interested to purchase a CLOCKY for themselves. Exhibit 8 also shows that the maximum number of counts responding to CLOCKY’s interest to purchase was in the 26-35 age group, and 26. % considered to buy this as a gift. This segment overlapped with the 25-34 year olds who were used to hit the snooze button maximum (57% of them hitting daily) compared to the fastest risers, as mentioned in the case. This segment of people was likely to be the fastest switchers. Exhibit 8 also shows a steady number (896+557) = 1453 counts aged 46 and over with about 63% of intent to purchase a CLOCKY as a gift. These people were likely to be less switchers and could be leveraged upon CLOCKY’s target segment to translate their decision into purchase. To the higher aged persons, CLOCKY is more like Know-Feel-Do (Utilitarian Instrumental Product and buying decision process). Price is a trade-off variable here to them. Here, consumer satisfaction is actually expectation confirmation – and the loyalty is reward for performance relative to competitors. The relationship with CLOCKY is repeat, word-of-mouth, premium. Nanda can greatly leverage upon this relationship to increase CLOCKY’s business while targeting the right segment of people (aged above 45). CLOCKY can also appeal to Feel-Do-Know (Expressive Product and buying decision process), where it is bought of liking and impulse. Price is also a secondary concern here. Here, consumer satisfaction is actually â€Å"brand image self congruity† – and the loyalty is â€Å"affective commitment†. The relationship with CLOCKY is commitment and self-concept advocacy, both of which Nanda can leverage upon while increasing CLOCKY’s business while targeting the right segment of people (aged between 18 and 45). The target segment of gift is also consistent with the consumers’ behavior based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Freud’s theory of being motivated by subconscious motivations. CLOCKY can generate a lot of interest through promotion of consumers who feel good about owning a CLOCKY and gifting it to someone of their love, and this can be good for Nanda initially at the time of bringing CLOCKY first to the market. Later on, she can incorporate the health issues (sleep benefit et al) and other value-add features once she has already got a bit of market share as CLOCKY’s start selling. Positioning options: 1. From my analysis, CLOCKY can be positioned initially as a pet-like fun device, good and cute to look at, nice to feel, that helps a person have a funny wakeup. She should position CLOCKY as a human-like funny person who demands attention in the morning and wakes up humans, just like their cute pets. The positioning in the area of gifts can have a very subtle message with the wakeup process. Without even stressing the health-related benefits et al. , Nanda can cleverly push CLOCKY as being both a nice looking human-like gift that in reality helps people overcome their sleep disorders. Even if the health stuff et al is not explicitly mentioned along rigorous medical terms, it is a major benefit that comes with purchasing CLOCKY as a fun gift item. The pitch that Nanda should make while positioning CLOCKY initially in the gift market is to appeal to the aesthetics and fun of the device, at the same time pointing out in the fun way why it makes wakeup so much easier. Based on the target segment of gift (fun-based), Nanda should position CLOCKY to fulfill the basic consumer psychology of the motivation of having a fun wakeup with a human-like pet device. This is a major motivation for consumers and Nanda can beautifully take advantage of this. It’s a sustained, increasing motivation and need for consumers. Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, she can gradually move her customers up the consumer psychology matrix through better communications and positioning, but leveraging on fundamental psychological need of humans will immensely help CLOCKY reach out to masses and help in huge market proliferation. Positioning along the lines that CLOCKY is a product that addresses a basic human need will immense help CLOCKY get its first sales. The willingness to pay high premiums for satisfying this need is hugely advantageous to CLOCKY. Based on leveraging this consumer psychology, Nanda can greatly increase the value of CLOCKY’s brand. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for CLOCKY mainly because of their rational benefits (CLOCKY’s functionality, trust of Nanda, Quality, Familiarity and Availability of CLOCKY), emotional benefits (their personal preference to own a fun wakeup device – CLOCKY) and symbolic benefits (meaning of owning a CLOCKY as a fun, good-to-look, fashionable gadget) This will also help CLOCKY to build a unique brand. The promise it can make is –â€Å"have fun in waking up each morning†. It can deliver on this promise and gain consumer trust and credibility. ANSWER 2: For justifying recommendations with respect to product, pricing distribution and promotion strategies for CLOCKY, I analyze the following: Product: 1. CLOCKY should mainly be differentiated in its looks (e. g. more colors) and its feel (e. g. softness to hold) to give a wide range of design looks. Given the fact that Nanda has only one product to offer, achieving variety through more designs in color and texture will help CLOCKY appeal more to the gift segment. This will also not cost her much. 2. Nanda should also try and file a trademark protection for â€Å"CLOCKYâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬  soon, just to make sure that no one else can infringe on her device name or brand. However, this might be difficult to enforce for a startup, but she should certainly file for trademark protection. Nanda is operating in a mature market with near-perfect competition. There are many players already in her target market and the barriers to entry are very low. She also risks potential imitations and knock-offs. The power of buyers is huge, with very low switching costs, and the power of suppliers is fairly low (based on Porter’s 5 Forces analysis). CLOCKY is also susceptible to improved technological innovation, and runs the risk of being obliterated should a better technological design of the device comes through successful that lowers the device’s cost. CLOCKY’s Product Life Cycle (PLC) would decline fairly fast (about a year from my experience, which happens for any electronics innovation). Usually customers are open to purchasing new products from innovators and early adapters early on in the product lifecycle (especially when it comes to gifts and consumer electronics), after which it declines. Nanda thus must seriously consider rolling out new products derived from CLOCKY during its ongoing product lifecycle. One option is to have out co-branded CLOCKY accessories that are sold alongside CLOCKY. CLOCKY is a device that cannot be upgraded much on its own internal computing structure. Hence, the value-add to customers is not much based on the device improvements, actually. The key value-add to customers is the product features, and the benefits that CLOCKY bring in to have a funny wakeup. Nanda thus runs the risk of sustainable product differentiation. She definitely needs to build the CLOCKY brand and protect it from infringement, thereby holding on to CLOCKY’s position in the target gift market. Usually, in the gift market, the brand of a device commands a lot of purchase power, and Nanda could gradually move CLOCKY in this direction. She can also re-position her product as benefiting health, based on how CLOCKY sells and based on the profile of the buyers and their needs. Nanda is currently located in â€Å"New Products – Current Markets† in the North East Corner of Ansoff’s matrix with her CLOCKY product. Her core focus is on product development strategies. Soon, with CLOCKYs sales increasing, she will move to the North West Corner where she has to think of market penetration. Then she will move to the South West Corner for expanding CLOCKY to new markets, where she needs to know of market development strategies. She has to think of her options in her current location in Ansoff’s matrix. Her actions comprise of new product development (developing CLOCKY’s design better (especially related to looks and aesthetics) and preparing for mass manufacture (reducing the time of bring CLOCKY to the market, possibly through outsourcing manufacture in China) and 4 STPs (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) primarily based on Product, Promotion, Price and Place. Pricing and Distribution: 1. Nanda should keep the price of CLOCKY close to $40 per piece. This is mainly because she needs market penetration. And to get market penetration, she needs to sell more numbers of CLOCKY. Essentially, the key for a startup company is the time to break-even. Nanda does not have a lot of capital funding to sustain her business. Hence, the key is to offer a reasonably low price and try and capture as much market volume as possible. 2. Nanda should try and sell CLOCKY through her own website (maximum) and through boutique and gift shops (small number) CLOCKY’s profits are dependent on its price, cost of production and volumes sold. From the case, it states that Nanda estimates that the cost of production of CLOCKY is about $15 per unit. If manufactured in China, the total estimate comes to be around $20. If she prices CLOCKY at $40 per unit, and can cut down on CLOCKY’s distribution channel costs, this price would be quite profitable for her – as the price is good for a large Willingness-to-Pay for a gift for the value CLOCKY offers. She would be able to break-even very soon. In order to take advantage of this $40, Nanda needs to cut down on her distribution channel costs. From the case, partnering with retailers who have above 100% markup price will not work for Nanda at the inception of launching CLOCKY. Partnering with gift shops and boutiques is one option, but the majority of CLOCKY units should be sold through the internet. This is also a good attempt to make CLOCKY appear scarce in the market, and create demand. If consumers perceive CLOCKY of being of high value and is not available and accessible very easily through common outlets, it will create demand for CLOCKY. Nanda can greatly leverage upon this pull strategy of CLOCKY in her distribution channel to create more number of CLOCKY units sold. Nanda has a website called http://www. clocky. net (from the case) where interested CLOCKY buyers enter their details and register their interest. Nanda can easily enable buyers to actually order CLOCKY from this same website. It is a classic case of B2C marketing. The distribution channel would be very short and wide, and involve minimum costs for Nanda. Once she gets the online orders, she can coordinate the shipping of CLOCKYs from her manufacturer. Nanda has options of premium pricing, penetration pricing, economy pricing and price skimming with CLOCKY. She can go for Premium Pricing if she can pitch CLOCKY’s message to the right angle about addressing consumers’ basic motivational needs. She can go for price skimming once CLOCKY has been selling a lot. However, even if she goes for Premium Pricing, she does not keep the price very high. A double-the-price of production is good enough for Nanda. Nanda can also go for psychological pricing, responding to consumers’ emotional levels, if her marketing pitch is well along this direction. Promotion strategies: 1. CLOCKY’s message should be quite clear while making its brand promise: it jumps from the air and runs away, making you chase around it and have a fun wakeup. The fact that this is a human-like, personalized device should be the key pitch in promotion strategy. . Nanda should use the internet (along with her own website) to offer deals and update consumers about CLOCKY’s latest activities. Given the fact that her immense PR and media exposure is generating lots of hits on her website, she can use her own website http://www. clocky. net to offer promotions and create consumer purchase influences. 3. Nanda should leverage upon her immense PR and media exposure to build a large word-of-mouth marketing base at the initial stages of launching CLOCKY. This will greatly help in cutting down her advertising costs for CLOCKY. The immense publicity that Nanda is receiving can help position CLOCKY’s brand initially. The publicity can help generate awareness about CLOCKY, and coupled with internet-based blogs and product reviews, immensely helps in word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth marketing is often a crucial pillar of initial success for a startup company selling a consumer product like a gift. The publicity that she is getting is very good for advertising CLOCKY. Given the fact that Nanda does not have a large budget for advertising, the media publicity can help her greatly. Nanda’s PR and media exposure, as a proxy to CLOCKY’s IMC and promotion strategy, will greatly help Nanda enhance CLOCKY’s brand perception through: a) Reaching CLOCKY’s message at the right time and place to the right customer b) Developing consumers level of understanding and behavior with CLOCKY c) Correctly positioning CLOCKY’s brand in terms of points? of? difference and points? of? parity. d) Motivating consumers to consider purchase of the CLOCKY brand, especially while providing pitch to addressing their fundamental motivations and needs. e) Creating strong brand associations of CLOCKY with Nanda herself.

Strong emotions and ideas Essay Example For Students

Strong emotions and ideas Essay A comparison of To Autumn and La Belle Dame Sans Merci on how they present strong emotions and ideas  To Autumn and La Belle Dame Sans Merci are poems both written by John Keats. Both are classic examples of the genre. Both poems share emotive and passionate feelings. In to Autumn Keats describes his strong feelings about autumn. In La Belle Dame Sans Merci we see Keats express strong emotions about life and death. In this essay I plan to focus on the different emotions and ideas that Keats writes about in To Autumn and La Belle Dame Sans Merci. In To Autumn the first stanza describes the bounty, in the last the dreaminess, Keats expresses words that are so transparent and direct that reading the poem we almost forget they are words, and in fact are nature itself. Keats makes it appear as though the seasons are speaking to the reader and not him. This pensiveness and interaction with Mother Nature creates s subtle awareness of time passing and of changes taking place within nature. In La Belle Dame Sans Merci Keats presents his ideas quite differently to how he did in To Autumn. The ballad does not open with a relaxing tone; the first paragraph uncomfortably cuts off very sharply. A general comparison that one can make between the two pieces is that the contents of To Autumn are wholesome and natural whilst the contents of La Belle Dame Sans Merci is supernatural and incredibly dream like. Keats deliberately uses archaic language in To Autumn and La Belle Dame Sans Merci; this creates a more poetic effect in the two poems. We will write a custom essay on Strong emotions and ideas specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now To Autumn appeals greatly to the senses, with ripeness to the core is describing tasting of the fruit and is a description that therefore appeals to the taste buds. Keats also appeals to scent in To Autumn Drowsd with the fume of poppies In To Autumn descriptions appealing to the senses are generally positive. In La Belle Dame Sans Merci imagery related to the senses is more complicated than in To Autumn. There is imagery appealing to the senses that is a blur between positive and negative. Full beautiful a faerys child describes beauty that is supernatural, somebody so beautiful that it simply cannot be real. Keats also writes I see a lily thy brow which is obviously negative and is a description of fear. After describing fear Keats writes about looking pale and feeling ill With anguish moist and fever dew, And on thy cheeks a fading rose Fear and illness are two fundamental elements that Keats would have been experiencing from the point he realized he had tuberculosis. Keats presents his views in To Autumn by writing very vividly his imagination is almost photographic. In La Belle Dame Sans Merci the sonnet is so magical, supernatural and fantasy like the reader will inevitably make up their own mind about what Keats is describing. In To Autumn however the description of autumn is so clear that the reader can quickly see what Keats is describing. La Belle Dame Sans Merci the narrator appeals to feel sorry for the knight in the first stanza, the narrator shows concern in his opening line O what can ail thee. The first three stanzas of the sonnet contain many words with negative meanings ail, no birds and fever. The diction and outlook is evidently negative. The reader will probably sympathise with the knight because of this. To Autumn starts very differently. It starts with a definite positive and uplifting tone with the opening first stanza addressing Autumn, describing its abundance, its friendship with the sun, how Autumn ripens fruits and causes the late flowers to bloom. In the second stanza Keats appears to describe the figure of Autumn as Mother Nature, frequently seen sitting on the granary floor, her hair soft-lifted by the wind, and often seen sleeping in the fields or watching a cider-press squeezing the juice from apples. .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .postImageUrl , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:hover , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:visited , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:active { border:0!important; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b { 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; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:active , .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .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; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u08c32158516c865c18ef41e59e3e794b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Woman plead with him! EssayIn La Belle Dame Sans Merci love plays a considerable part, I made a garland for her head is clearly a romantic gesture and hints that Keats has fallen in love with the faerys child. Keats also presents us with ideas on his feelings about death withering and fading flowers, winter, paleness, cold, sleep, and corpse-like men. Keats uses repetition of the word pale Pale warriors, death-pale and he uses the phrase paley loitering twice once in the first stanza and once in the last stanza. The plethora of imagery indicating death shows the reader that death was probably on Keats mind whilst he was writing La Belle Dame Sans Merci. To Autumn does n ot have a theme of love with a person but instead it describes a love of autumn and a love of life in general. Time is presented in different ways in the two poems. In To Autumn the poem has a solid theme of time passing soft dying day. There is also regret at the passing of time and the changing of the seasons Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn From this quote we can obviously tell that the gnats dislike autumn ending. In La Belle Dame Sans Merci the reader does not have as clear motion of time. The Knight loses track of time, he goes into a trance Hath thee in thrall.  To Autumn and La Belle Dame Sans Merci have both proved very influential poems over a long period of time. Despite living such a young life Keatss is undoubtedly one of the most important poets of the English language and his work will live on for many more years.

How to Reduce Accidents free essay sample

They demonstrate a central tendency which should not rule out a range of differences within each concept. ) 1. Assertiveness:   U. S. Americans tend to be candid and outspoken in communication with others, and they seldom shy away from disclosing facts about themselves. They prefer direct questions and respond with straight answers. They employ face-to-face confrontations to resolve differences. These patterns of behavior sometimes lead people from other cultures to view U. S. Americans as overly aggressive. 2. Effort-Optimism:   The linking of effort with optimism is one of the central characteristics of U. S. thought. Effort-optimism is a denial of fatalism;   it is the assumption that any challenge can be met, any goal achieved, if only a sufficient quantity of time, energy, skill, and willpower are applied. The motto of the U. S. Navys Construction Battalions (See-Bees) during World War II exemplifies this concept:   The difficult we do immediately;   the impossible takes a little longer. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Reduce Accidents or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3. Friendliness:   U. S. friendships is typified by warmth, informality, and other signs of acceptance, even toward comparative strangers. On the other hand, U. S. Americans assume that friendship involves comparatively few mutual obligations and lasts a relatively short time. People from other cultures become confused because those whom they would consider mere acquaintances are called friends by U. S. Americans, and because the warm manner of U. S. Americans leads them to expect a degree of commitment that the U. S. Americans do not feel and would find difficult to accept. 4. Getting Things Done:   U. S. Americans are most content when they are doing something. They believe that hard work is intrinsically valuable. In judging others, they give the most weight to their achievements, much less to character or spiritual qualities. U. S. Americans strive for efficiency because it enables them to get more things done in a given period of time. To people from certain other cultures, however, U. S. Americans seem driven. 5. Individualism:   The concept of individualism stresses the separateness of one human being from another, and the responsibility and initiative that each person must take on his own behalf. U. S. Americans join and leave groups frequently according to changing personal needs. people from highly group-centered cultures find the U. S. way of life fragmented because of its focus on individuals. 6. Materialism:   Like most other peoples, U. S. Americans are concerned about their well-being;   the difference in some cases is that U. S. Americans measure their well-being in terms of the number of tangible things at their command that enable them to enjoy uninterrupted comfort and convenience. People from cultures where spiritual, intellectual, or personal qualities are most highly valued may be so dazzled by U. S. Americans materialism that they overlook their finer values. 7. Pragmatism:   U. S. Americans are deeply practical. They want things, procedures, and people to meet the requirements of actual use in daily life. They tend to be adaptable and realistic, and they rely on common sense.    In making judgments, U. S. Americans are most interested in whether something works. Other peoples around the world often give more weight to historical tradition, theological command, moral purity, or theoretical consistency. 8. Progress:   U. S. Americans are oriented toward the future;   they want it to be better than their past and present. Given their elentless pursuit of happiness, they believe not only that thi ngs and people can be made to improve, but also that they should be made to improve. 9. Puritanism:   Puritanism is the term that describes the U. S. American habit of seeing a cause-effect relationship between correct thinking and good behavior on the one hand, and material reward or successful outcome on the other. It arose out of the old Calvinist doctrine that prosperity and success were sure signs that an individual was in Gods favor. 10. Scientific Method:   The methods of science involve devotion to attitudes such as skepticism, empiricism, and rationalism, and to procedures such as experimentation, detailed analysis, and inductive reasoning (reasoning from established facts to tentative conclusions). U. S. Americans seem to have a built-in readiness to accept scientific explanations as far more likely than any other possible explanation. Other peoples often remain at least as likely to rely on mysticism, authority, or tradition. 11. Success:   The self-esteem of individual U. S. Americans is largely tied   to their ability to get ahead in terms of the recognition of their peers as well as material affluence and social mobility. There is a deeply held belief in the U. S. that   anyone- through hard work, talent, and persistence- can rise well above the station in life to which he or she is born. Many other peoples around the world regard their status and role in life as both permanent and proper, and fail to comprehend the constant upward striving of U. S. Americans. 12. Time Consciousness:   U. S. Americans tend to feel that time is relentlessly rushing past them, and they frequently need to know exactly what time it is. They attempt to save time by moving at a rapid pace, taking shortcuts, and improving their efficiency of operations. They soon become anxious if forced to waste time. U. S. Americans are nearly always punctual and they expect others to be on time, too. Many other peoples have a far more relaxed attitude about time;   some seem to be almost unaware of its passage and in no way share U. S. Americans concern for punctuality. 14. America and the English Tradition| By Harry Morgan Ayres| | | This admirable summary of Anglo-American history first appeared (February, 1920) as an editorial in the Weekly Review. It seemed to me then, and still does, as a model in that form of writing, perfect in lucidity, temperance and good sense. Mr. Ayres is a member of the faculty of Columbia University (Department of English) and also one of the editors of the Weekly Review. Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare and Seneca seem to be his favorite hobbies. | |   Ã‚  To sum up the gist of Anglo-American relations in half a dozen pages, as Mr. Ayres does here, is surely a remarkable achievement. | THE RECENTLY established chair in the history, literature, and institutions of the United States which is to be shared among the several universities of Great Britain, is quite different from the exchange professorships of sometimes unhappy memory. It is not at all the idea to carry over one of our professors each year and indoctrinate him with the true culture at its source. The occupant of the chair will be, if the announced intention is carried out, quite as often British as American, and quite as likely a public man as a professor. The chief object is to bring to England a better knowledge of the United States, and a purpose more laudable can scarcely be imagined. Peace and prosperity will endure in the world in some very precise relation to the extent to which England succeeds in understanding us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  1|   Ã‚  It is not an illusion to suppose that our understanding of the British is on the whole better than theirs of us. The British Empire is a large and comparatively simple fact, now conspicuously before the world for a long time. The United States was, in British eyes, until recently, a comparatively insignificant fact, yet vastly more complicated than they imagined. Each, of course, perfectly knew the faults o f the other, assessed with an unerring cousinly eye. The American bragged in a nasal whine, the Briton patronized in a throaty burble. Whoever among the struggling nations of the world might win, England saw to it that she never lost; your Yankee was content with the more ignoble triumphs of merchandising, willing to cheapen life if he could only add to his dollars. But the excellence of English political institutions and methods, the charm of English life, the tremendous power of the Empire for promoting freedom and civilization in the world, these are things which Americans have long recognized and in a way understood. Anything like an equivalent British appreciation of America in the large seems confined to a very few honorable exceptions among them. Admiration for Niagara, which is half British anyway, or enthusiasm for the â€Å"Wild West†Ã¢â‚¬â€your better-class Englishman always thrills to the frontier—is no step at all toward rightly appreciating America. |   Ã‚  Ã‚  2|   Ã‚  To no inconsiderable extent this is America’s own fault. She does not present to the world a record that is easily read. It is obvious, for instance—and so obvious that it is not often enough stated—that America has and will continue to have a fundamentally English civilization. English law is the basis of her law. English speech is her speech, and if with a difference, it is a difference that the philologist, all things considered, finds amazingly small. English literature is her literature—Chaucer and Shakespeare hers because her blood then coursed indistinguishably through the English heart they knew so well; Milton, Dryden, and the Queen Anne men hers, because she was still a part of England; the later men hers by virtue of affectionate acquaintanceship and a generous and not inconsiderable rivalry. English history, in short, is her history. The struggles of the thirteenth century through which law and parliament came into being, the struggles of the seventeenth century through which law and parliament came to rule, are America’s struggles upon which she can look back with the satisfaction that some things that have been done in the world need never be undone or done over again, whatever the room for improvement may still be. Americans, no less than British, recognize that independence was largely an accidental result of a war which sprang out of a false theory of economics, but whose conclusion carried with it a lesson in the management of empire which subsequent history shows the British to have learned thoroughly and for the benefit of all concerned. American independence, however, once established, pointed a way to democratic freedom which England hastened to follow. This we know. And yet—|   Ã‚  Ã‚  3|   Ã‚  And yet we allow these obvious and fundamental considerations to become marvelously obscured. We allow England’s failure to solve an insoluble Irish problem to arouse in us an attitude of mind possibly excusable in some Irishmen, but wholly inexcusable in any American. We allow a sentimental regard for some immigrant from Eastern Europe, who comes to us with a philosophy born of conditions that in English-speaking lands ceased to be centuries ago, to make us pretend to see in him the true expression of America’s traditional ideals. We allow ourselves to be far too easy with the phrase, â€Å"He is not pro-German, he is merely anti-British. Why are they anti-British? Why should they be permitted to make it falsely appear that recognition of the English basis of America involves approval of everything that England in her history may or may not have done? Why should they be allowed to pretend that disapproval of some particular act of England justifies repudiation of most of the things by virtue of which we are what we are? America from the first has been part of the great English experiment—great because it is capable of learning from experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  4|   Ã‚  The world has put a big investment in blood and treasure, and all that they imply, into the education of England. It is satisfied—the world’s response to Geermany’ insolent challenge is the proof of it—that its pains have been well bestowed. England is more nearly fit than any other nation to wield the power that is hers. That is not to deny the peculiar virtues of other nations; indeed, these virtues have largely contributed to the result. Italy has educated her; France has educated her; we have done something; and Germany. In result, she is not perfect—the English would perhaps least of all assert that—but she has learned a great deal and held herself steady while she learned it. It is a bigger job than the world cares to undertake to teach any other nation so much. Nor would it be at all likely to succeed so well. For what England has to offer the world in return is not simply her institutions; it is not merely a formula for the effective discharge of police duty throughout the world; it is the English freeman, whether he hail from Canada, Australia, Africa, or the uttermost isles of the sea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  5|   Ã‚  A most adaptable fellow, this freeman, doing all sorts of work everywhere, and with tremendous powers of assimilation. Consider him in his origins. He began by assimilating fully his own weight in Danes, while remaining an English freeman. He then perforce accepted a Norman King, as he had accepted a Danish one, hoping, as always, that the kind would not trouble him too much. But when Norman William, who was very ill-informed about the breed, killed off most of his natural leaders and harried the rest into villainy, how did he manage in a small matter of two hundred years or so to make an English gentleman not only of himself but of all the rag-tag of adventurers who had come over with William and since? How did he contrive, out of a band of exiles fleeing from an Egypt of ecclesiastical tyranny, broken younger sons, artisans out of a job, speculators, bondmen, Swedes, Dutchmen, and what not, to make America? Is he one likely to lose his bearings when in his America the age-old problem again heaves in view? This is a job he has been working at pretty successfully for more than a thousand years. Grant him a moment to realize himself afresh in the face of it. Don’t expect him to stop and give a coherent explanation of what he is doing. He wouldn’t be the true son of the English tradition that he is if he could do that. Perhaps the occupants of the new chair can do something of the sort for him.

Free Essays on Abortions a Matter of Choise

Abortion A MATTER OF CHOICE The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. It has caused countless deaths and several violent confrontations between the two separate parties of opinion. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has been long and brutal. This is because, despite what several people may believe, abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion. In this way, each side can say with certainty that the other is wrong. Therefore the question remains; should abortion be legal? Though some may disagree on this point, the fact is that legalized abortion is the only option that will protect the lives of American citizens. One only needs to look into American history to see the results of prohibiting abortions to women. The violence which occurs today because the of pro-choice/pro-life conflicts is minimal in comparison to the thousands of hopeless women who turned to the illegal abortions either self-inflicted or preformed by the backroom _______________________________________________... Free Essays on Abortions a Matter of Choise Free Essays on Abortions a Matter of Choise Abortion A MATTER OF CHOICE The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. It has caused countless deaths and several violent confrontations between the two separate parties of opinion. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has been long and brutal. This is because, despite what several people may believe, abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion. In this way, each side can say with certainty that the other is wrong. Therefore the question remains; should abortion be legal? Though some may disagree on this point, the fact is that legalized abortion is the only option that will protect the lives of American citizens. One only needs to look into American history to see the results of prohibiting abortions to women. The violence which occurs today because the of pro-choice/pro-life conflicts is minimal in comparison to the thousands of hopeless women who turned to the illegal abortions either self-inflicted or preformed by the backroom _______________________________________________...

- Art and Music Appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

- Art and Music Appreciation - Essay Example in God’s design, but Leonardo illustrated it in a scientific or mathematical diagram, still showing a beautiful form and capturing the movement of that time. This painting seeks ancient classic forms to create a historic scene: a Renaissance characteristic that is carried off with architecture (Palladian columns) and figures (Constantine). If the same action took place in a forest, it would be robbed of the elegance and historic props necessary to tell the story, and it would lose significance. The Emperor requires the regal surrounding and the baldachin (or marquee): piety. The poor and rich onlookers would not be contrasted so sharply if the background was neutral: here the beggars are seen as being there at the behest of a kind king: charity. The rich are there to pay homage to a Christian leader: humility. The grandeur underlines the meaning. Mother and child pictures and statues have come down to us from ancient times: much further back than the Christian era. Isis, the Egyptian goddess, was often depicted with her son Horus, which scholars think is one example of the source of most Mother/Child portrayals. There is also the Phemba, a 19th century African secular statue of a mother and child. Michelangelo’s early 1500s statue of Madonna and Child is a highly evolved rendition of a very old theme that differs greatly from early medieval images, which were idealized, and largely based on icons. Even medieval statues have a stiff flat look, and almost all show the Madonna with an ‘upturned egg-shaped head’ and long Byzantine nose. Michelangelo’s statue is a sensitive portrayal of a melancholic woman: a humanistic sketch of emotion. The lyrics of the Spring sonnet, and the strains of the chamber music that paradoxically paint an outdoor scene, are my favorite of all the four movements. Here we have a clear sensation of hope in all things new: ‘a glittering arrival of Spring’ full of little birds, zephyrs (light breezes), leaves and plants that

That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded Essay - 5

That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow - Essay Example Whether in primary or middle school, the true purpose of education has lost its significance to a great extent as people seem to have forgotten that education is intrinsically linked with acquisition of knowledge. (Davidson and Carber, 2009, p.9) During the formative years, the students traverse through different stages of development and the educational programs that they are taught are not similar as that of middle schools, but one of the most significant aspects of PYP or Primary Years Program is to inculcate the idea of inquiry although it is doubtful whether the educators make genuine efforts for developing the stance of inquiry (Davidson and Carber 2009, p.11). Moreover, the teachers are concerned with the completion of curriculum that robs the children of their natural abilities of expression. For instance, if a child is unable to grasp the concept of ‘transparent’ in the classroom, a teacher may or may not prefer to take special efforts to think of a better way to solve this problem although the principles of teaching reinforce this concept. Thus, knowledge remains unfinished in most schools from early childhood and children may never learn to ask questions even during the latter years when they grow up to become adults. Knowledge, as it is known to us remains a maxim that looks good in text books and it is a fact that few people will be able to abolish when viewed in today’s perspective. The most common example that can be cited for explaining the redundancy of knowledge is that of computer education, which is now being taught in most schools and colleges. It is undoubtedly true that the world of computers, which is developing faster than a sudden storm, leave the learners in awe. Moreover, the parents are puzzled with the inclination among most children to choose computer as their chosen subject. Additionally, the computer programs and curriculums that are taught in

The Book of Songs Essay Example for Free

The Book of Songs Essay While â€Å"Air of the States† depicted the thoughts of the ordinary, minor and major odes have poems that portray the views of nobility and rulers. The Minor Odes is mainly written by aristocratic people, and The Major Odes has the words of the kings and rulers. Divided by decades, the poems tend to talk more about broader themes. Readers can find those implications from the specific examples shown in the poems. The poem â€Å"What Plant Is Not Faded?† is the last of the minor odes. It starts by questions that are rhetorical. The questions all describe the marching line of soldiers on expedition. The speaker is revealed as a soldier in the line â€Å"Alas for us soldiers†. The soldier is lamenting on how they are treated as animals, not â€Å"fellow-men†. However, the poem does not show sign of any resistance toward the leaders. Although they are dwelling on their harsh and misfortunate circumstances, seem to understand their leaders and practice loyalty that Confucius stressed in his teaching. The last line â€Å"And we push them along the track† implies that they are keep going to follow the leader like what they were doing during the expedition. The first poem of The Major Odes, â€Å"King Wen† mainly uses its lines for praising the King Wen. It lists positive aspects of the king and says heaven gave him the position. It also warns about the responsibility of the ruler: â€Å"The charge is not easy to keep. Do not bring ruin on yourselves.† But more part of the poem gives reader hope about the future of Zhou.

Analysis Of The Tower Bridge Organisation Tourism Essay

Analysis Of The Tower Bridge Organisation Tourism Essay This report will be divided into 5 sections. In the first section I will be describing the function of the company and the product it provides for its customers. The second section will provide an overview of the economics of the business and competition. The third section will describe the management structure at the company. The fourth section will provide both the PEST and SWOT analysis. Finally I will reflect on my time as a tourist guide, describe the job role and give my impressions of the company. Describing the company and what it offers Tower Bridge is a municipal enterprise owned, funded and managed by the City of London Corporation who are the local Government body responsible for the financial square mile. The City of London is therefore responsible for all commercial and operational matters relating to Tower Bridge. Funding of the enterprise comes from a long standing trust. Description of the company London Tower Bridge is located in the heart of London and is very close to Londons transport infrastructure and world famous historical sites such as; the Tower of London and HMS Belfast. It is a well known bridge that has become an iconic figure of London, spanning the River Thames, and is within walking distance of Londons other famous attractions such as the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern. Originally built in 1894 to ease traffic congestion on London Bridge and designed to allow access to large ships to the pool of London, it was subjected to a major conversion to become a tourist centre in the 1980s. Tower Bride is therefore both a monument to Londons past and a successful tourist attraction. The main offering is the Tower Bridge Exhibition which allows visitors to enter inside the Bridge allowing access to the High Level walkways with uninterrupted views across the city. This provides a unique selling point with which to market itself and provides a memorable and emotional experi ence for visitors. The tour also allows visitors to see the Victorian engine rooms from which the bridge used to be powered by. The company also offers corporate entertainment packages and a popular gift shop for visitors. Entry prices are at an affordable rate and for viewing pleasure, the Exhibition comes equipped with interactive screens, sliding window panels for better picture quality and excellent graphics on their giant screens. One of the most important features of Tower Bridge is its bascule mechanism system, which rises around 1000 times a year and is still in function to this present day. Bridge openings are very popular with the public and are part of its attraction and allure to tourists. This particular bridge is the only bridge in the world of its type that opens and closes. Market and competitors Another historical attraction within the same vicinity as Tower Bridge is the Tower of London, which often competes with Tower Bridge as people tend to mix up the two because the structures are quite similar and this may sometimes lead to confusion. Moreover, the Tower of London was famous in Britain and around the world during World War 2 as an iconic landmark. Inevitably overshadowing Tower Bridge. Nonetheless the Tower Bridge is central to Londons historical heritage as a major commercial port. London has many other attractions including: the London eye, which can have up to 10,000 visitors every day and even the London Bridge Experience which opened in 2008. The Tower Bridge Exhibition has grown steadily since opening in 1984, with last year being its most successful in terms of financial surplus and numbers of visitors. With a small marketing team and budgets, Tower Bridge Exhibition relies heavily on organisations such as Visit Britain/London to document trends in visitors. Tow er Bridge Exhibition targets throughout the year a very broad area including both the European and domestic markets. Within the domestic markets educational groups are also targeted but equal importance is placed on family groups. Advertising normally occurs through specialised magazines, in particular publications like the Times Educational Supplement or via websites such as www.vistislondon.co.uk where costs are generally lower then other mass media options. Trade shows are attended such as World Travel Market where the exhibition is promoted to a range of tour and group organisers and databases are created for direct mail campaigns. Tower Bridge Exhibition has a unique relationship with its competitors, although in direct competition with one another, attractions within London work together along with Visit London to bring people to the area. Tower Bridge Exhibition has a list of distributors which in return for a discounted ticket rate sell tickets globally, however they also pr omote competitors. Other key stakeholders of Tower Bridge Exhibition are Local and National Government and the EU who and impose rules and regulations. The local community and response services, the Tower Bridge charitable trust, all visitors, the media, internal trade unions and employees are also key stakeholders. The cost of visiting the exhibition is  £7.00 per adult and  £3.00 per child (5-15) under fives go free, with a concession ticket costing  £5.00 and disabled guests getting in for free. Group discounts are available for 10 people or more and a promotion with Network rail allows 2 for 1 entry. Ad hoc promotions are run throughout the year targeting specific groups, for example the exhibitions 25th anniversary was celebrated by letting local residents in for 25p. Job role As a Customer Care Guide at the Tower Bridge Exhibition I had a fair amount of duties, roles and responsibilities which was based on the nucleus of customers and their safety along with their well being which meant constantly putting there needs and requirements first at all times. Furthermore, that meant me providing exceptional customer service and care at all times and making sure that the customers visit was as enjoyable and pleasant as humanly possible. With that in mind I would have to posses a certain degree of knowledge regarding the bridge and the local vicinity.  I would also be required to have a competent level of expertise relating to the bridges history, construction and design most notably for when  I am positioned inside the bridge and doing a position that entails doing speeches regularly. For positions like these  I must convey clear and precise information to the customers so that they are made aware of the process inside the bridge. In addition,  I would a lso need to be fully aware of all the processes of the bridge if say there was a fire or an evacuation  I would have to be mindful of the correct drills and steps that needed to be taken in order for a safe and secure evacuation to be achieved for all customers especially the disabled, elderly and those in a wheelchair. My duties included maintaining a high level of security for both the visitors and the exhibition items as well as always being on hand and available to interact and engage with visitors should they need or require any assistance or help from me at any stage during there visit. Moreover, if they had a query or wanted further information about the or the area. Management Structure A business structure is very important and every organization has its own structure. A company such Tower Bridge organizational structure is a hierarchical with a concept of subordination of entities that collaborate and contribute to serve one common aim. Most of the staff in Tower Bridge are all in the front office dealing the member of public and tourist, some have more interaction such as the Ticket Office and Customer Care Guides. The mangers Tower Bridge uses a functional structure which has the advantage of being easy to understand. The chain of command requires that an employee can report to one or more managers, but one manger such as Andy Nicholson, typically has more authority over the employee than their other manager(s). In Tower Bridge there are three mangers: one exhibition manager and two assistant managers. Having this structure means having layers of management that control the company by maintaining a high level of authority, with the power to make decisions concerning business activities. Employees such as customer care guide have limited authority to carry something out without prior approval. This organizational structure tends to focus on top-down management, whereby executives at the top communicate by telling middle managers, who then tell first level mangers, who then tell the staff what to do and how to do it. A limited number of employees report to a manager, who then reports to the next management level, and so on up to the Bridge Master or Tower Bridge Director. The managers needs to be responsible for motivating the staffs and ensuring that any formal systems and practices that are in place are not undermined in anyway. In theory the managers at Tower Bridge are responsible for the business performance, as well as maintaining high standards of service and health and safety. A functional structure of Tower Bridge can be illustrated by the following diagram:   The Managers are responsible for arranging shifts for their staff, creating promotional events and discount offers, deal with customer complaints, motivating staff, ensuring that staffs have the right uniforms, greeting customers and organising table reservations. PEST Analysis Political Political factors that may affect the ability of Tower Bridge to operate include government and City of London polices. In fact it seems unlikely that these will impact adversely on the attraction in the immediate future given its high profile and historic status. Cuts in public expenditure may lead to higher admission prices and less staff running the exhibition. As the government recent decision to cut funding to Visit Britain by 18% has big consequences for all London Attractions most specifically the smaller attractions such as Tower Bridge Exhibition who relay heavily on its services. Flight and bed taxes could deter visitors away from the city. Terrorism threats threaten the entire London tourism industry. Technology With more people using the internet, Tower Bridge Exhibitions will have to review its current website, as currently ticket purchases are too complicated. Advancements in ICT have meant that statistical data on tourist trends is now simpler to collect and more easily accessible through websites such as Visit Britain. Tower Bridge still has old and new technology some of the original hydraulic machinery is still remain as exhibition in the engine room nowadays they use electro-hydraulic drive that open the bridge up. Economic The main external forces (macro environment factors) that affect Tower Bridge Exhibition are economic and social factors. London is perceived to be an expensive place to visit, so the exhibition will need to provide better value for money. This is possible as at currently utilises only one third of available space. It will need to consider joint promotions with other attractions. Changes in interest rates at home cause fluctuations in disposable income meaning leisure activities are often put on hold, exchange rates and the strong pound against the dollar has seen a smaller spend per person from the important American market. Social Tower Bridge Exhibition relies heavily on family groups, so a decline in traditional family set ups will require Tower Bridge to re-think its family tickets prices. Over the recent years are has been a changes in holiday patterns with people now preferring city breaks and long weekends. Terrorist attacks also cause fluctuations in the market with people looking for safer destinations. SWOT Analysis Strength The business philosophy is not just about making money but emphasizes on educating and informing the public (particularly young people). On the towers walkways, there is a great view of London similar to the Millennium Wheel but not as detailed or exciting. Furthermore, on a positive note, this particular zone is free of congestion charge, which allows people to freely enjoy their journey over the bridge. Although the bridge is funded by the City of London council, it also makes a reasonable income by hiring the venue in the evenings for special occasions. Weakness Although it is an indoor attraction with a large view of London, a visit to Tower Bridge depends on the weather because the best sights are not always available due to the fact of the unpredictable British climate, for instance, on a rainy or overcast day, the views from the bridge can be very poor and distorted which could result in unhappy customers. What is more, London is an all-year-round destination so major attractions are not seasonal. Due to the fact Britain has such unpredictable weather, people usually carry sunglasses and umbrella because they never know what the weather can be like. This could have a bad effect and lead to a bad experience when coming to visit Tower Bridge on an unpleasant day. Firstly, the entrance to Tower Bridge Walkways is confusing for tourists who are unfamiliar with the area as there are no clear signs pointing in the right direction. Also, the journey to Tower Bridge is quite complicated if you have no knowledge of its whereabouts and may get los t. In addition, it is not pedestrian friendly as there tends to be lots of traffic and congestion upon entering the bridge. Secondly, in my opinion their main website is unappealing which doesnt help to attract or interest people into visiting Tower Bridge. This apparent weakness and flaw could have a bad impact on tourists who have never been to London, as the websites layout and structure does not represent or give Tower Bridge an acceptable status (more life and colour in the graphics required to attract online interest). On the other hand, their website has easy access to different links that also caters to childrens needs such as fun packs for childrens discovery which is fun as well as being educational at the same time. Furthermore, to add to criticism the historical building needs substantial refurbishment to help increase the volume of visitors. Although people are aware that it is a bridge, some people are afraid of heights and may feel unsafe or in danger. Moreover, altho ugh the lengths of the walkways are reasonably lengthy, it is quite narrow and may have an affect on those who are claustrophobic. Security measures are paramount for one of the worlds most famous tourist attraction. When entering the Tower there is a single stage of security that visitors must pass through. Once their body has been examined and their belongings are check they are allowed to enter the walkway but it doesnt mean the security level is up to standards. Reportedly, there have been cases where people have entered the building then proceeding through the security check in order to commit suicide. Fortunately, this has not changed peoples views to visit the attraction because any potential suicide incidents have been prevented. In reality, when the bridge does have a scheduled lift this results in a hold up of traffic. It is found that An estimated 38,000 vehicles use the bridge each day, pushing it to capacity during peak hours. This results in many delays for many people , who may decide to take an alternative route to avoid the traffic queues. Likewise, Extra traffic is expected to increase impact damage to the extremities which flex under traffic loads. This could mean that traffic queues are causing damage to the structure of the bridge, which may have a long term affect on the bridge. What is more, it is said that these measures are expected to increase congestion either side if the bridge, adding to delays caused when it opens for shipping. Last year Tower Bridge lifted 925 times. In my opinion, was this necessary? Opportunities Global advertisement could possibly result in an increase in the volume of visitors as many foreigners are unaware of a bridge that opens and this may be an attractive feature to witness in person. Perhaps due to the recession peoples lifestyles are changing, rather than individuals coming to the Tower Bridge they could engage in some promotion and coupons like the two for the price of one, children of the age of under 12 go in for free etc. Other attractions could work together with Tower Bridge rather than competing with them. They could cater for more languages by enhanced displays for overseas visitors such as Europeans and Asians. Provision of tour guides could be encouraged. Even though it is a self-guided exhibition they could offer a guided tour within the ticket price would encourage more visitors and may enhance the quality of the experience. Additionally, they should provide reasonable adjustment to facilitate for people who have disabilities. Due to the fact of the econom ic crisis the value of the pound has decreased. This is good news for the overseas visitors because of the currency exchange rates. In years to come the growth of tourism will increase despite the recession; London will generate tourist revenue from the 2012 Olympic games to be held in this city. This will boost and soar the volume of visitors in the capital. Threat The biggest threat to Tower Bridge is any potential terrorist attack perhaps of more concern is that there is no security check when going through the bridge and anyone is allowed to walk along the bridge. On the other hand, Tower Bridge is surrounded by a high level of competition with other tourist attractions equally famous like the Tower of London. In spite of the fact that other attractions complement each other it is possible that Tower Bridge will lose out due to the fact that it is less appealing. The economic downturn could have an impact on peoples lifestyles and their finances. Another way of viewing this is that the recession has changed our way of life. Culturally and socially people may prefer doing simple things like taking a walk in the park, instead of expensive vacations. After all a large proportion of overseas visitors come to visit the Tower Bridge. As a result this recession could have an significant effect resulting in a decrease of the number of visitors. In c onclusion, it could be said that the current service could continue unchanged. The inherent advantages of location, history and unique appearance will service the attraction well in the future. However, improvements could also be considered namely a more attractive website, cater for different languages, refurbishment of the walkways. The main threats for the future are: economic downturn and limited attractiveness to a young audience. Reflection Working in Tower Bridge has taught me a number of things about how tourist attractions operate in the market and what factors lead to an attractions success. Even though my time at the Tower Bridge consisted of 400 hours work experience I still had to go through the same procedures as I would if I were applying for a permanent job. I was interviewed by Andy Nicholson who gave me a fair amount of information regarding the history of bridge and what they offer to the public. Even through the interview lasted over 3 hours it was very insightful and useful to me. I gained a lot of knowledge about Tower Bridge and its surroundings. When I started work it was the beginning of the Easter holidays. I didnt get any training at first except on how to use a radio. I was thrown in at the deep end for the first three days as I didnt know much but I guess that is the best way to learn. After a few days I was formally introduced to other members of staff and my official training started. The assist ant manager gave me the correct uniform as there are different ones to wear for different positions. I was given a full guided tour and met all the security staff, the maintenance department and human resources. I was shown all the emergency exits as well as all the other exits and where to meet if we had to be evacuated. I was given a radio with my own personal identification which was uniform 13 which enabled me to communicate with other members of staff via the radio.  After that I undertook three days of shadowing a full time tour guide and I was also given a big pack of information about Tower Bridge. I learnt 4 different speeches plus aborts and general information of the history of London. A big plus point for me was that I was given the chance to get to know the surroundings and I spent a couple of days visiting other tourist attractions such as the Tower of London, St Pauls Cathedral and the Tate Modern gallery. I thought this was very helpful to me. After 1 week of shadowing and intensive reading I was finally ready to work on my own. My first position was to operate the north lift which takes the customers to the high level walkways and to give them instructions on what to do when they got up there. I did this a few times before trying out the other roles and positions. In total there are 8 positions, 1-3 are working in the lifts and the towers and the customer service areas. The only negative point about this aspect of the job is that it can become very repetitious. Position 4 and 5 involve working in the gift shop next to the Victorian Engine Room. I was lucky to have this experience and to be till trained. Working in the shop has a lot of responsibilities, not only dealing with money and providing customer service, throughout the day youre on your own and this can be quite stressful. There are many duties working at the shop in the morning before opening up, you are required to do a number of duties: making sure that there are enough products on the shelf and that these are neatly presented, knowing whats not available and whats low on stock so it can be ordered in, cash up the money for the till etc. Working in the gift shop can be pleasant but the only difficult issue that I faced was dealing with several customers at the same time. The gift shop is quite a small and confined area and it is where customers exit from the Exhibition. In  some cases  an unsatisfied customer will use his time in the gift shop to vent his frustrations and who ever is currently occupying the shop position is usually the one that is on the other end of the brunt of the customers fury. In addition to this, in most if not all the cases of a customer who was not completely happy with there visit and experience and demand a refund or if a technical malfunction occurs to any of the penny press machines then it is at the gift shop where all of the would be resolved. Positions 6, 7 and 8 are what the company refers to as footfall enticement. These duties are intensive and consist of you dealing with customers at the front of the ticket office who are visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition or are just walking pass as well as giving out general information about the bridge. I think the footfall position is a crucial role as it represents the Tower Bridge image and they are the first staff and port of contact to interact with the customers before they enter the exhibition. Throughout my work placement I have undertaken a fair amount of footfall and my view upon it is that it can be quite enjoyable. The only downside is that the footfall is an all year position which I think is unfortunate because Tower Bridge is on the river it can very windy and during autumn and winter it can be very cold. I did a few footfalls in April and even so it was extremely cold for me to endure and for someone to do this position you have to be mentally and physically stron g. I dont think people should have to work 8 hours outside in such cold conditions most notably during winter times and I think they should use the footfall personnel to go onto the walkways to give talks about the bridge and have one at the gift shop for assistance as the shop can get very busy and hectic at times. After 200 hours I was given the opportunity to work at the Monument. My job role was to give out leaflets to those who completed the 311 steps and give brief talks about this famous landmark. I had a lot fun working there because it was a more intimate setting than the bridge so you got to talk and engage more with your work colleagues. It also meant that you could  immerse yourself more in depth with the visitors and ask them more about their visit to the capital and how long they were intending on staying and where they were originally from. There is so much history written into the Monument  which is intertwined with the Great Fire of London so for me to work there and to be a part of it was a good experience which contributed to my enjoyment there. In terms of organization and structure there is much to change and develop. What surprised me is that staffs do not really work together and in some ways work in isolation from each other which seems inefficient and ineffective. There tends to be a gap and divide between the permanent staff who have been employed there for many years and the temporary staff such as myself. Conclusion Overall working at Tower Bridge has been a good learning experience for me. Like any other job there will always be positives and negatives but in some ways the work has provided some unique insights. I think Tower Bridge and the Monument are very successful tourist attractions for the reasons stated previously and there is no reason why it should not continue to prosper in the future with the right investment and a culture of continuous improvement. Many people who work at Tower Bridge have provided years of dedicated service for a prolonged period of time. Tour guides, ticket office, managers, security and maintenance people have worked their for a long time. A large proportion of them are 40 plus in age which is a change for me because it is the first time I have come across a situation like that. I think I have picked up some of their characteristics and learnt a lot from their experiences of being at Tower Bridge.  On the whole I had a great experience and I would highly recom mend it to other students who are interested in the tourist industry or those people who like history. Out of all the places I have worked in previously I can honestly say that this was the most interesting job and role that I have ever experienced. The majority of the staff I built and formed a relationship with not only as work colleagues but as friends outside working hours.  

How do the Writers Show a Clash of Cultures in Dead man’s path and the Train from Rhodesia Essay

In Dead man’s path, there is a new headmaster who is educated and over ambitious and wants to turn his under-achieving school into a modern, top quality institution. He says â€Å"everything shall be just modern and delightful†. There is an old path that the villagers use to communicate to spirits and for babies to enter the world which the headmaster closes as it runs through his school. He is unwilling to allow the villagers to use the path and he is inconsiderate about their beliefs. This is shown when he says â€Å"we cannot allow people to make a highway of our school compound†. He is patronising and doesn’t care about how other people feel as he says â€Å"the whole purpose of our school is to eradicate such beliefs†. Whereas the villagers try to compromise and they are more understanding. This is shown when the village chief says â€Å"what you say may be true, but we follow the practices of our fathers†. The writer shows a clash of cultures because there is a young, modern and sophisticated headmaster who disregards traditional beliefs and there are traditional villagers who rely on the path for religious customs. When a woman dies in child birth, the villagers believe the spirits are angry. This is shown when it says â€Å"heavy sacrifices were prescribed to propitiate ancestors insulted by the fence†. They blame the headmaster for closing the path, so they vandalise the school compound. This is shown when it says â€Å"flowers were trampled to death, and one of the school buildings were pulled down†. The writer also shows a clash of cultures when there is a white supervisor who comes to inspect the school. This is because he is shown to be very important and superior to the black Africans who do the work for the white people who in turn make the profits. This is shown when it says â€Å"the white supervisor came to inspect the school and wrote a nasty report of the state of the premises and of the tribal-war situation developing between the school and the village.† In The Train from Rhodesia, there is a train which stops briefly in a small station in the desert. There are some very poor people living near the station and they rely on the visitors from the train to buy there goods, so they can make a living. They are shown to be very poor because it says the children walk barefoot and live in mud huts. This is shown because it says â€Å"the stationmaster’s barefoot children wandered over from the grey mud huts.† They also don’t seem have enough food, because their animals are skinny and bony. This is shown because it says â€Å"chickens and dogs with their skins stretched like parchment over their bones.† When the train comes into the station, all the villagers waste no time, to sell their goods to the tourists. This is shown because it says â€Å"all up and down the length of the train in the dust the artists sprang, walking bent to exhibit the fantasy held towards the faces on the train.† This shows how much the villagers depend on the train. A young lady notices a wooden lion carved with incredible detail, and looks very realistic. This is shown when it says â€Å"a lion, carved out of soft dry wood with impressionistic detail.† The lady’s husband bargains with the old man selling the lion and buys it for much lower than he was asking for, just as the train was about to go. The young lady is unhappy with her husband for buying the lion at such a low price. This is because she says â€Å"why didn’t you pay for it? Why did you have to wait for him to run after the train with it and give him one-and-six? One-and-six! The writer shows a clash of cultures because the villagers are shown to be very poor and dependant on the train and also beg for money. This is shown because it says â€Å"give me penny, said the ones with nothing to sell.† The villagers are desperate. This is shown when the old man decides to sell his lion for one-and-six. It says â€Å"questioning for the last time at the widows, here one-and-six baas!† whereas the people in the train are very well off compared to the villagers and to them the cost of the villagers goods is not very much and bargain for fun, but the villagers are dependant on anything they can get. This is shown when the young man says â€Å"I was arguing for fun, when the train pulled out, he came tearing after†¦one-and-six†. The young lady realises how well off she is and feels the shame of buying the lion for one-and-six. This is shown when it says â€Å"To give one-and-six for that, she sat there, sick, and the heat of shame mounted through her legs and body.†

Early Civilization Essay

History records the rise and fall of different civilizations of various countries. It has been found that in different times, different civilizations reach the pinnacle of glory. But, due to various reasons, like ecological change, climatic disaster, natural calamities, foreign conquest, epidemic disease, fall-short of population etc. have brought about their decay. The following examples clearly show how, after the zenith of civilization, the downfall may come about. Indus Valley Civilization The explorer’s spade has unearthed the most fascinating remains of the extremely rich and flourishing civilization of the Indus valley. The long span of the Indus Valley civilization and its firmly – settled character lead to the perplexing question – what was the cause of its destruction? At the present state of our knowledge and till the Indus script is deciphered we are not in a position to know the actual reasons of the end of this great civilization. However, on the basis of the available data, some attempts may be made to find out the causes of the decay of this civilization. First of all, there are dependable evidences to prove that rainfall in Indus valley was somewhat ample and equable in the third millennium B. C. The Indus valley had a larger rainfall than what we see today and that the land was swampy and full of jungles as known from the figure of animals like rhinoceros, elephants engraved on the seals. In course of time, the volume of rainfall gradually decreased. With the loss of rainfall, land became arid and dry. The aridity of the land led to deterioration of the civilization. The underground salt was dragged to the surface by evaporation of moisture. The progressive drying-up of the land led to desert-condition. This is proved from the story of Alexander’s invasion in the 4rth C. B. C. when Alexander the Great was marching through the cheerless wastes of Makran, the desert condition of the area was far in advance (Thaper 55). Under the teeth of this inhospitable climate, the Indus civilization started to decay long before the foreigners invaded the towns. Secondly, the growing danger of flood might had been responsible for the evacuation of Mohenjodaro. With the gradual silting up of the bed of the Indus, the water-level rose high, specially in the rainy season. This led, sometimes, to flooding of the city. At least on three occasions devastating floods swept over the city. It is found from excavation that an embankment 43ft. wide had to be rebuilt 14ft. higher up in order to protect the Mohenjodaro Citadel from the encroaching water-level of the river. Houses were built up on piled-up debrieses or on raised foundations in order to avert the danger of flood. The extensive use of the burnt-brick instead of sun-dried ones at Mohenjodaro equally testfies the danger of flood. Thirdly, human negligence was a contributory factor to the desiccation of Iands. Excessive flood of the Indus towns induced to burn bricks wood was used extensively as a fuel. The excessive deforestation caused by the felling of trees in order to burn bricks led to decline in the rainfall. It is a cardinal truth that lack of trees and forests decrease the rate of rainfall. The decline in rainfall dried up the crust of the earth and underground salinity came to the surface. Gradually deserts expanded and, resultantly, agriculture and human habitations were destroyed. The later phases of the civilization at Mohenjodaro presents a sad picture of this neglect and barrenness of the Indus civilization. In upper layers at Mohenjodaro, the dams meant to reserve the flood-water were not properly maintained. The agricultural standard also deteriorated. Fourthly, many scholars have pointed out that the Harrappans had a very iron-bound, conservative outlook about everything. They refused to learn from others any new thing or system. The civilization was cramped by its inherent barrenness and incapability to adjust itself to changing time and environment. With the march of time, the civilization lost its vitality and original creativity. It failed to survive in the midst of changing environment and changing society. Some scholars emphasize this negative aspect of Harrappan civilization as the fundamental cause of its decay and, in their view, all other causes were merely contributory. An inertia grew out of this conservatism which ruined the vitality of the civilization. This reflects the negligience of the Harappans to repair the dams. At Mohenjodaro among the seven layers, the upper layers of later period, we find growing slums, houses being created upon ruins of old houses, rooms being pertitioned into small cells for swarming lower grade population. Houses were encroaching upon the streets; lanes were chocked with klins. Old bricks were used for building new houses. Thus, there are reasons to believe that the internal decline and decay in the Harappan towns had set in long before the foreign invasion which completely swept away the Harappan culture. The internal decay started from the stagnation and barrenness of Hardpan culture and its failure to adjust with changing circumstances. With the internal decay was added natural calamities like floods, decrease in rainfalls and so on. According to some scholars, the city of Mohenjo-Daro was situated within a terrible earthquake-belt which might have frequently devastated the city. Again the earthquake theory has been challenged by others on the ground that if the people at Mohenjo-Daro could build their city upon seven layers, why they failed to built another layer upon the city destroyed by the earthquake? Moreover the earthquake theory is not applicable to all the towns of Harappa-culture (Nath 670). In any case, internal decline started from many reasons and the towns began to decay. This decline and incapability to adjust with the changing circumstances is evident in the failure of the Harappa people to learn from Samaria the art of cutting canals to irrigate the fields. This incapability led to the destruction of dams or reservoirs. This is how Mohenjo-Daro lost its importance when the Indus shifted its course. â€Å"The glorious culture was practically ruined in 1900 B. C. , long before the invasion of the Aryans† (Majumder 201). Fifthly, whatever may be the domestic potential for the gradual decline of the Indus civilization, its ultimate extinction was most certainty due to invasion from without by a people who were probably the Aryans. The tragic end of the Indus civilization came about 1500 B. C. , the time the when the Aryans entered into the land of the seven Rivers. It is said that, the Aryans destroyed some metal forts and seasonal forts. Similar forts or citadel have been found at Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro and other places. Hence, it is reasonable to infer that the Aryans were the destroyers of the Indus civilization. Certain circumstantial evidences are also available to justify the theory of Aryan invasion. Excavation have reveled that in the last stage of Mohenjo-Daro civilization, people were massacred in streets, houses and public places. Some of the victims were even women and children. Head and skull injuries found in the skeletons point to the use of sharp and heavy weapons by the invaders. The dead bodies were left uncared and exposed. (Paul 126) According to some historians, the downfall of the Indus Valley civilization came up due to some natural disasters like earthquake or flood. But most historians believed that the fall was actually caused by the Aryan invasion and the consequent cultural conquest. Fall of Roman Empire The city of Rome, founded in 753 B. C. was originally the most important commercial center situated on the Tiber, very near to place where it flows into the Mediterranean. But subsequently Rome grew into a political power and expanded the empire over a large part of Europe, the Tigris and Euphrates valleys in Asia Minor, and the northern coasts of Africa. In 330 A. D. , Emperor Constantine founded a second capital at Byzantium on the Black Sea, which came to be known as Constantinople after the name of its founder. Virtually, the vast Roman Empire was divided into two parts – Western and Eastern. In fifth century A. D. (476) the West Roman Empire was broken up by the invading barbarians but the Eastern Empire, also called the Byzantine Empire with Constantinople as its capital continued to exist about a thousand years more (1453). In the view of Prof. Henry Perrine the fall of the Roman Empire has caused a stir among the historians. According to the view of Penne the Roman Empire was essentially confined to the Mediterranean by the end of the 3rd century B. C. in fact the Roman Empire had to depend on the Mediterranean commerce for its political and economic interests. Perrine has put emphasis on the issue that the repeated German tribal invasions in the 5th century B. C. on the Western Roman Empire while converting them into German provinces could not destroy the unity of the Empire. The provinces of the Roman Empire were not Germanized. He is of the opinion that it is also a mistake to suppose that the intermittent German tribal invasions lead to the introduction of agrarian economy in the occupied zone of the Roman Empire. The Frankish system was, in fact, Romano-Byzantine. It is obvious that Perrine did not attach much importance to German invasions of the Roman Empire. His comment on the expansion of the Islam on the Mediterranean is more important as it produced far-reaching consequences. According to him, the Islamic invasion of the 7th century A. D. is something unique. The occupation of Syria, Tunisia and Spain by the Moslem invaders destroyed the Mediterranean unity and caused the final separation between the East and West. In this way two opponent civilizations came face to face with each other by the middle of the 7th century and this confrontation led to the inauguration of the middle ages in Europe. As it has been aptly pointed out, the Mediterranean, once a Roman Lake, henceforth was converted into a Muslim Lake. Secondly, in the view of R. H. C. Davis, when the Byzantine and Islamic empires were flourishing, the economy of the Latin West was stagnant. Davis has pointed out that Perrine has come to his conclusions from a consideration of the economy of the ancient world. The economy of the ancient world was dependent on the commercial navigation in the Mediterranean. Perrine is of opinion that so long this commercial navigation remained unmolested by the pirates, there was a regular flow of commerce and the population of Rome could be fed on African corn. If this normal commercial activity was disrupted then there would have been a total dislocation in this region. Davis has anticipated, following Perrine, the possible disturbing factors in the event of the inevitable decline of commerce in the Mediterranean. According to him, with the decline of commerce, the towns and cities face the same fate. The flourishing life of municipal towns became the matter of past. Naturally, the population gradually decreased. The agricultural wealth locked up within the country as there was no other outlet. The greater landlords built up their own workshops for making tools or weaving cloth and they paid their workers in kind. This possible state-affair has been described by Perrine as the ‘economy of no outlets’. According to Perrine, this character of the economy was vividly seen during the eighth and ninth centuries and this is attributed to the feudal society. The land was the only source of wealth. According to him feudalism was the outcome of this ‘economy of no outlets’ and Charlemagne was a child of it. It is the opinion of Perrine that free navigation of the Mediterranean might have been suspended but the more important problem is to determine the actual time of this suspension. He therefore, has tried to find out evidence of the use of such goods in the Frankish Kingdom as could be produced in eastern or southern shores of the Mediterranean. Although his findings have been disputed, yet these goods included gold, olive oil, (from North Africa), oriental silk, papyrus (from Egypt) and spices. According to him, these goods were very much in use in Gaul upto the last quarter of the 7th century and they all disappeared from the market by the first quarter of the eight century. Thirdly, the invasion of the Muslims is an important factor in disrupting the Mediterranean navigation. But at the beginning of the 8th century A. D. the Muslim captured Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and Spain. The occupation of Tunisia was the most vital as later had a position of particular strategic importance. After its occupation the Muslims could disrupt the communications between the eastern and western halves of the Mediterranean. Trade also continued in Byzantium, but Pisa, Genoa and other ports of provinces were neglected. Perrine pointed out, that for its reason a great vacuum was created in the port of Marseilles. This eventually led to the decline of the cities of the southern Gaul and the â€Å"economy of no outlets† was imposed by the Muslims on the Latin West. Fourthly, in the ninth and tenth centuries the most important trading centers were secured. Thus instead of Milan, Florence, Pisa, towns like Pavia, Amalfi, Reims and Verdun flourished as they were relatively secured and farther from the coast. Venice was an exception and trade was at its low ebb in the Latin West during the ninth and tenth centuries. Fifthly, the religious intolerance also played its part. The spread of Christianity was another important factor contributing towards the fall of Rome. Rome had been known to be a nation of religious tolerance. But some Romans, mainly the Jews, did not accept Christianity. Naturally, there was a conflict between these two communities. Sixthly, although Jesus was crucified for his efforts to spread peace, the Romans were truly inspired by his words. Soon, the number of Roman involvement in the military and the participation in the community gradually declined. Resultantly, the Roman army was not increasing in numbers. At this juncture, the Barbarians of Germany, who formed an integral part of the Roman army, revolted against Rome and led disorganized attacks on several parts of Rome and even on the Roman army itself. Gradually, the Roman army became weakened and it was no longer a military super power in the world. Thus, it is crystal clear that the downfall of any civilization was never caused due to any single factor. Several factors accumulated and contributed together to the decay of these civilizations. Hence, it is amply clear that no civilization is permanent and ever lasting. As it rises at a particular time, similarly, it comes to an end at another historical juncture. Reference Majumder, R. C. Indus Civilization, The Vedic Age, Dakshinamurty Prakashan, Calcutta, p. 201-203 Nath, P. The Scripts on the Indus Seal, Modern Publications, New Delhi, p. 670-74 Paul, C. Causes of the Downfall, A History of Rome, Dey Publishers, New Delhi, p. 121-26 Sethy, S. Perrine Thesis, The Fall of Rome, World Press Pvt. Ltd. , Calcutta, 1981, p. 126-34 Thaper, R. History of India, vol. 1, ed. 3, 1987, p. 55-68 Wells, H. G. Wells, Barbarians Break Empire into East and West, A Short History of the World, Penguin Books, London, 1965, p. 152-61