Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Curse of the Sacred Fruit

In the beginning of time a serpent slithered through a garden as he notices a soft nude woman walking alone. The serpent comes up behind her and tells the beautiful woman of the apple from a sacred tree that will make her as all knowing and powerful as god. Although god had told this woman to never eat from this sacred tree, she was convinced by the evil snake. After convincing her male companion they both eat the sacred apple and immediately are awaken as their eyes open wide. That very instant they, for the first time in human history, become aware of their physical self; the birth of self hatred of the human form had emerged. Soon after God exiled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and dammed their ancestors. Today a young girl stands in front of a mirror disgusted by what is been reflected upon her. This girls struggle against the disease her primordial ancestor had given her is depicted in Eavan Boland’s poem â€Å"Anorexia. † As Boland begins her own demise she is envisioned with the beginning of time where man had not yet fallen and self awareness had not been created; a vision that will consume her to do whatever it takes to go back to Eden. As the speaker stares at the mirror she is consumed with negative thoughts in her mind. She begins to believe her â€Å"flesh is heretic†(line 1) as her body is rejecting her ideal thought of what she wants it to be. Her flesh begins to play tricks on her as it â€Å"Meshed [her] head / in the half-truths†(7-8). Her flesh becomes â€Å"a witch†(2) using tricks to control the girl from not eating. To cure this manipulative disease she is to destroy her exterior. In the following lines the speaker becomes much more explicit in how she is to cure herself: I am burning it Yes I am torching Her curves and peps and wiles They scratch in my self denial Here it shows how she is starving herself by burning away whatever fat remains from her fragile bones that are protruding from her skin as she now becomes â€Å"starved and curveless†(16). Boland begins a slow and painful suicide to bring an end to her disease. Boland falls sleep and enters a vivid dark dream which reveals to her the beginning of her disease. In this vibrant dream she in trapped inside a place she describes as â€Å"a claustrophobia†(22). In this â€Å"sensuous enclosure†(23) she hears the â€Å"warm drum†(25) beat of a man’s heart and the â€Å"song of his breath†(26). â€Å"Sleeping in his side†(27) she is â€Å"a rib†(19). Boland has regressed back to the beginning of time before the sins of Eve when she was only one rib of Adam. In this dream she discovers what she needs to do to get ride of her disease. She wants to return back inside the womb of Adam. To return to Eden were life was blessed with no self-awareness, and no anorexia. She hopes to erase Eve’s mistake of the past and not eat the scared fruit. She will finally be able to live a life without self awareness and end the struggle that has consumed herself against her own flesh. Boland will finally â€Å"grow / angular and holy†(35-36) again. After she is awakened she is obsessed with returning back to Adam and the Garden of Eden to finally be filled with bliss. Returning to Eden â€Å"will make me forget†(40), forget â€Å"the fall†(42) she proclaimed. She will forget the fall of mankind and the creation of the disease that has destroyed her from within. She wants to also forget the hell of what is anorexia as she goes â€Å"into forked dark / into [the] python needs†(43-44). Sadly the only way she can possibly reach the gates of Eden would be through suicide which she has already begun. â€Å"Only a little more†(28) she says, â€Å"only a few more days†(29) until she is dead and can be â€Å"back into him again†(32). It is unknown what happens to the girl next, all we are certain off is that the disease of anorexia had beaten her to nearing or even committing suicide. The â€Å"witch† was able to trick her to figuratively burn herself alive in agony and pain. In the mist of all this, her lack of nutrition caused her to hallucinate of the beginning of time when Humanity was only one being, a time when there was no self awareness and no anorexia, a time when man had not yet fallen. This vision that continues to consume her was merely an illusion from the witch and the serpent. All it was was a mere trick to convince her to committee suicide and break god’s major law. Killing herself to return back to Eden will come to no prevail as suicide will only lead her to an eternity in the depths of hell with the serpent, an eternity of living with anorexia.

Ma Parker Paper Essay

Ma Parker is a strong woman who has suffered throughout her life. She is a woman who has a good nature. Ma Parker realises the sorrows of her life and tries to find a place to cry. That would be the very first time she was going to cry once she believed she only would be a strong woman if she had never cried. The Life of Ma Parker’s protagonist cannot stand all the pain she is feeling. As she cries, she leaves all her strength behind. It represents the moment she realises she must permit the overflow of her feelings otherwise she would explode with them. And the death of Ma Parker’s grandson is the highest point of her life’s sorrow. It is the climax of her emotions. Through the boy’s death, Ma Parker understands that life means, mainly when it took away the only and probably the last source of happiness of her lifetime. Since Ma Parker became a grandma, it is easy to suppose that she believes it is the end of her existence and there is nothing else to wai t for. Ma Parker becomes a questioning and desperate woman along the whole story. In my opinion, Mansfield’s lyrical use of language makes the reader believe she is more a poet than a writer. Story’s descriptions are connected to senses. She is a realistic writer, but kind of related to impressionism. Katherine Mansfield is direct, her way of writing is not vague, naà ¯ve or nebulous. Whenever she writes she knows very well the effect she longs to transmit to the reader. The sensation the reader has at the end is a very pessimistic one. Ma Parker is a woman who passed through moments that reveal the insignificance of her life. Due to the descriptions of Ma Parker, character may be considered as living-dead person. They never had good things from life and now it is too late to wait for something glorious to happen. Her life means death, not only for being in the end, but also for having sad and meaningless life. Now it is useless to keep any hope for the future. Ma Parker’s life has many frustrations until the culminating one that is the loss of her grandson. She was poor and had to leave her hometown at the age of sixteen and started suffering along her life. She watched the death of her husband, of seven children and a grandson. Besides, she had to bring up six children by herself. The cry she never allowed herself now is about to explode inside her soul, but Ma Parker still cannot cry for not finding an appropriated place to do it. It seems her life is so insignificant that she does not deserve to cry, as if she does not fit in the world. It is worthy to mention that when she was looking for a place to cry, it starts raining and she probably had to return home. It was as if even nature does not want to help this hard luck woman. From the world there is nothing else to wait for than real death, because Ma Parker is already dead during her lifetime, her dreams are already dead and she no longer has any hope inside her. Besides, it can be observed that death is always present in Ma Parker’s life (husband, children and grandson) and these dead people are so alive in her memories that they seem to be more alive than she herself, once her life story is based on the people she has lost. According to Ma Parker’s individual experience of life, Mansfield is able to show readers the frustration of this tale: Death is the only certainty of life, especially of a sad and hopeless life, actually life is not like what we want it to be – life is a sad surprise. Ma Parker reflects the author’s duality between Life versus World, emphasizing Mansfield’s idea that to live is frustrating.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Clytemnestra’s Deception as Depicted in the Oresteia Trilogy

Clytemnestra Deception In The Agamemnon book of the Oresteia trilogy, the Chorus in each play represents the people who feel under represented and disrespected by the society's changing values. They also fear the control of an effective woman in Clytemnestra rather than the leadership of Agamemnon. The Chorus takes direct actions, thought to ensure their prominence. Agamemnon, the king of Argos, returns home from the war at Troy. As his war prize he brings with him the prophetess-maiden Cassandra, daughter of King Priam of Troy.She was chosen by Apollo and granted the gift of prophecy, but as a result of Apollo's anger towards Cassandra, no one believes her predictions. Cassandra knows she and Agamemnon are going to die, but is powerless to prevent it. This is the main plot that unfolds in The Agamemnon. Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon and Cassandra, but her motive for these murders is much more serious than Just marital infidelity: He sacrificed his own daughter, â€Å"my beloved chil d to whom I gave birth suffering great pains, Just to control the Thracian winds with pells† (1417-18).Clytemnestra hates Agamemnon, who was ordered by the goddess Artemis to sacrifice their first-born, Iphigenia. However, â€Å"Clytemnestra is also angry with her husband because of Cassandra, and she express that both adulterers deserved punishment† (1431-47). The situation is somewhat dubious. Clytemnestra herself is having an adulterous affair with Agamemnon's worst enemy, Aegisthus, with whom she has also been plotting the murder of Agamemnon. In terms of marital infidelity, Clytemnestra cannot claim moral superiority over Agamemnon.So the son of Agamemnon, Orestes, murders his mother to avenge the murder of his father. Clytemnestra dies not Just because of her adultery but for her treachery. The crucial issue is the regicide, and the question of whether Clytemnestra's horrendous deeds can be Justified as a response to Iphigenia's sacrifice. The Homecoming-rituals s hape the dramatic structure of the play. In the first half of the play Clytemnestra deliberately perverts all the rituals involved in the homecoming of the king.This is an ntentional and important aspect of her character and a way for the queen to assert her power. She makes the elders of Argos wait for her answer at the palace, when they came to ask her about the sacrificial fires burning in every major and minor shrine in the town. â€Å"The elders are skeptical of Clytemnestra's reasons for believing that the expedition to Troy has been successful, and the conversation between the queen and the elders is reminiscent of a duel† (258-60).However, Clytemnestra masterfully uses rhetoric worthy of a man, and in the end the elders admit defeat 351-54). The queen disparages the herald who arrives to inform her of the safe return of Agamemnon. Clytemnestra cuts off his announcement by telling him that she already knows of the victory and claims that her husband will tell her every thing she needs to know (587-614). Once again, she has successfully been undermined by her ‘unfeminine' strength of mind and speech.When Agamemnon arrives, Clytemnestra assumes control of the situation by arriving late and giving a lengthy and garrulous welcoming speech to ner husband 8 Finally, in the tamous arpet-scene (914-74), the queen persuades Agamemnon to offend the gods by walking on the luxurious purple clothes and straight to his death by her actions, Clytemnestra has managed to break with all the traditional Greek customs and rituals related to the homecoming of a king.That is the theme that dominates the first half of the play. Clytemnestra's actions reveal to the audience her intentions. They also expose her growing power and the political and psychological battle between the elders†who represent the people of Argos†and the herald.

Monday, July 29, 2019

A close textual analysis of Aristotle BOOK 2 chapter 3 Essay

A close textual analysis of Aristotle BOOK 2 chapter 3 - Essay Example The formal cause is â€Å"the account of what the being would be†, its genera and its parts, e.g. number and ration of two to one are causes of an octave. The efficient cause, â€Å"the primary source of the change or staying unchanged†, is â€Å"that which makes something of that which is made† and â€Å"changes something of that which is changed†, e.g. the sculptor, parents, etc. At last the final cause is the end of a thing, i.e. â€Å"what something is for†, e.g. health is the final cause of walking and purging, drugs and surgical instruments (pp.28-29; 194 b 20 – 35). Here it is necessary to dwell upon the nature of causes. Aristotle himself notes that â€Å"many different things are called† and â€Å"can be causes† of the same thing, as well as the same thing can be a cause for many phenomena. First of all, as we try to understand the notion of â€Å"cause† in terms of cause-and-effect position, it becomes wholly unclear how bronze may cause a statue, or whether a table can be caused by wood it is made of. Then as we remember that we read Aristotle in translation from Greek, you realize that the word could perhaps be interpreted by the means of other words. Indeed, the Greek aition has transformed into the present Italian aita (assistant), aiutare (to assist). Thus we understand the cause as something assisting, making another thing. In this case we may say that material assists the emergence of a form, i.e. a form is made out of the material and is impossible without it. The form assists things in fulfilling their functions. It would be difficult to use a shaky table with a vertical top. A carpenter assists the emergence of the table. Due to carpenter’s knowledge and skills of how to make tables this emergence is possible. Finally, it is the functions or purpose of the table which assist in the emergence of this piece of furniture being produced of definite firm materials and of definite form. Such a

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Explain the relationship between discipline and obedience from a Essay

Explain the relationship between discipline and obedience from a Montessori perspective and discuss how discipline and obedience are linked to the development of the will - Essay Example The Montessori Method is one that is not only able to provide a fostering and development of children that are moving through different stages of cognitive development. More importantly, there is an understanding of new and revolutionary approaches to teaching. These are providing new concepts that can be applied to teaching, development and the overall exploration of learning that is needed in schools at this time frame. The educational basis that is a part of the Montessori perspective is based on creating a different environment and context for learning with children. The Montessori perspective began to develop after World War II, with the developing belief that each child is able to learn in different ways and has a natural tendency toward exploration and creativity. The main concept and approach was to use integrated methods toward learning and to have a specific approach that was holistic and exploratory for students. The initial programs that were developed moved into an institute created by Dr. Montessori, all which were based on developing a liberal program that was able to enhance learning. Dr. Montessori used some of the methods from older ways of teaching, all which were adapted to this specific classroom. This was combined with the liberal ideas of education, which was based on interactive development, exploration and the ability to learn through different levels of cognitive experiences (George, Montessori, 1992). The development of this method has not only leads to exploration for students, but also has assisted in the discipline and obedience perspectives that are required for the method. Since the program is based on exploration and the formation of discovery through individual experiences in the classroom, many have had to develop alternative understandings of what is included in the discipline of the children.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Comprehensive Examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comprehensive Examination - Essay Example People used to have very less material for entertainment and people found or referred there life as boring due to less activities and social life, that part of time was when there was no social soft wares or very less soft wares with very limited options in it like MSN and Yahoo messenger which allowed it's users to interact with different people by finding there email identities and adding them in their messenger software to interact or share different utilities, but this was limited only from one to one user until soft wares like Face book came into being. Face book is advertised as "an online directory that connects people through social networks at schools, collages, universities and region." Started in 2004 by students of Harvard University. About 85% of students in supported colleges have a profile up on FaceBook.75% of students sign in at least once every 24 hours. 9th most visited site on the internet. 250 million hits every day. It is a type of social software which helps its users to interact with each other with the help of different built in applications with help of which its users can connect directly to each other when they are online or leave important and cute messages when they are not online. Face book even comprises of an option in which people can make different social and educational groups and communities, people can join these groups and can interact with different people in the group to gain ideas, or can share their own opinion, this software also contain options like video sharing, music sharing, photo sharing and online gaming for all age groups so people and users of Facebook around the globe can keep them selves busy and entertained. Facebook even gives an option in the face of market place application where buyers and sellers can advertise there goods and services for free. Facebook allows it's users to make a photo profile for them selves in which they can enter information about themselves for others to view and one might be lucky to be selected for a job or as a life partner. Facebook even acts as matrimonial software which helps its user to find a perfect soul mate for him or her self. Facebook is like an internet store but the difference is that almost every thing is without any cost. One of the greatest benefits of using face book is that it doesn't allow explicit stuff at a wide range and who so ever exploits the condition is banned and it also gives privacy to its user which is very well protected. My experience on Facebook tells that it is one of the best social software eve r made and it has been able to destroy the market of all its competitors like Hi5, Orkut etc, as it provides the most options a user would want in a social software. Conclusion Social software as we all now know is a way of communication, interaction, sharing and learning, it has changed and is affecting the traditional ways of teaching, learning and communicating. In olden days students had to contact there friends for any information they required which was costly and time consuming but now blogs a type of social software allows students from around the globe to post there data and information they have on any subject so other students can use that

Friday, July 26, 2019

Social responsibilities of multinational corporations Essay - 1

Social responsibilities of multinational corporations - Essay Example In order to prove themselves right, and cover up their flaws in living up to their social responsibility, a few multinational companies have taken different steps that reflect adherence to their social responsibility. In this paper, I will argue that most multinational companies have disregarded their obligations to respect human rights of their host countries, and have continued to violate human rights indirectly, as they capitalize on the weaknesses in their host’s government systems, and lack of standard rights, while earning big profits in their host countries. Multinational corporations extend their production and marketing processes into different world regions. In the new business environment, these multinationals have a great political and economic influence on the host countries. These exploit the resources and labour in these countries with an aim of making more profits. It has been argued that the multinational corporations in the developing countries do more harm t han good and function there without a social conscience. Most multinationals have chosen to operate in more developing countries because the business standards and restrictions there are less tight as compared to those in the West (Arnold 156). Some scholars have argued that multinational corporations play an important role in the modernization and globalization processes. This argument bases on the fact that these introduce new technology and capital market in the host countries. If the host countries are developing nations, they benefit from all the western assets that the multinational corporations come with. Although the multinational corporations might appear capitalistic, these serve the needs of the society, while pursuing their own interests. These corporations make maximum use of efficiency and productivity, with global operations, and help in the distribution of goods around the world. Some analysts have therefore argued that since the multinational corporations have a gre at impact in the world, their activities, links to the governments, and their general influence on the international system needs to be known (Arnold 156). Trends in human rights continue to change today, and human rights issues have ceased to become matters of the state only. There are more multinational corporations today, and some of the concerns raised about human rights issues come from these corporations. Today, different multinational corporations have been involved in a number of cases concerning their violation of human rights in the host countries. This is not a new happening, as human rights violations by multinational corporations can be traced back to the eighteenth century. The non-governmental organizations today accuse multinational corporations of causing environmental degradation in the host countries, exploitation of offshore factory workers, and the denying employees their right to association and free speech. However, the multinationals argue that they have a ri ght to influence the public policy of their host country. However, these have a negative influence on the country’s public policy, therefore, failing to fulfil their social responsibility (Arnold 155). According to Donaldson, the rights people take for granted in the United States are greatly violated in some countries, and citizens are denied these rights. For instance, results of an interview conducted in Central America in 1987,

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Case study report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Case study report - Essay Example The company built the largest car rental brand in North America. The brand is widely known for low rates that are exceptionally as well as outstanding customer service. The brand has effective product and service offering methodologies in relation to marketing. Regarding the company’s management it has successfully showed tremendous leadership that has enhanced its operations worldwide. Motivation among employees in the company has been achieved thus promoting entrepreneurial spirit among them thus enhancing and encouraging high productivity. Enterprise Car Rental has established a consumer oriented strategy in relation to marketing that is of great importance to success. The company though has been opposed by stiff competitions from its main competitors. Enterprise not only sells services, it also brings an experience that is real in the market industry. A market Development Strategy has been followed by the company rigorously since it has put great effort to an existing p roduct(car-rentals) regarding the new market. Earning of profits that are high in the market that is untapped has been enhanced by the effective strategy. A rapid growth has been depicted in the Enterprise recently. The opportunities in relation to particular segments of market are now realized by competitors. Therefore, they are putting great effort to enormously build up their strengths in those realized branches. New entrants have posed a significant competition in the same segment of market. Therefore, Enterprise is gradually becoming saturated in its Market Development Strategy thus becoming obsolete. There will be no development room in the market soon because of the stiff competition that is slowly lowering demand from its consumers. For the Enterprise to regain its stability in the market context, they should switch over to a more advanced Market Penetration strategy to attempt. Thus, this will help them once again gain market share

Cultural group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural group - Essay Example eritage, I dream and find piece of mind in my life.The dream is so sweet and if dreams werethe same, then all would see the rich taste of food I have whenever I dream of my culture. I hate what foreigners are trying to do to my culture. They are bent on destroyiong the sweet dreams and good moments that my culture has made me enjoy. Because of culture I have reached out to the outer space and danced to the awesome sounds of our rich music. In addition, my heart has been collected by the rich taste of food that my culture provides. Their taste is like eating in paradise itself. Not to forget is the sacredness by which my culture holds families and issues revolving around it like sex. Each time I am brought forward to my elders or parents to correct my wrong ways, I always feel at the end of the odeal that great justice has been done to me. When given a chance, I would stop foreigners completely from destroying my culture. This is because many visitors in my region do not understand most of our cultural practices and symbolics and are often found at the wrong side of the law as our interest are not aligned. Alternatively, I would educate foreingners on the significance of my culture within the society and introduce fines to those found destroying the rich heritage within my community. This will curb the rise on cultural offences perpatrated by foreigners who are ignorant of

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

How Italian Food Defines You, Your Family, and Your Ethnicity Essay

How Italian Food Defines You, Your Family, and Your Ethnicity - Essay Example A side dish of salad or vegetables rounds out the meal. After a beverage, predominantly wine, a decadent dessert is also consumed. And always, conversation and laughter dominates the family table. Many Italian-Americans still keep the Vatican custom of seven fishes served on New Year's Eve, including squid, eels, and conch. The traditional meal on Easter is lamb. Of course, all meals are accompanied with a pasta side dish. Since gorgonzola, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses were first made by Italians, these dairy products are incorporated into just about all Italian fare. To discuss Italian culture and food, we have to include the topic of the all-American pizza. USA pizza is different from Italian pizza in that pizza served in Italy has less cheese, and the crust is thin as paper. The New York Times published an article stating that it is as important how we eat opposed to what we eat. That could be a lesson in cooking. When Italians dine, they take their time eating. They have a relationship with food. Mealtimes with the family are almost sacred. Conversation at the table strengthens the bond of family. Italians also lead active lives. Cars are not allowed in many Italian town centers. Therefore, walking is necessary. Most residents are walkups without elevators. Most importantly, portion sizes are much smaller in Italy.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Globalization and international migration Essay

Globalization and international migration - Essay Example The object of analysis for the purpose of this assignment is globalisation that can be defined as the spread and interconnectedness of the relationships of people, cultures and economic activities globally. Economic globalisation, in particular, is the spread and interconnectedness of technologies, production and communication. A similar description of globalisation is given by Giddens who states that globalisation is the intensification of global social relations that join or link distant localities in a manner that happenings in the local area are shaped by events taking place thousands of miles away even as local happenings shape the events that take place thousands of miles away. International migration, on the other hand, simply refers the movement of people across international borders, either within a region or overseas/across continents. In the contemporary world, international migration is a core aspect of globalization. However, it is evident that international migration is rarely considered in the current discussions of globalisation, and even if it is, the debate is limited to a residual category. This shows that the contribution made by migration globally in the intensification of relations in the fields of labor and economic activities, cultural affairs and values, and social and political links has been ignored. International migration is a central factor in the achievement of economic, social, political, and cultural transformation, their spread and interconnectedness.... Many countries also trace their experiences of economic, social, political and cultural transformations and interconnectedness to the colonial and post colonial times. Colonisation involved massive international migration where the colonialists moved to various parts of Africa and America conquering societies and colonising them. In some cases, it also involved forced labour migration in the form of slave trade. Although many of the colonised nations suffered at these times, colonisation can be said to have been crucial in bringing about globalisation in these areas, which led to drastic, economic, socio-cultural and political changes in them. At these times, the colonial governments helped to establish important transnational networks which facilitated the flow of labour, goods, finance, technologies ideas, and practices between the colonies, the colonisers and other political establishments. In respect to the above discussions, the present scenario of globalisation is paradoxical. Currently, the world is interconnected more than ever. Technological, trade and financial flows have been liberalised, but contrastingly, the mobility of individuals across borders runs up against the stringiest ever barriers which restrict it. Tapinos and Delaunay (48) observe that international migration seems to be completely excluded from the current globalization process. This exclusion is the greatest contrast between the new trends in the global economy and the two great previous globalization periods. By leaving out the factor of human mobility, this narrow view of globalization raises a threefold question of economic efficacy, ethics, political realism, and the question relating to the long-term sustainability of the world development

Monday, July 22, 2019

From reading the selected pre-1914 Essay Example for Free

From reading the selected pre-1914 Essay The Return of the Native (pg 414 447) near end of novel From reading the above, what do you learn of Hardys use of vivid description, dramatic incident and reference to Nineteenth century customs and traditions? Which of the three pieces was your favourite and why? From reading the two extracts and the story, I can see that the main difference in the book is how life is in the book compared to our modern 21st century. People in the 19th century depended very heavily on agriculture and farming especially in Wessex, where nearly all of Hardys novels were set. Wages for agricultural labourers were the lowest in the country in Dorset, averaging out at the equivalent of 37p a week in 1840. Magic and superstition was rife in the 19th century, and many people believedin dark powers. Every village in Wessex was supposed to have their own witch. Magic play a big role in two of the stories which I am studying, The Withered Arm, and The Return of the Native. People who committed crimes in the 19th century were severely punished. Poachers were transported to Australia to do hard labour, night burglary was punishable by death. Hangings were still very popular in the 19th century and any hanging was an excuse for a holiday. Class systems in the 19th century were very rigid not many people succeeded in moving up to a higher class, but Thomas Hardy was one of the few people who managed to do this. Thomas Hardy uses vivid description in all of his novels and short stories, including the novels which I am studying, in particular The Mayor of Casterbridge. At the beginning of the chapter, we have an almost cinematic view, as if a camera is zooming in on the three travellers, describing them from afar at first, then in more detail as we begin to see them from closer up. We can almost feel the tension between the two adults, when Hardy says: What was really peculiar was the perfect silence they preserved. In The Withered Arm, Hardy uses vivid description very effectively when description Rhoda Brooks vision. He uses words such as: Peered cruelly and shockingy distorted to imply that Gertrude is mocking her for being cast aside and then Gertrude taking her place as Farmer Lodges wife. This vivid description is also linked to dramatic incident as it is a key chapter in the story, and Hardy uses adjectives to describe Rhodas dream, it makes us feel as though we are actually there, watching this distorted version of Gertrude attacking Rhoda, so Hardys descriptions are very effective in this chapter of the book. Also, at the beginning of the story, we learn a lot from the dairy workers in the farm, who gossip. They gossip about Farmer Lodges new wife and they try to guess how old Farmer Lodge is, all the while ignoring Rhoda Brook, Farmer Lodges ex-wife. In The Return of the Native, when the superstitious Susan creates a voodoo doll resembling Eustacia, Hardys use of vivid description is effective when Susan thrusts pins in the doll, and then puts it in the firem murmuring the Lords Prayer backwards which was a proceed which called for help against an enemy. Magic played a key part in this story; Susan believed that Eustacia was making her son ill, because at the exact moment that he said he was feeling unwell, Eustacias dark shadow crossed the light from her house, but this was just a coincidence. Also, in The Return of the Native, when Eustacia falls into the pool of water near weir, Hardy uses pathetic fallacy, which is when events in the natural world mirror what is going on in the human world. In this case, Eustacia is very depressed and unhappy, so the weather is atrochiously stormy, raining and windy. Because, it has rained so much, the pool has created a whirlpool, and Eustacia falls in. To describe the scene more effectively, Hardy uses metaphors such as: Boiling cauldron, referring to the whirpool, the current, and emphasising the amount of water in the pool. Hardys use of dramatic incident in all three of his stories manage to shape the whole story, especially in The Mayor of Casterbridge. In think amin the dramatic incident in the extract is when Michael Henchard sells his wife at auction when he becomes drunk. The day after, Michael realises how stupid he has been and vows never to touch another drop of alcohol for however many years as his age. I think this is very effective because the day after Michael sells his wife and baby, he realises that alcohol changed him into something he doesnt want to be. In The Mayor of Casterbridge, when Hardy uses dramatic incident, we learn that Hardy builds up suspension before the dramatic climax. When Michael Henchard is trying to sell his wife and baby at auction, nobody will bid the price that he is looking for, then just as Michael is going to withdraw: Yes. said a voice from the doorway. The man in the doorway was in fact, a sailor. He bought Michaels wife for five guineas, and she left, leaving us with the impression that she is glad that she has got away from her husband at last. Hardy uses lots of dialect to show exactly how Michael Henchard feels about his current state of affairs: The woman is no good to me. Who will have her? When Michael is trying to sell his wife, Hardy describes Michaels distaste for her effectively, and when he finally does sell her, even the rough country people in the tent are surprised that he let his wife and child go without a second glance. In The Withered Arm, I think there are two main dramatic incidents: Rhoda Brooks dream, and Gertrudes turning of her blood, when she sees that the young man who has been hanged is, in fact, Rhodas son. When Rhoda has a dream that Gertrude visits her to mock her, Gertrude looks ugly and old. Hardy used use of vivid description works effectively in making us understand that Gertrude has come to mock her because Rhoda has been replaced by her in Farmer Lodges affections. Hardys use of verbs work well in this incident, using words such as thrust, swung, and peered cruelly to create a feeling of hate between Rhoda and the figure come to visit her at night. The other dramatic incident in The Withered Arm is when Gertrude travels to get her arm cured by holding her arm against a newly hanged mans neck, who is in fact Rhodas son. Hardys use of dialect again gives and extra depth to the story, when Rhoda walks in when Gertrudes blood is in the process of being turned: This is the meaning of what Satan showed me in the vision! Rhoda shouts. Hardys use of the word Satan, emphasizes the hatred Rhoda has for Gertrude and perhaps jealousy, for stealing her husband although Gertrudes character is kind and gentle. In The Return of the Native, the main dramatic incident is when Eustacia falls into the whirlpool and Clym Yeobright and Wildeve try to save her, but fail. Three bodies are pulled out, and only one, Clym, survives. Referring again to pathetic fallacy, the weather is awful when Eustacia falls into the boiling cauldron. The slow realisation that Wildeve was actually holding on to Clym when Diggory Venn was seemingly just pulling Clym out creates images of horror. My favourite story is The Withered Arm, because I like Hardys use of magic in Rhodas vision, how Gertrudes arm became deformed because of this. Gertrude obviously has no idea how this happened. Hardys use of vivid description in the book is very effective throughout, but especially in Rhodas vision. Rhoda is obsessed with the idea of Farmer Lodge being with another woman, and sends her son to look at Gertrude and report back to her. When he says that Gertrude is shorter that Rhoda, she seems pleased and smug about herself. I like the way how Hardy has interlinked everything, e. g. Rhodas sons father is Farmer Lodge, the young man who was hanged was Rhodas son. I think it is a very clever story, and at the end, Gertrude dies at the fright of seeing Rhodas son dead, lying limp in the coffin. I think that the story shows that Rhoda is perhaps so obsessed about Farmer Lodge and Gertrude it is almost unhealthy, and because of this, maybe this is why she had the vision in the first place. I learn that Gertrude is forgiving, even though when she went to see Conjuror Trendle and he created the concoction of egg white and water, Rhodas image formed. Gertrude was surprised, but she doesnt question it because she had no idea that Rhoda had anything to do with her arm.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Sectors Involved in the Construction Industry

Sectors Involved in the Construction Industry Task 1 Identify and explain two types of sectors involved in our construction industry. Describe the relationship of size organization and production of work carried out. Give an example for the relevant situation in construction industry. Private sector The private sector is usually privately owned and not part of the government organizations. These often include companies (including profit and non-profit), partnerships and charities. A simple way to think about the private sector to consider this thing is not owned or operated by a government organization. For example, retail stores, credit unions, and local companies will work in the private sector. Sources: (The Difference Between the Private and Public Sector 2014)       Generally, the size of the organization for the private is smaller compare to public sector. The reason is because the staff of the private sector is lesser, therefore the workability will be not that effective compare to the public sector. Besides that, the capital of the private sector is lesser, therefore the private sector dont have any funding to hired the skill and experience of the staff to help. Due to so many factor that I mention, the production of work carried out is lesser due to the size of the organization is smaller, capital is lesser, skillful and experience staff is lesser and etc. One of the example for the private sector in construction industry is build a hotel in Istanbul, which is Conrad International Hotel. Due to the organization of the private sector is small, therefore build the residential building or commercial building is more suitable, because the area that the building will used is fixing and not that big. (Sources: The Private Sector and Development: Five Case Studies 1998). Diagram 1: Conrad International Hotel (Sources: Conrad International Hotel 1998) Public Sector The public sector is usually owned and operated by government agencies of. This includes federal, provincial, state or municipal governments, depending on where you live. Privacy legislation requires organizations in the public sector are usually public institutions or public institutions. Some examples of public institutions in Canada and the United Kingdom are educational institutions, healthcare institutions, public road, police and prison services, local and central government agencies and departments. Sources: (The Difference Between the Private and Public Sector 2014) Normally, the size of the organization for the public sector is more bigger and more legend compare to the private sector. Therefore the production of work carried out by the public sector will be bigger and better due to the capital of the public sector is more. Therefore, they have enough funding to hired the staff which is skillful and high experience of the work. Besides due to the size of the public sector is bigger, thus the staff will be more, therefore the workability of the public sector is better and more effectiveness compare with the private sector. Therefore the production of the public sector is better than private sector. While for the public sector, the example of the construction industry for the public sector is highway project, which is the Seven River and estuary between the England and Wales. For this kind of size of the project normally is develop by the public sector. Due to the public sector have more experience and skillful staff and the capital is more bigger that private sector. So for the civil engineer project like highway, railway normally is public sector construct. And the area of the highway project will be move to another area, which is means the areas that involved will be bigger, to the public sector to construct this kind of the project will be more suitable compare to private sector Sources: (Case Studies of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships around the world 2007) Diagram 2: Highway project in England and Wales (Source: Seven river Bridge 2013) Task 2 a) Identify at least two projects carried out to enhance economy of the country. Residential Project A Residential Project is a minimum of 5 days, 4 nights away from home on a shared activity with people youve never met before. It only has to be done once, and can be done at any time while you are working towards any level of The Award. An example of residential project is terrace house, bungalow, apartment and condominiums. Sources: (Residential Project Ideas 2015) One of the case study that for residential project, which is located at KLCC area which is just located just right opposite the KLCC park. The name of the building which is call Park Seven. Park seven is a luxurious high-end condominium. This building is built by the SDB (Selangor Dredging Berhad). The size of the room per unit is around 2,257 sq ft which is 3 rooms. And the building is be complete at 2007. The price of the building is RM640 per sq ft during 2008 but during 2009 the price is quickly rose to more than RM1,000 per sq ft. But from now it was around RM1,500 per sq ft. Sources:( Seven Park 2014) Civil Engineering Project Civil engineering projects involving the environment or change the structure of significant construction and renovation projects. An example of civil engineering projects built may have been used to generate electricity and provide flood control and irrigation control, while climate change might involve beach nourish and protect the coastline Station. Civil engineering projects have occurred in a very different scale around the world. Some examples of civil engineering projects include: updating a city sewage treatment system to accommodate the growing population, the construction of the canal, the construction of a bridge, widening the roadway earthquake reconstruction, restoration of wetlands, as well as private homes, so that they meet local building codes. The case study that I found for civil engineering project is Lebuhraya Kajang Seremban (Lekas highway). It is a highway which is a new dual three lane highway between Kajang and Seremban. South direction through the general, LEKAS immediately begin Kajang Ring Road in the south cloverleaf interchange, ending Paroi, in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Khusus home branch. Highway concession granted LEKAS in November 2006, and IJM Corporation Berhad and KASEH Private Limited as a shareholder. The project is be complete at December 2009. With the 44.3 km long, LEKAS an effective toll highway in the heart of Kuala Lumpur between the eastern and the hibiscus. Alignment by Kajang, Semenyih, Pajam, Wending, Setul and highly developed areas Paroi pass. LEKAS is an open toll system Kajang and Setul and Setul and Paroi between, including close three mainline toll charging system and three off ramp toll station. Sources: ( Lekas Highway 2015) b) Describe the specific economic reasons of the projects mention in (a). Residential Project The specific benefit of economic that the residential project bring to our country is first to provide a place for the people to live. Residential building like terrace house or apartment. It is a place which is let the people have their activities with their family or their friends. Besides, it also provide a policy for each of the family. Second is it also provide the economic for the country, which is call taxes. The government will using taxes to improve our country economic. Normally, for the terrace house the taxes will be more cheaper compare to the bungalow. The taxes that is charge for the residential building is assessment tax. It is a local property tax, which is based on the annual rental value of the property. It is determined by the local government, usually in the ratio of six percent of the residential property, is paid in two installments each year. Therefore the taxes that charge by government is the one of the economy growth. Therefore the government will use the money at others economy way. Therefore, if the government known how to use the money, it will improve our country economic growth. Third, for those high rise residential building like apartment or flat. This can reduce the land use, while it can increase the human occupancy in a building. Therefore, the government could utilize the land more economically. Example, like Kuala Lumpur, there are less land but they are many people is working and stay there. Therefore, to solve this problem, the government uses the land to construct the high rises buildings like condominium or apartment, so the people who work in KL have the enough place to live and continue their works. Highway Project While the specific economic that the highway project bring to our country is to shorter the period that from one place going to other place. For example like, from our college legenda, Mantin going back to my home, Serdang Raya, if using the normal road the duration to reach my home is around one and a half hour (1h30m). But if I going home with the highway, the duration that reach my home is only forty-five minute (45m). Therefore the highway is help us to save a lot of time in our destination. Because, it also easy to access. Which is means, if we want to go Perak, we using highway to go, but let say we miss the first junction to go Perak, but we still got second or third junction to go. Therefore, in Malaysia, we will lost, because any place also have highway. So it let the people easy to access any place that we want to go. Last, since the highway got so many advantages but it also looks like not helping our country economic. Therefore, in some of the place we have a toll to collecting the money to increase our country economic. For example for place which have toll; Sungai Besi highway, Seremban highway, Kajang highway, and etc. Each of the places, have the toll to collect the users money to improve our economics. Task 3 a) List the two (2) major category of policy Fiscal Policy It is referred to as involving taxes (taxes) and expenditure (expenditure) government policy. Changes in the level of taxation and government spending will affect aggregate demand (AD) and the level of economic activity. The role of fiscal policy to stimulate economic growth recession. In addition, it is also stable economic growth and prevent chest economic cycle. There are two types of fiscal policies: expansionary policies and austerity. Involving expansionary policy increases AD austerity policies, including in the year dropped Monetary Policy It is used by central banks to control the amount of money in the economy, which in turn will affect the interest rate tool. It involves the use of interest rates or other monetary tools to control the level of consumer spending. Monetary policy to promote economic stability and growth by providing interest rate. Its purpose is to stabilize prices, ensure a low level of unemployment. There are two types of monetary policy: monetary policy and tight monetary policy. Loose policy may reduce interest rates and tightening policy will increase interest rates to reduce inflation level. b) State the characteristics of both policy Fiscal Policy First, the policy of this issue, in order to promote investment in the economy is more focused on peoples livelihood. Although the investment is still the main means of expanding domestic economy, policy is more important at this time pay attention to peoples livelihood, or low-income groups on this measure at least five to ten, for example, to build more affordable housing, accelerate infrastructure construction in rural areas, speed up to promote poverty reduction and improve the development of health care, culture and education, speed up the ecological construction, sewage and garbage disposal, pollution prevention and post-disaster relief and reconstruction. Secondly characteristics is the income of urban and rural residents and improve the tax system reform includes measures to expand domestic demand in the first. All regions and sectors will be fully and VAT reform progress, encourage technical reform, about 120 companies and one billion yuan loans to ease the burden on enterprises. It is considered a huge leap forward. In the future, it will also reduce income wage earners, self-employed and small businesses, expand the circle of consumption subsidies for urban and rural residents, to focus more on improving consumer credit, in order to stimulate consumer demand. Third, the new policy combined with a long-term and short-term goals. This will help promote economic growth and structural adjustment, to encourage independent innovation, to support the development of high-tech, technological advances and services. In addition, the new policy also combined to expand investment and stimulate consumption, and proposed the establishment of primary health care system, such as construction, speed up renovation in high school and middle school in western China, to promote the cultural construction of special education schools measure centers in rural areas, speed up the affordable housing and low-cost housing, reconstruction of houses and herdsmen dangerous construction of settlements, as well as to speed up construction of rural infrastructure. These measures will help to boost consumption and economic growth, and build a well-off and harmonious society. Sources: (Three Characteristics make fiscal policy more effective 2008) Monetary Policy First characteristic is consideration. IJ Macfarlane, Reserve Bank of Australia to recognize speech in 2002, no one likes the high interest rates, people tend to be regarded as evidence of bad monetary policy. However, high interest rates may be necessary in high-inflation economy. In such an environment of low interest rates will only exacerbate the problem, Macfarlane said adding that low interest rates, but it is necessary in some cases, often means an unhealthy economy. Second is prevention/ or solution. In a healthy economic good monetary policy requires the central bank to strike a very high interest rates to choke healthy economic growth and low inflation, interest rates are not included among the compromise, according to McFarlane. This may require the central bank to determine the annual growth rate of potential health and targeted inflation rate. In this case, monetary policy will focus on a constant currency growth rate, which is consistent with the target level of GDP growth and inflation. Last is perspective. In addition to setting targets for economic growth and inflation, monetary policy should follow a point of view, taking into account the whole economy, not the performance of a particular sector. McFarlane noted that the housing sector as an example, he said, the price is higher, making it more difficult for a young couple to buy a home reflects the problem of the distribution of wealth, rather than the symptoms, monetary policy should be addressed. Sources: (Characteristics of Good Monetary Policy 2015) c) Using the specific project (s) as example, justify the importance of government involvement in the project and construction industry by considering both of the policy. What is the importance of the government involvement in the project and construction industry. The importance of the government involvement in the construction industry is first some of the project like, government building or the civil engineer building like highway, bridge or etc. Before the company, construct the specific building, they must get the approval like the JKR or PWD (Public Work Department) which is from the government or public company. If the company construct the building without approval by government like JKR or PWD the building will call as a illegal project. So the company have to register to the government and get the duty stem stamping by the government only can start the project. Therefore this is one of the importance that the government have to involve to the construction industry. Due to the construction industry is play significant role in the economic growth. So the benefit of the government involved in construction industry is to improve the economics of the country. While this is considering to the Fiscal policy. Fiscal policy is means the government can increase or decrease the taxation, subsidy and spending to stabilize the economic growth. When the government is applying the fiscal policy, it tends to stimulate the aggregate the production and it boost up the income. Therefore this is the benefit of the government involved in the construction industry. Therefore, the taxes also is one of the income to improve the economics in the country. Besides that, Monetary policy also is involved in construction industry by the government. Sometimes the project is very big like highway, therefore the cost that have to spend is much more higher. Therefore, the government sometimes will not enough funding to continue project. Because the government is not only got one project, sometimes it got few project in one times, therefore they will not enough funding to continue for the project. So the government will borrow the loan from the bank which is including the interest rate. Because the bank got long term loan and short term loan, So for the big project, normally the company will select the long term loan. So the government can borrow the loan from the bank, therefore it got enough funding to continue the process of the projects. In my summary, I will suggest the public and private sector combined together as a Public-private partnership. The reason is because, although the private sector have a lot of funding to the construction site, but private sector got a lot of document is complete like the stamping. While for the public sector/ or government, although there got the complete document for the construction but they dont have enough of funding to continue for their previous project. Therefore to solve the problem for this both types of sector, combined both of the company is the best way. Bibliography Characteristics of Good Monetary Policy, (2015), [Online], Available at: http://www.ehow.com/info_7880452_characteristics-good-monetary-policy.html [Accessed on 15 May 2015] Case Studies of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships around the world, (2007), [Online], Available at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/pdfs/int_ppp_case_studies_final_report_7-7-07.pdf [Accessed on 2nd May 2015] Lekas Highway,  (2015), [Online], Available at: http://www.ijm.com/infrastructure/toll/LEKAS/corporate.asp [19 May 2015] Park Seven (2014), [Online], Available at: http://klcccondominiums.com.my/park-seven/ [ 19 May 2015] Residential Project Ideas (2015), [Online], Available at: http://www.dukeofed.org/ab/residential-projectvolunteer-opportunities [Accessed on 7 May 2015] The Difference Between the Private and Public Sector, (2014), [Online], Available at: http://www.privacysense.net/difference-between-private-public-sector/ [Accessed on 29 April 2015] Three Characteristics make fiscal policy more effective, (2008), [Online], Available at: http://en.people.cn/90001/90780/6536000.html [Accessed on 16 May 2015] The Private Sector and Development: Five Case Studies, (1998), [Online], Available at:http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/IW3P/IB/2002/02/16/000094946_02020504015321/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdf [Accessed on 1st May 2015]

Life Insurance And Swot Analysis Commerce Essay

Life Insurance And Swot Analysis Commerce Essay Security has always been a universal desire, right from the earliest civilizations. This quest for security has been a major motivating force in the progress of mankind. The early societies looked up to their families for providing this security, which resulted in cohesive units. Gradually, as lifestyles changed and as man progressed into a more modern industrialized setup, this cohesive quality of the family started fading. One had to look for other ways of providing economic security and somewhere along the line was born à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-insurance. The insurance landscape in India is in the process of tremendous change. Closed to foreign competition due to nationalization in 1956, the Indian insurance industry was run by the government for over 40 years through the life insurance corporation of India (LIC) and four general insurance companies that spanned the length and breadth of the country. In the last couple of years there are a few forces acting on the industry that have brought about significant changes in the behaviour of the industry trends. Moreover there have been significant changes in the service outlook with respect to insurance industry. From the opinion that it was an instrument intended to provide monetary support at the time of the death of an individual, life insurance life insurance grew up to be a major financial instrument during the past 50 years in our country. There has also been a change in the consumer outlook with regards to life insurance as very beneficiary financial tool as against the orthodox thinking of unfruitful use of money. In this highly competitive market where mere survival has become primary objective for companies, customer service holds a major place in business. Every insurance company delivers service as per the terms of contract, however there are very few companies that go beyond the contract and augment the customers. This requires a learned and trained staff i.e. the agents. The following findings throw light on the service perspective bringing out the fundamentals of service marketing and its determinants. The finding of the research widens the consumer understanding aspect and it would be very helpful to imbibe customization. The research studies the changing trends in life insurance and describes the latent potential and also gives a hypothesis on the future of the insurance industry based on the study of insurance sector and the expert opinion. Origin of Insurance We live in exciting times with changes and upheavals all around. New technologies, new inventions and changes in the economic and financial scenario, all have thrown up new insurance needs; needs never felt or heard before. This type of evolutionary process, in the last few decades, has given hope to new types of need-based insurance covers; public liability insurance, product liability insurance, indemnity for medical practitioners for negligence, indemnity for chartered accountants and auditors for professional lapses, etc. Further, covers are engineering insurance, erection insurance, loss of profit, cover against atomic radiation and space travel and contracting AIDS. Around 6000 years ago, Babylonians, whose home in the Tigris Euphrates valley lay at the crossroads of early world traffic, had developed business practices to a high degree. Babylon had become the clearinghouse of trade as all the important land trade routes converged in that territory. From Armenia in the north, China and India in the east, Egypt in the west, caravans came laden with merchandise. Though Babylon built up a great commercial system, and her people were the first to enjoy the fruits of political economy, their territory was surrounded by huge tracts of desert. Recorded evidences testify that ancient India was a prominent maritime power. There were busy seaports on the west coast at Broach, at Kaveripumpatnam in the south and Bang in the east. Traders expressed difficulties in realizing money for the goods sent abroad. Loans were advanced to traders at specified rates of interest depending on the risk run and the duration of time for which money was required. Men skilled in sea voyages worked out risk premium rates. The first Indian insurance company was the Bombay Mutual Assurance Society ltd., formed in 1870. This was followed by the Oriental life Assurance in 1874, the Bharat in 1896 and the Empire of India in 1897. Hindustan Cooperative was formed in Calcutta, the United India in Madras, The Bombay Life in Bombay, The National in Calcutta, The New India in Bombay, The Jupiter in Bombay and the Lakshmi in New Delhi. These were all Indian companies started as a result of the swadeshi movement in the early 1900s. By the year 1956, when the Life insurance business was nationalized and the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) was formed on 1st September 1956, there were 170 companies and 75 provident fund societies transacting life insurance business in India. After the amendment to the relevant laws in 1999, the LIC did not have the exclusive privilege of doing life insurance business in India. By 31st march 2002, eleven new insurance companies had been registered and began to transact life insurance business in India. Does one need insurance The business of insurance is related to protection of the economic values of the assets. Every asset is of some value and is expected to last for a certain period of time during which it will deliver that value. In case the asset is destroyed it ceases to provide the value to the owner thus leading to an unpleasant situation. Insurance is a mechanism to reduce the effect of such unpleasant situation. Human life is considered to be a value generating asset and is also subject to risks. Assets are insured because there if a possibility that perhaps they might get destroyed, through accidental occurrences. Such possible occurrences are called perils. If such perils can cause damage to the asset we say that the asset is exposed to risk. To be more prà ©cised Perils are the events and risks are the consequential losses or damages. The risk only means that there is a possibility of a loss or damage, the loss may or may not happen. Insurance is done against the contingency that it might ha ppen. Insurance is relevant only if there are uncertainties. If there is no uncertainty about the occurrence of an event, it cannot be insured against. In case of human beings death is certain; however the time of death is uncertain. Insurance doesnt protect the asset. It doesnt prevent the loss due to its peril. The perils can sometime be avoided by ensuring better safety and damage control management. Insurance only tries to reduce the impact of the risk on the owner of the asset and those who depend on that asset. Only economic consequences can be insured. If the loss is not financial, insurance may not be possible. Moreover insurance is backed up with many economic benefits which can be enlisted as follows. Life insurance provides financial security to the family in case of untimely or premature death. Life insurance is also a potent instrument for saving. Life insurance provides financial independence in old age. Organizations or individuals, who are in credit business, can ensure for themselves recovery of loan in case their debtor dies. A partnership firm can insure partners to the extent of capital invested by each in the business. Under à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-key man insurance, an organization can insure the lives of their executives, whose expertise greatly contributes to their profits. Organizations can purchase group insurance policies as a part of their employee- welfare program. Life insurance also provides tax benefits to the holder. Life insurance policies create an estate. Life insurance policies also create thrift. I.e. a compulsory saving. A policy of life insurance can be used as a collateral security for procuring loans from the market. Working of life-Insurance Business There are three primary methods to avoid risk viz. A) AVOID B) REDUCE C) TRANSFER Insurance deals with transfer of risk from the consumer to the provider. Insurance works on a fundamental principle of pooling of risk. People who are exposed to the same risk come together and agree that, if any one of them suffers a loss, the others will share the loss and make good the person who has suffered the loss. The manner in which the loss is to be shared can be determined beforehand. It may be proportional to the risk that each person is exposed to. This would be indicative of the benefit he would receive if the peril befell him. Insurance companies collect the share in the form of premiums and create a fund from which losses are paid; this fund is known as the life fund. The insurance company pays the losses to the members of that group. The insurance company also invests the funds in governmental and private organizations. Ex. LIC has lent a capital of Rs.215million to NABARD for its rural financing activities. Life Insurance Marketing Triangle The above diagram explains the services triangle with its three constituents, namely, the company, the provider and the consumer. Each of them have been explained as follows:- The Company The Company makes various promises to its customers through external marketing. The way and means of marketing will be covered it the marketing mix. The Provider The agents and the development officers act as the front-line staff and they are in direct contact with the potential or existing customers. They are the ones who keep or satisfy the promises made by the company. The marketing of insurance basically comes under concept selling. The agents are thus given various incentives, rewards, commissions and all the necessary training required. As regards incentive, they receive PLI (Productivity Linked Incentive), which is based on the increase in premium amount and the sums assured by the agent. They are also given extra commissions in case of policies, which are of high value. There are normal promotions for any good work done on a regular basis. The agents generally work under the training and guidance of their respective development officers. The Consumers The consumers are the policyholders. Apart from the routine life insurance policies other services like housing finance, mutual funds, pension and group insurance. Thus the range of consumers is far and wide Life insurance mix The identification of the seven Ps of marketing mix helps a firm to form better marketing strategies and also to serve the customers in a more efficient manner. Product Mix The best way to get and keep customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less. A product mix is the set of all products and items that a particular seller offers for sale. In case of insurance sector, the product mix comprises of Life and Non life insurance policies that are offered to the customer by the company. A companys product mix has certain width, length, depth and consistency. The length of a product mix refers to the total number of items in the mix. In case of insurance sector, the following is the length of product mix: Whole Life Policy Limited Payment Life Convertible Whole Life Policy Joint Life Endowment Policy Double Endowment Policy Jeevan Saathi Money Back Policy Annuity Plans Group Insurance Policy Bima Sandesh With or Without Profit Policy The depth of a product mix refers to how many variants are offered of each product in the line in the insurance sector, one policy can be made available in different variations. Some of the examples are as follows: WHOLE LIFE SCHEMES Whole life policy whole life Limited payment whole life Single Premium With profit policy These product mix dimensions permit the company to expand its business. E.g.: It can add new product lines thus widening its product mix. Product Differentiation Product differentiation may be referred to as the points or the qualities that a firm has in its product, which makes the product different from its competitors product. The product differentiation as far as the insurance sector and LIC in particular is concerned are as follows- Bonus- insurance companies issue bonus to their policyholders when they make a substantial amount of profit. If a company issues a high amount of bonus, it delights the customer and creates a good image in the eyes of the customer. Past records- the differentiation can be done on the basis of past records. Customers choose to take policy from that company which has well past records in terms of claim settling periods, premium collection intervals etc. Market reputation- a company with a good market reputation and goodwill is perceived to deliver the best of the service quality and customer satisfaction. Technology- technology plays an important part in product differentiation. For e.g.: LIC was the first company in the insurance sector to introduce use of I.T and Computers. This makes customers feel that the company is not lagging behind the world and is capable of making the full use of technology to satisfy the customers. Feedback- feedback from customers also is an important tool with which product of the company can be differentiated. If effective steps are been taken on the feedback of the customers, it leaves a long lasting impression on the minds of the customers. Price- if a particular company charges more for the same product as compared to their competitors, it may lose the customers and vice versa. Price Mix Price is one element in the marketing mix that produces revenue; all the other elements produce costs. Prices are easiest marketing mix elements to adjust; product features, channels and even promotion take more time. Price also communicates to the market the companys intended value positioning of its product or brand. In the insurance sector, every company has to deposit an initial fixed capital of about Rest. 100 crore with Insurance Regulatory Development Authority, which is considered as the apex body of Insurance sector. The company gets periodic interest on this amount. With this interest amount, the company pays for the recruitment, training and development of the agents. The price in case of insurance sector refers to the premium charged on the policy. The Tariff advisory committee fixes the price for each policy. Hence all insurance companies have to charge approximately similar premium on similar policies. However, different elements affect the rate of premium to be charged on each policy. The price for the same policy is different for different companies. The company must set its price in relation to the value delivered and perceived by the customer. If, the price is higher than the value received, the customer will not be willing to pay so high and the company will lose potential profits. If the price is less than the value received then, the company will fail to receive the profit that it deserves for providing a good service. BLUE PRINTING SEVICE MAPPING The blue printing show what the product should look like a details the specification to which it should conform. In contrast to the physical architecture of building, ship, or piece of equipment service process have a largely intangible structure. The process of logistics, industrial engineering, decision theory, and computer system analysis each of which employs blue print techniques to describe processes involving flow, sequences, relationship and dependencies. Sectorial study Insurance is suddenly gaining all the attention and what used to be a strange would in it is a household name, thanks to opening up of the industry, while there are several reasons for opening up of insurance sector the foreign investors are eyeing it as a very lucrative prospect. After the opening up, several private insurers have started operating in life insurance, especially in metro areas. New marketing channels like Banc assurance, brokers, etc. are also in the offing. KEY MARKET INDICATORS.Size of market life non-life $16 billion Total Global insurance premium (as on 2001) $2408.25 billion(-1.5% as against 2000) Rate of annual growth 2002-03 Life- 11.27% Non-life- 23% Geographical restriction for new players None. Players can operate all over the country. Registration restriction Composite registration not available. Equity restriction in the new Indian insurance company Foreign investor can hold up to 26% of the equity. Number of registered companies. Public sector 01 Private sector 13 Comparison of similar policy of competition Company Policy Min/Max entry age Minimum Premium Min sum assured Liquidity years Maturity benefits LIC Money back with Profit 13/50 Rs. 3186 yearly Rs. 50000 5,10,15,20 40% of sum assured + bonuses ICICI Prudential Cashbook 16/55 Rs. 6000 yearly Rs. 75000 4,8,12,16,20 50% of sum assured + bonuses Bajaj Allianz Cash Gain 14/50 Rs. 5000 yearly Rs. 50000 4,8,12,16,20 125% of sum assured + bonuses Life insurers in India As an answer to globalization of economy and the increasing pressure of the WTO regulations, the govt. appointed the Malhotra Committee. After considering all aspects, the government ultimately enacted Insurance Regulatory and development authority and vested the authority to formulate regulations for insurance industry. IRDA and the LIC allowed the entry of foreign investors on a condition that they enter in collaboration with a local company. Public sector Private sector Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC) 1. Allianz Bajaj life insurance Company limited. 2. Birla sun life insurance Company limited. 3. HDFC standard life insurance company limited. 4. ICICI Prudential life insurance Company limited. 5. Reliance life insurance Company limited. 6. ING visa life insurance Company limited. 7. Max New York life insurance Company limited. 8. MetLife insurance company limited. 9. Om Kodak Mahindra life insurance co. ltd. 10. SBI insurance company limited 11. TATA-AIG life insurance Company limited. 12. AMP-Samar Assurance Company limited. 13. Aviva Life insurance company limited Life Insurance Players in India 1. Yr.: 1947-2000: (From 1947 to 1st April 2000) First life insurance company (LIC) set by Indian government in 1956. This is public company. 2. Yr.: 2000-2001: (From 2nd April 2000 to 31st December2001) Insurance Industry in the year 2000-2001 had 10 new entrants, namely: Synod. Registration Number Date of Reg. Name of the Company 1 101 23.10.2000 HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd. 2 104 15.11.2000 Max New York Life Insurance Co. Ltd. 3 105 24.11.2000 ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd. 4 107 10.01.2001 KodakHYPERLINK http://www.omkotakmahindra.com/Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited 5 109 31.01.2001 Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Ltd. 6 110 12.02.2001 Tata AIG Life Insurance Company Ltd. 7 111 30.03.2001 SBI Life Insurance Company Limited. 8 114 02.08.2001 ING HYPERLINK http://www.ingvysyalife.com/Visa Life Insurance Company Private Limited 9 116 03.08.2001 Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited 10 117 06.08.2001 MetLifeHYPERLINK http://www.metlife.co.in/India Insurance Company Pvt. Ltd. 3. Yr: 2001-2002: (From 1st Jan 2001 to Dec. 2002) Insurance Industry in this year, so far  has 5 new entrants; namely S.No. Registration Number Date of Reg. Name of the Company 1 121 03.01.2002 AMP HYPERLINK http://www.ampsanmar.com/Samar Life Insurance Company Limited. 2 122 14.05.2002 Aviva Life Insurance Co. India Pvt. Ltd. 4. Yr: 2003-2004: (From 1st Jan 2003 till Date) Insurance Industry in this year, so far  has 1new entrants; namely S.No. Registration Number Date of Reg. Name of the Company 1 127 06.02.2004 Sahara India Insurance Company Ltd. Performance of the Industry Post-Privatization, the life insurance industry grows by leaps and bounds. The attitude of people towards life insurance itself is changing. People are becoming more and more aware of the advantages of the Life insurance policies. Generally performance in life is measured in terms of first year premium collection and no. of lives covered. In 2003-04 Life Industry grew by 10.5% in terms of first year premium. It is showing steady growth rate in the current financial year as well. The sector witnessed a growth of over 50% for the month of April 2004, vis-à  -vis April 2003. The premium in comparison, LIC underwrote premium of Rs.72, 304.62 lakh i.e., a market share of 82.33%. In terms of policies Underwritten, the market share of the private players was 17.88% as against 82.17% of LIC. The premium underwritten by the private players for individual policies stood at Rs.12, 107.63 lakh, towards 89,918 policies with group premium accounting for Rs.3, 411.30 lakh towards 84 schemes. The n umber of lives covered under group schemes was 1, 01,392. ICICI Prudential continued to lead amongst the private players with premium at 6.15% and policies at 4.85%. In terms of number of lives covered, OM Kodak led with 21,325 lives viz., 5.83% of the total lives covered. Premium underwritten by LIC under Varishtha Bima Yojana during the month of April, 2004 was Rs.26, 734.25 lakh towards 13899 policies of which 29.60%, in terms of both premium and policies, was underwritten in the rural sector. From the opinion that it was an instrument intended to provide monetary support at the time of the death of an individual, life insurance life insurance grew up to be a major financial instrument during the past 50 years in our country. There has also been a change in the consumer outlook with regards to life insurance as very beneficiary financial tool as against the orthodox thinking of unfruitful use of money. Increasing number of people has been opting for it. The number of policies issued by the LIC of India since 1995-96 is a clear indication of the popularity gained by life insurance. Competitors on life insurance Year. No. of policies (total) No. of policies (rural) 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2002-2003 1.10 core 1.23 crore 1.33 crore 1.48 crore 1.70 crore 2.42 crore 52.57 lacs. 60.33 lacs. 68.40 lacs. 81.23 lacs. 97.04 lacs. 45.23 lacs. Form the above table it is eminent that the importance of life insurance has grown gradually over a period of time not only in metro areas but also in rural areas. As there has been a dramatic increase in the importance of life insurance, the number of policies issued per annum has also increased, thus leading to a great change in the total premium amount collected. The total amount mobilized by LIC during the past few yearsstands witness to the growing importance of insurance. (Rs. In Cores) Total amount mobilized 1998-99 2002-03 Total premium income from investments Rs.22,805.80 Rs. 13,183.92 Rs.54602.37 Rs.25030.50 Market share of private player Characteristics of Insurance sector as oligopoly are as follows: 1. Presence of few sellers: After liberalization the no. of sellers increased from 1 to 13 as on date, like LIC, ICICI Prudential, HDFC Standard, Birla Sun life, Om Kodak, SBI Life, ING Visa, and MAX New York Life etc. 2. Regulator: IRDA (Insurance Regulatory Development Authority) regulates the Insurance industry. License to the new comer is granted by it only. All products, premiums, Tariffs require its approval. 3. Price Giver: Price of the policy i.e. premium is calculated by the actuaries of the respective companies depending upon the nature of risks covered, coverage of the policy and many other probability calculations. But premium as well as the product needs to be approved by IRDA. 4. Entry or Exit Barrier: There is no free entry into this sector as already outlined New entrants has to satisfy certain condition before entering into this industry. Exit is even tougher since all the contracts are long term so there are very strict regulations for exit from the industry by IRDA. 5. Product Differentiation: There are no homogenous products. There are wide varieties of products available in the market. Each seller can introduce Any new policy depending on the efficiency of its product development team within the broad guidelines of IRDA. 6. Advertisement: Sellers spend huge amount of their yearly budget on advertisement to educate the consumers about their products and their company. IRDA ensures that advertisement does not mislead people. The IRDA has made it mandatory that every advertisement carries the line; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Insurance is matter of solicitationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- so that people know that they are reading an advertisement. 7. Investment Policy: Investment of life fund up to 75% in government securities is mandatory as per IRDA. 89% of the total surplus to be distributed to policyholder as bonus every year. 8. Market Share: Still the private sector companies are in nascent stage and major chunk of market pie is still owned by public sector giant (LIC). But private players are also competing very bravely. The influence of private players has created the following benefits: Benefits to customers: Reduction in the price of product under competitive market. More innovative products to be available in a competitive market. Improved management of investment portfolio. Improved quality of service due to use of IT and multi distribution channels. Benefits to Industry: New Insurers to earn high profit in the initial stages due to large size of Indian insurance market. Insurance intermediaries will include agents, Brokers, Independent Financial Consultants etc. The commission paid may exceed Rs.46000 Cores in a period of 10 yrs. annually. Advertising campaigns may reap benefits as an additional advt. market for Rs.10000 Cores will be opened in 10 yrs. directly related to the insurance sector. Computer industries will benefit. Placement services, management institutes training institutes will also be benefited as the insurance sector after opening up will require many people thus increasing the employment opportunities. PEST Analysis for Insurance services Political/ Legal Influences which have an impact on financial services and consumer confidence include the following:  · The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA): Reforms in the Insurance sector were initiated with the passage of the IRDA Bill in Parliament in December 1999. The IRDA since its incorporation as a statutory body in April 2000 has fastidiously stuck to its schedule of framing regulations and registering the private sector insurance companies. The other decision taken simultaneously to provide the supporting systems to the insurance sector and in particular the life insurance companies was the launch of the IRDAs online service for issue and renewal of licenses to agents. The approval of institutions for imparting training to agents has also ensured that the insurance companies would have a trained workforce of insurance agents in place to sell their products, which are expected to be introduced by early next year. The IRDA since its incorporation as a statutory body has been framing regulations and registering the private sector insurance companies. IRDA being an independent statutory body has put a framework of globally compatib le regulations. Privatization of Insurance sector: The introduction of private players in the industry has added to the colours in the dull industry. The initiatives taken by the private players are very competitive and have given immense competition to the one time monopoly of the market LIC. Since the advent of the private players in the market the industry has seen new and innovative steps taken by the players in this sector. The new players have improved the service quality of the insurance. As a result LIC down the years have seen the declining phase in its career. The market share was distributed among the private players. Though LIC still holds the 80% of the insurance sector but the upcoming natures of these private players are enough to give more competition to LIC in the near future.  · FDI in insurance sector: Then, the issue came of amount of FDI to be allowed by a foreign player in the insurance sector. The government had allowed the private players to have foreign equity up to just 26 %. Efforts are going on to raise this to 49 %. After the opening up of the sector, a total of 18 private sector companies have entered the life insurance business and all of them have entered with a foreign partner. Economic factors are key variables which have an impact on the activity in the financial services sector. The level of consumer activity is governed by income levels and personal wealth. As income levels grow, more discretionary income is available to spend on financial services. Consumer confidence in the economy and in job security also has a major impact; if lean times are foreseen ahead, savings will take priority over loans and other forms of expenditure. Consumers may also seek easy access savings and be willing to tie up their money for longer periods with potentially more attractive investments.  · Indian economy growth projections: By 2025 the Indian economy is projected to be about 60 per cent the size of the US economy. The transformation into a tri-polar economy will be complete by 2035, with the Indian economy only a little smaller than the US economy but larger than that of Western Europe. By 2035, India is likely to be a larger growth driver than the six largest countries in the EU, though its impact will be a little over half that of the US. India, which is now the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, will overtake Japan and become third major economic power within 10 years. All these facts or forecasts only drive at one point. India is

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus Essay examples -- essays researc

The following is a book report about: The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus, and was written by, (Cottrell, et al., 2003). This is an eighty-page leadership skill-building book, published by the Performance Systems Corporation in 2003. There are eight main points (Santa Secrets) discussed by the authors in this book and I agree with them all. However, I will attempt to reveal why I agree that to â€Å"Build A Wonderful Workshop† is important, discuss one secret (â€Å"Listen To The Elves†) I see being practiced in my unit, and express how I will spearhead effecting to â€Å"Share The Milk And Cookies†. I agree with the authors’ idea of â€Å"Building a wonderful workshop†. This chapter speaks on making our mission our main idea while remembering our core values to help us stay focused on our teammates and purpose. Our mission, values, and team are the foundation, cornerstone, and core of what we do, how well we do it, why we do it, and how we see each other in our given roles. If we as a team earnestly keep this statement and all it incorporates as our focus, then I believe the other eight â€Å"secrets† cannot be far off. One of the â€Å"secrets† I see being practiced in my unit is: â€Å"Listen to the Elves†. In this chapter the author discusses the importance of inviting participation from the team. The author also encourages the reader to notice how others perceive them and to spend some time walking in their teammates shoes. I believe this motto involves the entire team, is a constant work in progress...

Friday, July 19, 2019

Oedipus and Hamlet as Father Figures :: William Shakespeare Sophocles

Oedipus and Hamlet as Father Figures Oedipus and Hamlet are two very well known characters in literature. They both stand out in a reader's mind through their actions, conflicts, strengths, and weaknesses. A reader becomes involved more in the action through these two characters. They allow us, the reader, to gain a greater sense of the stories plot. In many ways these characters hold similar traits to one another but the one that stands out most in my mind is their relationships with their fathers. Their father's prior conflicts and decisions influenced these characters to the point of their own demise. In Hamlet Prince of Denmark young Hamlet is left facing the outcomes of the conflict his father had with his brother. Old Hamlet is dead, killed by his own brother for the thrown of Denmark. Young Hamlet is in deep morning over the loss of his father and now he has to handle the remarriage of his mother to his own uncle, the man who in cold blood killed his father. Hamlet, with the death of his father, is acting strangely but his whole outlook changes for the worst when his father's ghost visits him. He finds out the true causes of his death and he is influenced by his father to seek revenge. Hamlet's father tells his son to kill his uncle, Claudius because he is the cause of his death. Hamlet loved his father deeply and would do anything for him. He becomes enraged with anger and hate for Claudius and begins to plot his revenge, Claudius' own death. Throughout the play his father's ghost visits Hamlet. Even after his death he has a great control over his son and his action s. These visits are a constant reminder to Hamlet of the truth. Knowing the truth of his father's death has driven Hamlet to the brink of insanity. The only thing he can think of is revenge. His father's death and prior conflict with his brother has left Hamlet in a position of honoring his father and doing right by him, and the only thing he sees fit to do is rid himself of the man that brought about the anger Hamlet is feeling. In the end Hamlet finally gets the revenge he sought with the death of Claudius.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Physics of the Sweet Spot on a Baseball Bat :: physics sport sports baseball

The focus of my research is isolating and locating the "sweet spot" on a baseball bat. I chose to avoid presenting raw data, but to examine the science that causes this reaction. Participants of this sport probably have first hand or an intuitive knowledge of this saying. Locating the "sweet spot" can be done at home. A simple experiment of your on can be done using either a wood or aluminum bat. The only apparatus required is a hammer. Gripping the bat by the handle suspend perpendicular from the floor. Using a hammer, tap in various places on the barrel of the bat. As you approach the center of the barrel, vibration from the force will diminish. Vibrational modes will be detected from the hand gripping the bat. Every baseball bat has a â€Å"sweet spot.† When a baseball hits a bat in the wrong place your hands â€Å"sting,† it means the force of the collision has excited waves or vibrations called modes. When the ball is hit at the node it will not sting your hands. A mode generates two nodes or a position of zero displacement. A baseball bat consists of two major nodes; this region is proverbially known as the â€Å"sweet zone.† Higher frequency modes affect the ball speed, but can hardly be felt by the batter. Baseball bat vary in lengths, but generally the â€Å"sweet spot† is approximately 17 cm from the end of the barrel of a major league baseball bat. A collision near the node reduces the vibrations felt by the hand. The existence of the â€Å"sweet spot† is mainly because the vibrations do not agitate at that particular node. Impact on the first node will not excite the first mode, but will affect the second mode. Thus is true for the second node’s relationship with the first mode. Close to where the point of percussion occurs is the â€Å"sweet spot.† According to a study done by H. Brody at the Physics Department of the University of Pennsylvania, â€Å"A bat of mass M and with initial velocity zero can be treated as a free-body that is hit by a ball whose momentum changes due to the interaction.† At the time of percussion the bat will oscillate which indicates a transferal of kinetic energy into vibrational energy and some kinetic energy is lost. When all this occurs it is an extremely aggressive action. The bat has a massive force on the ball changing the direction and speed. EQUATIONS Newtons Second Law of Motion "An unbalanced force causes an object to move in the direction of the force.

Beyond Tests: Alternatives in Assessment

AWANG INDRA S. / 107835010 BEYOND TESTS: ALTERNATIVES IN ASSESSMENT This chapter tries to discuss alternative in assessment and the problems found in alternative in assessments. Performance Based Assessment Performance based assessment implies productive, observable skills, such as speaking and writing of content valid tasks.According to O’malley and Valdez Pierce (1996), the characteristics of performance assessment are 1) students make a constructed response, 2) They engage in higher order thinking, with open-ended tasks, 3) tasks are meaningful, engaging and authentic, 4) tasks call for the integration of language skills, 5) both process and product are assessed, 6) depth of a student’s mastery is emphasized over breadth. Portfolios One of the most popular alternatives in assessment, especially within a framework of communicative language teaching, is portfolio development.Portfolios include materials such as: a. Essays and compositions in draft and final forms, b. Reports, project outlines, c. Poetry and creative prose, d. Artwork, photos, newspaper or magazine clippings, e. Audio and/or video recordings of presentations, demonstrations, etc, f. Journals, diaries, and other personal reflection, g. Test, test scores, and written homework exercises, h. Notes on lecturer, i. Self-and peer- assessments-comments, and checklists. Journals A journal is a log or account of one’s thoughts, feelings, reactions, assessment, ideas, or progress toward goals, usually written with little attention to structure, form, or correctness.Categories or purposes in journal writing, such as the following: a. Language learning logs, b. Grammar journals, c. Responses to readings, d. Strategies based learning logs, e. Self-assessment reflections, f. Diaries of attitudes, feelings, and other affective factors, g. Acculturation logs. Conferences Conferences are not limited to drafts of written work including portfolios and journals. Conferences must assume that the teacher plays the role of a facilitator and guide, not of an admini strator, of a formal assessment. Conferences are by nature formative, not summative and their primary purpose is to offer positive washback.Interviews This term is intended to denote a context in which a teacher interviews a student for a designated assessment purpose. Interview may have one or more of several possible goals in which the teacher:1. Assesses the student’s oral production, 2. Ascertains a students need before designing a course of curriculum, 3. Seeks to discover a students’ learning style and preferences, 4. Asks a student to assess his or her own performance, 5. Requests an evaluation of a course.ObservationsAll teachers, whether they are aware of it or not, observe their students in the classroom almost constantly. One of the objectives of such observation is to assess students without their awareness (and possible consequent anxiety) of the observation so that the naturalness of their linguistic performance can be maximized. 7. Self – and Peer Assessments Most successful learners extend the learning process well beyond the classroom and the presence of a teacher or tutor, autonomously mastering the art of self-assessment. Where peers are available to render assessment, the advantage of such additional input is obvious. According to Brown (2004), there are five categories of self and peer assessment:1.Assessment of performance, in this category, a student typically monitors him or herself in either oral or written production and renders some kind of evaluation of performance.2. Indirect assessment of competence, indirect assessment targets larger slices of time with a view to rendering an evaluation of general ability as opposed to one to one specific, relatively time constrained performance.3. Metacognitive assessment for setting goals, some kind evaluation are more strategic in nature, with the purpose not just of viewing past performance or competence but of setting goals and maintaining an eye on the process of their pursuit.4. Socioaffective assessment, yet another type of self and peer assessment comes in the form of methods of examining affective factors in learning. Such assessment is quite different from looking at and planning linguistic aspects of acquisition.5. Student generated tests, a final type of assessment that is not usually classified strictly as self or peer assessment is the technique of engaging students in the process of constructing tests themselves. Guidelines for self-and peer assessmentSelf-and peer assessment are among the best possible formative types of assessment and possibly the most rewarding, but they must be carefully designed and administered for them to reach their potential. Four guidelines will help teachers bring this intrinsically motivating task into the classroom successfully.Tell students the purpose of assessmentDefine the task clearlyEncourage impartial evaluation of performance or abilityEnsure beneficial washback through follow up tasks