Characterization of Women in The Yellow Wallpaper and...

Characterization of Women in The Yellow Wallpaper and Desirees Baby There was a time (not so long ago) when a mans superiority and authority wasnt a question, but an accepted truth. In the two short stories, Desirees Baby, and The Yellow Wallpaper, women are portrayed as weak creatures of vanity with shallow or absent personalities, who are dependent on men for their livelihood, and even their sanity. Without men, these women were absolutely helpless and useless. Their very existence hinged on absolute and unquestioning submission†¦alone, a woman is nothing. The setting of both stories reinforces the notion of womens dependence on men. The late 1800s were a turbulent time for womens roles. The turn of the century†¦show more content†¦Johns wife describes their summer retreat as a Colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house†¦The windows are barred (158-161). Both dwellings are clearly symbolic of the dark, stifling circumstances surrounding a woman of the times. In fact, the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper eventually perceives the very room she is in as a prison. When speaking of the paper she says, By moonlight it becomes bars (164) it is clear that she feels trapped. Characterization also plays a major role in conveying the sexist and generally inferior manner in which women were treated and perceived. The men are condescending and unemotional. At first, Aubingy is described as passionately loving his Desiree†¦That was how the Aubingys fell in love, as if struck by a pistol shot (141). However, upon finding that his baby is not the Aryan bundle of joy hed thought it to be, the racially charged remark that Aubigny makes to his distraught wife is I want you to go (143). How can a love so powerful, which would have caused him to forget the importance of a name, have deserted him so readily? Almost as quickly as it came, the love-light went out of his eyes, and was replaced with unparalleled intolerance.

Essay on Halfway Houses - 1039 Words

If I were to tell you that a group of federal inmates guilty of a variety of crimes that included, embezzlement, drug manufacturing, child pornography, and murder were in your community, the average person would want to know where those criminals were located and shut that location down. In many cities across the United States, there are facilities that house these convicted inmates. The facilities are called halfway houses, and they were created to help an inmate that is released from prison transition into a community under supervision. The halfway house program can be a beneficial step in the process of an inmate’s release, and can reap lasting rewards for the inmates, the correctional system, and the communities they reside in.†¦show more content†¦Another problem that the prison system face is that after an inmate is released from prison, they have a very high probability to repeat the offenses that they went to prison for originally. Halfway houses have been a p roven way to increase the chance of success for inmates once they have finished their sentence, and this keeps them from further burdening an already straining system. The Bureau of Prisons spends a large amount of money housing, feeding, and attempting to rehabilitate convicts. Given the current laws in place, it is hard to offset the costs required to run those prisons. Residents participating in halfway house programs are extremely low cost when compared to those inmates residing in the prison system. The differences in costs can be associated the lower amount of compensation for staff, smaller facilities, and cheaper utilities. The residents of halfway houses are required to give 25 percent of the gross income they earn to the Bureau of Prisons. Given the large difference in cost factors, halfway houses are a very economical way for the Bureau of Prisons to save money on the last six months of an inmate’s sentence. The probation office has also reaped the rewards of half way houses. Inmates that are released from prison, they will usually be required to have supervision by a probation officer. In the past when a felon violated a condition of their probation, there were very few ways to punish that person, and those punishments usuallyShow MoreRelatedThe Halfway Truth On The Half Way House Essay1434 Words   |  6 PagesThe Halfway Truth on The Half-Way House The Boca House in South Florida portrayed as the recovery resort but was nothing more than an overpriced, rundown apartment complex with absolutely no support. My expectations were set very high after doing my research on line and viewing their web page. It displayed this establishment in the heart of the resort and celebrity filled town of Boca Raton on the sunny gold coast of South Florida. 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The Host Chapter 39 Worried Free Essays

string(28) " were always surprising me\." Perfect, I grumbled to myself. Just perfect. Ian was coming to join me for lunch, a big smile glued into place on his face. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 39: Worried or any similar topic only for you Order Now Trying to cheer me up†¦ again. I think you’re overdoing the sarcasm lately, Melanie told me. I’ll keep that in mind. I hadn’t heard from her much in the past week. Neither of us was good company right now. It was better if we avoided social interaction, even with each other. â€Å"Hey, Wanda,† Ian greeted me, hopping up onto the counter beside me. He had a bowl of tomato soup in one hand, still steaming. Mine was beside me, cooled and half full. I was toying with a piece of roll, ripping it into tiny pieces. I didn’t answer him. â€Å"Oh, come on.† He put his hand on my knee. Mel’s angry reaction was lethargic. She was too used to this kind of thing to really work up a good fit anymore. â€Å"They’ll be back today. Before sunset, without a doubt.† â€Å"You said that three days ago, and two days ago, and again yesterday,† I reminded him. â€Å"I have a good feeling about today. Don’t sulk-it’s so human,† he teased. â€Å"I’m not sulking.† I wasn’t. I was so worried I could barely think straight. It didn’t leave me energy to do anything else. â€Å"This isn’t the first raid Jamie’s gone on.† â€Å"That makes me feel so much better.† Again with the sarcasm. Melanie was right-I really was overusing it. â€Å"He’s got Jared and Geoffrey and Trudy with him. And Kyle’s here.† Ian laughed. â€Å"So there’s no way they’ll get into any trouble.† â€Å"I don’t want to talk about it.† â€Å"Okay.† He turned his attention to his food and let me stew. Ian was nice that way-always trying to give me what I wanted, even when what I wanted was unclear to either of us. His insistent attempts to distract me from the present anxiety excepted, of course. I knew I didn’t want that. I wanted to worry; it was the only thing I could do. It had been a month since I’d moved back into Jamie and Jared’s room. For three weeks of that time, the four of us had lived together. Jared slept on a mattress wedged above the head of the bed where Jamie and I slept. I’d gotten used to it-the sleeping part, at least; I was having a hard time sleeping now in the empty room. I missed the sound of two other bodies breathing. I hadn’t gotten used to waking up every morning with Jared there. It still took me a second too long to return his morning greeting. He was not at ease, either, but he was always polite. We were both very polite. It was almost scripted at this point. â€Å"Good morning, Wanda, how did you sleep?† â€Å"Fine, thank you, and you?† â€Å"Fine, thanks. And†¦ Mel?† â€Å"She’s good, too, thanks.† Jamie’s constant state of euphoria and his happy chattering kept things from becoming too strained. He talked about-and to-Melanie often, until her name was no longer the source of stress it had once been when Jared was present. Every day, it got a little bit more comfortable, the pattern of my life here a little bit more pleasant. We were†¦ sort of happy. Both Melanie and I. And then, a week ago, Jared had left for another short raid-mostly to replace broken tools-and taken Jamie with him. â€Å"You tired?† Ian asked. I realized I was rubbing at my eyes. â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Still not sleeping well?† â€Å"It’s too quiet.† â€Å"I could sleep with you-Oh, calm down, Melanie. You know what I meant.† Ian always noticed when Melanie’s antagonism made me cringe. â€Å"I thought they were going to be back today,† I challenged. â€Å"You’re right. I guess there’s no need for rearranging.† I sighed. â€Å"Maybe you should take the afternoon off.† â€Å"Don’t be silly,† I told him. â€Å"I’ve got plenty of energy for work.† He grinned as though I’d said something that pleased him. Something he’d been hoping I would say. â€Å"Good. I could use some help with a project.† â€Å"What’s the project?† â€Å"I’ll show you-you finished there?† I nodded. He took my hand as he led me out of the kitchen. Again, this was so common that Melanie barely protested. â€Å"Why are we going this way?† The eastern field did not need attention. We’d been part of the group that had irrigated it this morning. Ian didn’t answer. He was still grinning. He led me down the eastern tunnel, past the field and into the corridor that led to only one place. As soon as we were in the tunnel, I could hear voices echoing and a sporadic thud, thud that it took me a moment to place. The stale, bitter sulfur odor helped link the sound to the memory. â€Å"Ian, I’m not in the mood.† â€Å"You said you had plenty of energy.† â€Å"To work. Not to play soccer.† â€Å"But Lily and Wes will be really disappointed. I promised them a game of two-on-two. They worked so hard this morning to free up the afternoon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don’t try to make me feel guilty,† I said as we rounded the last curve. I could see the blue light of several lamps, shadows flitting in front of them. â€Å"Isn’t it working?† he teased. â€Å"C’mon, Wanda. It will be good for you.† He pulled me into the low-ceilinged game room, where Lily and Wes were passing the ball back and forth across the length of the field. â€Å"Hey, Wanda. Hey, Ian,† Lily called to us. â€Å"This one’s mine, O’Shea,† Wes warned him. â€Å"You’re not going to let me lose to Wes, are you?† Ian murmured. â€Å"You could beat them alone.† â€Å"It would still be a forfeit. I’d never live it down.† I sighed. â€Å"Fine. Fine. Be that way.† Ian hugged me with what Melanie thought was unnecessary enthusiasm. â€Å"You’re my very favorite person in the known universe.† â€Å"Thanks,† I muttered dryly. â€Å"Ready to be humiliated, Wanda?† Wes taunted. â€Å"You may have taken the planet, but you’re losing this game.† Ian laughed, but I didn’t respond. The joke made me uneasy. How could Wes make a joke about that? Humans were always surprising me. You read "The Host Chapter 39: Worried" in category "Essay examples" Melanie included. She’d been in just as miserable a mood as I was, but now she was suddenly excited. We didn’t get to play last time, she explained. I could feel her yearning to run-to run for pleasure rather than in fear. Running was something she used to love. Doing nothing won’t get them home any faster. A distraction might be nice. She was already thinking strategy, sizing up our opponents. â€Å"Do you know the rules?† Lily asked me. I nodded. â€Å"I remember them.† Absently, I bent my leg at the knee and grabbed my ankle behind me, pulling it to stretch out the muscles. It was a familiar position to my body. I stretched the other leg and was pleased that it felt whole. The bruise on the back of my thigh was faded yellow, almost gone. My side felt fine, which made me think that my rib had never really been broken. I’d seen my face while I was cleaning mirrors two weeks ago. The scar forming on my cheek was dark red and as big as the palm of my hand, with a dozen jagged points around the edges. It bothered Melanie more than it did me. â€Å"I’ll take the goal,† Ian told me, while Lily fell back and Wes paced beside the ball. A mismatch. Melanie liked this. Competition appealed to her. From the moment the game started-Wes kicking the ball back to Lily and then sprinting ahead to get around me for her pass-there was very little time to think. Only to react and to feel. See Lily shift her body, measure the direction this would send the ball. Cut Wes off-ah, but he was surprised by how fast I was-launch the ball to Ian and move up the field. Lily was playing too far forward. I raced her to the lantern goalpost and won. Ian aimed the pass perfectly, and I scored the first goal. It felt good: the stretch and pull of muscle, the sweat of exertion rather than plain heat, the teamwork with Ian. We were well matched. I was quick, and his aim was deadly. Wes’s goading dried up before Ian scored the third goal. Lily called the game when we hit twenty-one. She was breathing hard. Not me; I felt good, muscles warm and limber. Wes wanted another round, but Lily was done. â€Å"Face it, they’re better.† â€Å"We got hustled.† â€Å"No one ever said she couldn’t play.† â€Å"No one ever said she was a pro, either.† I liked that-it made me smile. â€Å"Don’t be a sore loser,† Lily said, reaching out to tickle Wes’s stomach playfully. He caught her fingers and pulled her closer to him. She laughed, tugging away, but Wes reeled her in and planted a solid kiss on her laughing mouth. Ian and I exchanged a quick, startled glance. â€Å"For you, I will lose with grace,† Wes told her, and then set her free. Lily’s smooth caramel skin had taken on a bit of pink on her cheeks and neck. She peeked at Ian and me to see our reaction. â€Å"And now,† Wes continued, â€Å"I’m off to get reinforcements. We’ll see how your little ringer does against Kyle, Ian.† He lobbed the ball into the far dark corner of the cave, where I heard it splash into the spring. Ian trotted off to retrieve it, while I continued to look at Lily curiously. She laughed at my expression, sounding self-conscious, which was unusual for her. â€Å"I know, I know.† â€Å"How long has†¦ that been going on?† I wondered. She grimaced. â€Å"Not my business. Sorry.† â€Å"It’s okay. It’s not a secret-how could anything be a secret here, anyway? It’s just really†¦ new to me. It’s sort of your fault,† she added, smiling to show that she was teasing me. I felt a little guilty anyway. And confused. â€Å"What did I do?† â€Å"Nothing,† she assured me. â€Å"It was Wes’s†¦ reaction to you that surprised me. I didn’t know he had so much depth to him. I was never really aware of him before that. Oh, well. He’s too young for me, but what does that matter here?† She laughed again. â€Å"It’s strange how life and love go on. I didn’t expect that.† â€Å"Yeah. Kind of funny how that happens,† Ian agreed. I hadn’t heard him return. He slung his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"It’s nice, though. You do know Wes has been infatuated with you since he first got here, right?† â€Å"So he says. I hadn’t noticed.† Ian laughed. â€Å"Then you’re the only one. So, Wanda, how about some one-on-one while we’re waiting?† I could feel Melanie’s wordless enthusiasm. â€Å"Okay.† He let me have the ball first, holding back, hugging the goal area. My first shot cut between him and the post, scoring. I rushed him when he kicked off, and got the ball back. I scored again. He’s letting us win, Mel grumbled. â€Å"Come on, Ian. Play.† â€Å"I am.† Tell him he’s playing like a girl. â€Å"Playing like a girl.† He laughed, and I slipped the ball away from him again. The taunt wasn’t enough. I had an inspiration then, and I shot the ball through his goal, guessing it would probably be the last time I got to do it. Mel objected. I don’t like this idea. I’ll bet it works, though. I put the ball back at center field. â€Å"You win, and you can sleep in my room while they’re gone.† I needed a good night’s rest. â€Å"First to ten.† With a grunt, he launched the ball past me so hard that it rebounded off the distant, invisible wall behind my goal and came back to us. I looked at Lily. â€Å"Was that wide?† â€Å"No, it looked dead center to me.† â€Å"One-three,† Ian announced. It took him fifteen minutes to win, but at least I got to really work. I even squeezed in one more goal, of which I was proud. I was gasping for air when he stole the ball from me and sailed it through my goalposts for the last time. He wasn’t winded. â€Å"Ten-four, I win.† â€Å"Good game,† I huffed. â€Å"Tired?† he asked, the innocence in his tone a bit overdone. Being funny. He stretched. â€Å"I think I’m ready for bed myself.† He leered in a melodramatic way. I winced. â€Å"Aw, Mel, you know I’m joking. Be nice.† Lily eyed us, mystified. â€Å"Jared’s Melanie objects to me,† Ian told her, winking. Her eyebrows rose. â€Å"That’s†¦ interesting.† â€Å"I wonder what’s taking Wes so long?† Ian muttered, not taking much notice of her reaction. â€Å"Should we go find out? I could use some water.† â€Å"Me, too,† I agreed. â€Å"Bring some back.† Lily didn’t move from where she was half sprawled on the floor. As we entered the narrow tunnel, Ian threw one arm lightly around my waist. â€Å"You know,† he said, â€Å"it’s really unfair for Melanie to make you suffer when she’s angry at me.† â€Å"Since when are humans fair?† â€Å"Good point.† â€Å"Besides, she’d be glad to make you suffer, if I’d let her.† He laughed. â€Å"That’s nice about Wes and Lily, don’t you think?† he said. â€Å"Yes. They both seem very happy. I like that.† â€Å"I like it, too. Wes finally got the girl. Gives me hope.† He winked at me. â€Å"Do you think Melanie would make you very uncomfortable if I were to kiss you right now?† I stiffened for a second, then took a deep breath. â€Å"Probably.† Oh, yes. â€Å"Definitely.† Ian sighed. We heard Wes shouting at the same time. His voice came from the end of the tunnel, getting closer with each word. â€Å"They’re back! Wanda, they’re back!† It took me less than a second to process, and then I was sprinting. Behind me, Ian mumbled something about wasted effort. I nearly knocked Wes down. â€Å"Where?† I gasped. â€Å"In the plaza.† And I was off again. I flew into the big garden room with my eyes already searching. It wasn’t hard to find them. Jamie was standing at the front of a group of people near the entrance to the southern tunnel. â€Å"Hey, Wanda!† he yelled, waving. Trudy held his arm as I ran around the edges of the field, as if she were holding him back from running to meet me. I grabbed his shoulders with both hands and pulled him to me. â€Å"Oh, Jamie!† â€Å"Did ya miss me?† â€Å"Just a tiny bit. Where is everyone? Is everyone home? Is everyone okay?† Besides Jamie, Trudy was the only person here who was back from the raid. Everyone else in the little crowd-Lucina, Ruth Ann, Kyle, Travis, Violetta, Reid-was welcoming them home. â€Å"Everyone’s back and well,† Trudy assured me. My eyes swept the big cave. â€Å"Where are they?† â€Å"Uh†¦ getting cleaned up, unloading†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wanted to offer my help-anything that would get me to where Jared was so I could see with my own eyes that he was safe-but I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to see where the goods were coming in. â€Å"You look like you need a bath,† I told Jamie, rumpling his dirty, knotted hair without letting go of him. â€Å"He’s supposed to go lie down,† Trudy said. â€Å"Trudy,† Jamie muttered, giving her a dark look. Trudy glanced at me quickly, then looked away. â€Å"Lie down†¦?† I stared at Jamie, pulling back to get a good look at him. He didn’t seem tired-his eyes were bright, and his cheeks flushed under his tan. My eyes raked over him once and then froze on his right leg. There was a ragged hole in his jeans a few inches above his knee. The fabric around the hole was a dark reddish brown, and the ominous color spread in a long stain all the way to the cuff. Blood, Melanie realized with horror. â€Å"Jamie! What happened?† â€Å"Thanks, Trudy.† â€Å"She was going to notice soon enough. C’mon, we’ll talk while you limp.† Trudy put her arm under his and helped him hop forward one slow step at a time, keeping his weight on his left leg. â€Å"Jamie, tell me what happened!† I put my arm around him from the other side, trying to carry as much of his weight as I could. â€Å"It’s really stupid. And totally my fault. And it could have happened here.† â€Å"Tell me.† He sighed. â€Å"I tripped with a knife in my hand.† I shuddered. â€Å"Shouldn’t we be taking you the other way? You need to see Doc.† â€Å"That’s where I’m coming from. That’s where we went first.† â€Å"What did Doc say?† â€Å"It’s fine. He cleaned it and bandaged it and said to go lie down.† â€Å"And have you walk all this way? Why didn’t you stay in the hospital?† Jamie made a face and glanced up at Trudy, like he was looking for an answer. â€Å"Jamie will be more comfortable on his bed,† she suggested. â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed quickly. â€Å"Who wants to lie around on one of those awful cots?† I looked at them and then behind me. The crowd was gone. I could hear their voices echoing back down the southern corridor. What was that about? Mel wondered warily. It occurred to me that Trudy wasn’t a much better liar than I was. When she’d said the others from the raid were unloading and cleaning up, there was a false note to her voice. I thought I remembered her eyes flickering to the right, back toward that tunnel. â€Å"Hey, kid! Hey, Trudy!† Ian had caught up to us. â€Å"Hi, Ian,† they greeted him at the same time. â€Å"What happened here?† â€Å"Fell on a knife,† Jamie grunted, ducking his head. Ian laughed. â€Å"I don’t think it’s funny,† I told him, my voice tight. Melanie, frantic with worry in my head, imagined slapping him. I ignored her. â€Å"Could happen to anybody,† Ian said, planting a light punch on Jamie’s arm. â€Å"Right,† Jamie muttered. â€Å"Where’s everybody?† I watched Trudy from the corner of my eye as she answered him. â€Å"They, uh, had some unloading to finish up.† This time her eyes moved toward the southern tunnel very deliberately, and Ian’s expression hardened, turned enraged for half a second. Then Trudy glanced back at me and caught me watching. Distract them, Melanie whispered. I looked down at Jamie quickly. â€Å"Are you hungry?† I asked him. â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"When aren’t you hungry?† Ian teased. His face was relaxed again. He was better at deception than Trudy. When we reached our room, Jamie sank gratefully onto the big mattress. â€Å"You sure you’re okay?† I checked. â€Å"It’s nothing. Really. Doc says I’ll be fine in a few days.† I nodded, though I was not convinced. â€Å"I’m going to go clean up,† Trudy murmured as she left. Ian propped himself against the wall, going nowhere. Keep your face down when you lie, Melanie suggested. â€Å"Ian?† I stared intently at Jamie’s bloody leg. â€Å"Do you mind getting us some food? I’m hungry, too.† â€Å"Yeah. Get us something good.† I could feel Ian’s eyes on me, but I didn’t look up. â€Å"Okay,† he agreed. â€Å"I’ll be back in just a second.† He emphasized the short time. I kept my gaze down, as if I were examining the wound, until I heard his footsteps fade. â€Å"You aren’t mad at me?† Jamie asked. â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"I know you didn’t want me to go.† â€Å"You’re safe now; that’s all that matters.† I patted his arm absentmindedly. Then I got to my feet and let my hair, now chin length, fall forward to hide my face. â€Å"I’ll be right back-I forgot something I wanted to tell Ian.† â€Å"What?† he asked, confused by my tone. â€Å"You’ll be okay here by yourself?† â€Å"Course I will,† he retorted, sidetracked. I ducked out around the screen before he could ask anything else. The hall was clear, Ian out of sight. I had to hurry. I knew he was already suspicious. He’d noticed that I’d noticed Trudy’s awkward and artificial explanation. He wouldn’t be gone long. I walked quickly, but didn’t run, as I moved through the big plaza. Purposeful, as if I were on an errand. There were only a few people there-Reid, headed for the passageway that led to the bathing pool; Ruth Ann and Heidi, paused by the eastern corridor, chatting; Lily and Wes, their backs to me, holding hands. No one paid me any attention. I stared ahead as if I were not focused on the southern tunnel, only turning in at the very last second. As soon as I was in the pitch-black of the corridor, I sped up, jogging along the familiar path. Some instinct told me this was the same thing-that this was a repeat of the last time Jared and the others had come home from a raid, and everyone was sad, and Doc had gotten drunk, and no one would answer my questions. It was happening again, whatever I wasn’t supposed to know about. What I didn’t want to know about, according to Ian. I felt prickles on the back of my neck. Maybe I didn’t want to know. Yes, you do. We both do. I’m frightened. Me, too. I ran as quietly as I could down the dark tunnel. How to cite The Host Chapter 39: Worried, Essay examples

Ethnocentrism (1538 words) Essay Example For Students

Ethnocentrism (1538 words) Essay I participated in the 11am service, at White Rock United Methodist Church, on White Rock Rd, in Sykesville Md. I attended the service on March 20, 2011. This church is an African American dominated church, with one or two other represented nationalities. I was conducting a participant observation, which is a research method were you observe people in their natural setting or activities. I went to the church and was an active participant in the service. I was concerned that I would stand out as a visitor at the service and I would feel uncomfortable and a bit lost during the service. I didn?t want to offend anyone with my presence.I was interested to see how I would be treated and if I would be asked back again. I wanted to see how different, if at all, it would be from church services I attend. I was also concerned with what I would wear to the service, I know several African Americans, and they dress very nice for church. The first task at hand was to come up with a suitable wardrob e for my outing. I called a close friend of mine, the evening before, who immediately told me I would have to wear hoes with my dress, ?All women at church wear hoes?. That in itself was a task to find not only hoes, but shoes to wear with them. After several outfit changes my children told me I looked church appropriate. The next morning I got up and dressed and drove to church. I sat in the parking lot for a minute to observe others going into the church, making sure I was not too overdressed. I was very nervous at this point; I do not like going places where I don?t know others. I finally got the nerve to go in. Upon my entry in the doors, my anxiety high, I noticed a small group of people on the stairs. I walked up to them and told them I was interested in attending the service and could they direct me to the chapel. They told me to go and speak to the lady around the corner, I did and she welcomed me very graciously and told me a bit about the service and the church. I was even asked to join their BBQ, which they hold several times in the spring and summer. I took a seat and noticed the church was much smaller than the one I attend; the congregation was elderly as well. I also took note that I was dressed appropriately. People were looking at me and smiling and I felt quite comfortable at this point. As the service began it was very similar to the service I attend. I did however notice there was a bit more singing, and people tend to shout out during the sermon. I am not use to that in my own church service but have been to other services where this has occurred. During the service I was asked to stand and introduce myself and everyone welcomed me. After the service I was asked to come back again and thanked for coming. I did not think I would feel much culture shock, personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life, (Macionis, 2011) during this trip. I socialize with many different ethnicities and am at ease with mingling with other na tionalities. I attend church service on occasion with my family and I use to attend every Sunday as a child. However, the clothing worn at this church as opposed to the service I attend was noticeably different. It was more reminiscent of the church services I attended when I was younger; we use to dress up for church then. I did experience my normal accelerated anxiety about being in a room full of strangers. As I expected, I did not feel very awkward during the service.I could see, however, someone who has not attended a religious service or perhaps doesn?t socialize outside of their own race may experience culture shock. .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .postImageUrl , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:hover , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:visited , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:active { border:0!important; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:active , .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0 .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2ccc3940d5cb755bf58f33eb8bb0d8b0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: East Of Eden Essay During this visit I tried to practice cultural relativism, the practice of judging a culture by its own standards. Rather than from an ethnocentrism, the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one?s own culture, (Macionis, 2011) stand point. The culture was so similar to what I am accustom to this was not hard to do. I would have to say comparing the clothing to my own culture was the only relativism I found myself critiquing. My own previous experience with this culture had me prepared already for what I would encounter, so I was able to be at ease and join in as a participant rather than an outsider. I have a hard time finding a pattern in African American culture that differs much from my own social perspective. The social structure and functions are the same. In the sermon that day, however, they spoke of gender-conflict and feminism. I found this quite interesting, the sermon spoke of how women have been recognized now in this country as almost equals while stil l in other places in the world they are treated less than second class citizens. It went on to quote from the bible how Jesus would teach women as well as men the word of the God. How the Jews only thought the men should have such knowledge. I never knew the Jews were so against women learning, I was glad to have learned something new from the sermon that day.I was very pleased with the sermon and the message it was sending out. I felt it fit well with the sociological perspective we have been learning in class. This experience for me was very pleasant. I am not a practicing Christian today, although I was raised in this belief. For me, this was reminiscent of my experience with church in my youth. The culture was a bit different; being among people of a different skin color in church was new to me. I do, however, spend a great deal of time in situations where my race is the only represented. The service practiced the same values and beliefs as those of churches I attended in the past. The experience, again, reminded me of why I do not attend church service now. Why I choose not to practice any social religion. I believe the social aspect of religion is a positive service, and benefit many; however in my opinion it causes too many social conflicts worldwide. Many cultures tend to use their religious beliefs to do harm to others. I also have a hard time believing the interpretations of the scriptures that have been defined in today?s societies. My experience with ethnicity and race, as well a s religion is vast. I have multicultural children, I have no practicing religion and I have lived in many places around the world. My first and predominating viewpoint and one I have taught my children is that people are all equal, we are of the same species just different skin colors; all different shades of brown. My views come from life experiences; I was not raised this way. In fact, I believe my rebellion against my mother as a teenager had a great impact on my beliefs today. I started dating outside my race as a young adult just to make my family crazy. I had always found different cultures interesting and enjoyed learning about them. As I moved from place to place as an adult, I was surprised to find such acceptance from other nationalities. I was brought up thinking whites were superior and any other cultures were less than us, unless of course they acted ?white?. I really enjoyed the closeness of the family in other cultures, and the value they put on their beliefs. I often talk to my children about the role religion plays in the conflicts in the Middle East today. I feel that the US government is a key player in the mistrust that has been instilled in the American people today regarding Muslims. I am a strong believer in learning about an individual and their beliefs and judging them for who they are and not what they look like or come from or believe in. I have no dislike for any religious belief as I said; I feel it is fine for others. I have a problem when people use it to justify bad actions. I think the American people as a whole are judging without knowledge of the religion they dislike. This is a form of racism and just shows ignorance. Why the US government wants to show the world our ignorance is beyond me. In conclusion, this assignment was a great experience for me. I enjoyed the service and the people were very friendly. I do intend to take my children back to the BBQ?s this year! I know that there is a lot of racism in this county and ho pe this experience has opened some eyes of others. .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .postImageUrl , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:hover , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:visited , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:active { border:0!important; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:active , .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2 .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucde0f53a04290164429629c270c18cd2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Parts of a Sarcomere EssayWork CitedMacionis, John. Society the basics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001.

Tess Of Durbervilles Essays - Novellas, , Term Papers

Tess of Durbervilles Annonymous Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie depicts the coming of age of six adolescent girls in Edinburgh, Scotland during the 1930's. The story brings us into the classroom of Miss Jean Brodie, a fascist school teacher at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, and gives close encounter with the social and political climate in Europe during the era surrounding the second World War. Spark's novel is a narrative relating to us the complexities of politics and of social conformity, as well as of non- conformity. Through looking at the Brodie set and the reciprocities between these students and their teacher, the writer, in this novel, reviews the essence of group dynamics and brings in to focus the adverse effects that the power of authority over the masses can produce. Sparks, in so doing projects her skepticism toward the teacher's ideologies. This skepticism is played out through the persona of Sandy Stranger, who becomes the central character in a class of Marcia Blaine school girls. Sandy's character is even more focally sculpted than the teacher's favored disciples who came to be known as the Brodie Set; a small group of girls favored by Miss Jean Brodie in her Prime. The Brodie Set is a social system and a enigmatic network of social relations that acts to draw the behavior of its members toward the core values of the clique. The teacher Miss Jean Brodie projects upon this impressionable set, her strong fascist opinions. She controls this group on the basis that she is in her prime. Her prime being the point in life when she is at the height of wisdom and insight. Sandy pejoratively uses the personality traits and ideology of Brodie to overthrow her, by unveiling them. Sparks is clearly opposed to the kind of authoritarian power and control that is exercised over the impressionable adolescents by a conniving school teacher. The writer thus uses the pitfalls of social conformity found in classical studies, in order to make specific points. For example, research done by social psychologists Muzafer, Carolyn Sherif and Solomon Asch treated social conformity as an aspect of group dynamics (Coon, 560). This is present in Spark's novel, as seen by the dynamics of the group formed by a teacher named Miss Brodie. Brodie's students, like the subjects of the said psychological studies, conform to a set of beliefs under the pressure and power of suggestion despite what could be better judgement. This is shown in the passage when Sandy expresses the desire to be nice to Mary, but decides not to because she knew that such an action would not be in accordance with the Brodie Set's system of behavior (Spark, 46). The narrator says about Sandy: She was even more frightened then, by her temptation to be nice to Mary Macgregor, since by this action she would separate herself, and be lonely, and blameable in a more dreadful way than Mary who, although officially the faulty one, was at least inside Miss Brodie's category of heroines in the making. Theorists would say that an individual tends to conform to a unanimous group judgment even when that judgment is obviously in error (Coon, 561). The more eager an individual is to become a member of a group, the more that person tends to orient his or her behavior to the norms of the group (Coon, 561). This eagerness is true of Sandy Stranger. Miss Brodie often makes reference to Sandy overdoing things, or trying to hard. If the Brodie Set must hold their heads high, Sandy held her head the highest (Spark, 35). Miss Brodie warned that One day, Sandy, you will go too far. Also, the more ambiguous the situation, the greater the group's influence on the individual (Coon, 562). When the group's judgment reflects personal or aesthetic preference, however, the individual feels little pressure to conform as is the case with Spark's character, Sandy Stranger. Brodie's fascism, born of an authoritarian political movement that developed in Italy and other European countries after 1919 as a reaction against the political and social changes brought about by World War I, is projected in this novel as the unsettling proliferation of socialism and communism in Europe during the 1930's and 1940's. The early Fascist program was a mixture of left and right wing ideas that emphasized intense nationalism, productivism, antisocialism, elitism, and the need for a strong authoritarian leadership (Homans, 451). This was the Brodie ideology. With the postwar economic crisis, a widespread lack of confidence in the traditional political system, and a growing fear of socialism, Fascist ideology

us history Essay

us history Essay us history Essay #1. American life in the 1790’s American Society only white male landowners can participate in politics no rights for women Native Americans can’t participate in politics because they’re not citizens most African-Americans are slaves on Southern plantations Economic Conditions state and national government are in debt from the war Political changes under the new Constitution Congress passes the Judiciary Act of 1789 to create a federal court system Bill of Rights added to the Constitution to guarantee civil liberties Washington uses a Cabinet of advisors to help him govern #2. Alexander Hamilton’s Economic plan state debt assumption: national government will bail out the states by covering their debt protective tariffs to help manufacturers against British competitors whiskey tax national bank (Bank of the U.S.) #3. The Two-party system forms due to disagreements between Jefferson and Hamilton Alexander Hamilton wants the U.S. to become a nation of business and manufacturing Thomas Jefferson wants the U.S. to continue to be a rural society of independent farmers #4. Federalists Democratic Republicans Alexander Hamilton Favor strong central government Loose interpretation of the Constitution to give government more powers Supported by Northern business pro-British in foreign policy Thomas Jefferson Favor states’ rights Strict interpretation of the Constitution to limit government Supported by southern and western farmers pro-French in foreign policy #5. 1794 Whiskey Rebellion- farmers rebel against the Whiskey tax George Washington leads troops to put down the rebellion, proving that the national government will effectively enforce the law and keep order #6. U.S. Foreign Policy during the Federalist Period GOAL: stay out of foreign wars, avoid alliances POLICY: Neutrality ex. Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality (1793) Washington’s Farewell Address to the Nation Major Issues†¦ #7 British forts on American soil threaten U.S. sovereignty Jay Treaty (1794) made with Britain to avoid war #8. †¦farmers in the west need access to the Mississippi River Pickney Treaty (1795) made with Spain gives western farmers the right to use the Mississippi River and deposit their goods at ports in New Orleans #9. †¦conflict with American Indian tribes Indian tribes are pushed out as American settlement expands westward; leaders like Tecumseh try to stop American settlers from taking their lands Treaty of Greenville (1796) opens Ohio to white settlement The Adams Presidency (1797-1801) #10. †¦problems with France XYZ Affair- damages U.S. relations with France and results in an undeclared naval war with France #11. Federalists try to silence Democratic-Republican opposition Alien and Sedition Acts passed to prevent immigrants from becoming citizens and silence protests by Democratic-Republicans against the government #12. States’ Rights v. Federal Power Thomas Jefferson and James Madison write the Virginia & Kentucky Resolves to protest the unconstitutionality of the Alien & Sedition Acts. Virginia & Kentucky Resolves declare that states have the right to nullify the Alien & Sedition Acts because they are unconstitutional nullification: the right of a state to cancel or overturn an unconstitutional act passed by Congress #13. The Election of 1800- Republicans win both houses of Congress and Thomas Jefferson is elected President first election in American history where the party in power (Federalists) is voted out of office #14. Marbury v. Madison (1803) Supreme Court establishes principle of judicial review†¦power to decide what us history essay us history essay Political Social and Economic Changes from 1941 to 1989 The United States went through many internal economic, political and social changes between 1941 and 1989. The changes that occurred during this time had just as significant effects on the United States as any other time in U.S. history. The changes that occurred did so during five time frames which included three actual wars which included World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. One war based on mistrust and ideology known as the Cold War never included any combat operations but, did have a great impact on the U.S. internally. The period of time between 1941 and 1945 had a significant impact on the economic and social ideals in the U.S. especially having just went through the Great Depression. The American economy was kick started by the involvement of the U.S. in World War II. The American industrial complex kicked into high gear to support the war effort but the government did not want to see inflation hurt the war effort so it created the Office of Price Administration to control inflation so people would buy war bonds to finance the war effort. The other way that took a bite out of inflation was the new payroll tax that also helped the government fund the war effort. The economic impact in the Sunbelt area of the U.S. was also being felt with those states wanting more factories and military bases built there so they might share in the growing war economy. The social impact of World War II was also being fueled by the need for labor. Just as in World War I the factories need workers to build the eq uipment needed by the military. Women once again left the home and entered the work force that was dominated by men prior to the war but also just as important was the fact that ethnic minorities were entering the workforce. At the end of the war you saw these minorities staying in the cities the civil rights movement was accelerated and the Supreme Court forced states to allow Native Americans to vote. From 1946 to 1952 was a curious time in America because of the end of World War II. The U.S. economy after the war was in adjustment from a war time production to a consumer based production and there were two laws passed to try and control it. The first law passed by liberals was designed to fine-tune the government tax and spending. The Employment act of 1946 was designed to fight at problem that never would exist with people having savings from war bonds and women leaving the workforce outright. The Taft-Hardy act introduced by conservatives was designed to control the unions that many middle class believed needed to be curbed. In 1946 the republicans gained control of congress helped by the economic policies of the democrats in congress. Socially African Americans were still fighting for full rights as citizens their right to vote and still faced violence in the south. There was a commission formed by the Truman administration to develop an agenda for racial justice. In a victory for all minorities the Supreme Court ruled that you could not refuse to rent or sell real estate to minorities. President Truman also ordered the â€Å"equality of treatment and opportunity† in the military and Jackie Robinson broke color barriers by being the first Black American to play major league baseball. During this time most Americans moved to the political center wanting to enjoy life. The president recognizing the feelings of many Americans moved to lead from the center. The republicans though gained control of congress for the first time since the 1920’s and President Truman won re-election in 1948. The time between 1953 and 1989 the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States was at full speed. The economic, political, and social events that took place during this time had long lasting and important effects with-in the U.S. The Politics of this time were kicked off by President Eisenhower who was beloved and admired by both Republicans and Democrats.

John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums - Essay Example Speaking of the chrysanthemums as a symbolizing womanhood, one notices that symbols in this story are used with keen gender awareness. Elisa sees her husband talking to unknown men, engrossed - in a way, we suspect, that she is not used to being spoken to by her husband. The men are merely â€Å"business suits† who smoke while they talk. Because of the amazing brevity of this story, these men are never commented upon at length, and their â€Å"business suits† become symbolic of a professional life that Elisa has no access to. The business suits from, again symbolically enough, the â€Å"Western Meat Company† becomes a reminder of Elisa’s own trapped and restricted situation. To contrast this, the bearded vagabond and his wagon become symbolic of the unrestricted life on the road that Elisa so envies.Elisa’s situation of silent repression is expressed through these subtle symbols. Certain lines address this concern directly also.

Public Speaking Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Public Speaking - Speech or Presentation Example This only occurs when the speaker has a wide database of information to stand on and speak aloud of and in. Such questions which could be probed into are the following (which are broad lines to what should be asked)worth asking and must be asked to the representative are such as follows(in means and understanding that whether the speakers would be interested in the following questions or not when spoken about to them): The information to convey should be positively building a view of the scope of the company the speaker is speaking about. How far interested are they in the development of the speech into other components of discussion such as administration management of females and males relation in the office and ability to communicate between both genders in the company. The activities that are discussed concerning the look and overlook of the women to a male discussion and what men see and convey from meanings and what women tend to understand and what men in return tend to understand when women speak to them or discuss a topic with them. AreAre the executives willing to probe into such discussions Can the speaker openly discuss the opinions from a social point of view and personal to find a policy that is effective and reaching between two extremes (the manner of behavioral attitudes between men and women at work). Having on mind that men and women have examples of conveying understanding through physical appearances and jestures: how could I tell that the board is accepting what I say and what I do not say(men tend to be up and straight-forward and women could be quiet and chit chat among themselves). What are the issues that the board needs to discuss mainly (social, political, economical..) What trials

Business Plan Project_Interior Design Research Paper

Business Plan Project_Interior Design - Research Paper Example Instead, a house should look as charming as possible. This is achievable by seeking the services of interior designers. Service Canada (2013) report indicates that, last year alone, residential interior designers based in the greater Ontario region generated about $5 million in sales. According to the report, Oakville generated 80% of all the sales generated in the greater Ontario region last year. Economists predict a possibility of the residential interior design market in the greater Ontario region registering at least 10% increase in sale revenue. The increase is attributable to the strengthening of Canada’s economy coupled with the increase in the number of homeowners in the greater Ontario region. Niche Interiors intends to capitalize on this projected increase in demand for the services of interior designers. The firm also positions itself to take advantage of the changes in the interior design market, and expects to become a household brand in Ontario and the country a t large. In addition, the firm also aims to capitalize on every little opportunity to become a profitable entity in the interior design industry in Ontario and its environs. Market Trend The market for interior design is huge and continues to grow. Canada’s interior design market is estimated to worth over $7 billion annually (Service Canada, 2013). At the same time, experts predict the market to grow significantly in the coming years. The growth of the interior design industry is attributable mainly to the increase in commercial, residential and hotel spaces (Winchip, 2012). The growth is also attributable to the increase in baby boomers that needs bigger houses capable of accommodating a large family. This is creating a huge demand for new residential houses in the major cities in the country. In addition, the growth is due to the increase in population in the major cities. In fact, the population of Canada’s major cities is projected to increase significantly in the coming years. This implies that additional residential houses will have to be built to accommodate the rising population. This offers market for interior designers in the country. Research also indicates that the market for interior design is likely to grow due to the increasing demand from the existing residential houses that require beautification. Currently, major towns such as Ontario, Toronto and Hamilton experiences huge demand for interior designers for the existing homes, according to Tangaz (2006). This increase in demand certainly offers a good opportunity for Niche Interiors. Target Market The first segments that Niche Interiors intends to serve are the new home constructions. Oakville is one of the fastest growing towns in Ontario. As such, new residential buildings are increasingly coming up to accommodate the rising population. These residential buildings will ultimately require the services of interior designers to do the finishing by creating beauty and ambience in the house. As such, Niche Interiors has positioned itself to compete with other interior design firms in Ontario for the interior design opportunities linked with new residential home constructions that are coming up in the area. The firm also intends to work as a contracted consulting with architectures in strategic planning, lighting, master planning, and carpet and floor design. Niche Interiors also target to design the interiors of existing resident

Marketing Plan For Cadbury Marketing Essay

Marketing Plan For Cadbury Marketing Essay Cadbury is the icon of the British confectionary industry, with a heritage which dates back to 1824. Since then, Cadbury has expanded its business throughout the world, through both organic and acquisition led growth. Today Cadbury is a leading global confectionery company, operating in over 60 countries. Cadbury has an outstanding portfolio of Chocolate, Gum and Candy brands. In 2008, Cadbury enjoyed a 10.5% market share of the global confectionery market, with revenue of GBP5.4 billion. The company employs about 50,000 people and work with around 35,000 direct and indirect suppliers globally. Cadbury manufactures markets and sells unique brands which give pleasure to millions of people around the world every day. Cadburys Vision is to be the biggest and best confectionary company in the world. One of Cadburys Strategic goals for 2009 to 2011 is to increase market share of the global confectionery market, with revenue growths of 4% to 6% annually. Cadbury believes that the confectionery business still has significant unused potential. By exploiting the strengths of its innovative products/brands, it believes it can continue to grow its market share and returns, and achieve its Vision of becoming the biggest and best confectionery company in the world. Vision The Vision into action (VIA) plan embodies all aspects of our strategy. Our governing objective is to deliver superior shareowner returns by realizing our vision to be the worlds biggest and best confectionery company. Cadburys Philosophy Cadburys philosophy of Vision into Action (VIA), a strategic plan for 2008 to 2011 is an example of how business strategy is translated to a Marketing plan to deliver positive impact to its revenue and margin performance. Cadburys growth ambition is based on the following:- Strengths of its brands and market position Increased investment in Innovation, Marketing Sales Greater exposure to faster growing categories (e.g. gum) and markets (e.g. emerging markets) 1.2 Product, Market Operational Characteristics Cadbury is a leading global confectionery company with an outstanding portfolio of chocolate, gum and candy brands. Cadbury created few famous brands like Cadbury, Trident and Halls. Flakes Green Blacks Halls Hollywood Stimorol Eclairs Cadbury featured brands are: Cadbury featured brand: Bubbaloo Cadbury Crà ¨me Egg Cadbury Dairy Milk Clorets Dentyne Born in 1824 when John Cadbury opened a shop in Birmingham selling cocoa and chocolate. Since then Cadbury have expanded their business throughout the world by a program of organic and acquisition led growth. On 7 May 2008, the separation of the confectionery and Americas Beverages businesses was completed creating Cadbury plc with a vision to be the worlds BIGGEST and BEST confectionery company. Cadbury operates in over 60 countries and worked with around 35,000 direct and indirect suppliers. Cadbury have employ around 50,000 employees all over the world. Cadbury plc  is managed by the Cadbury plc Board of Directors which delegates day-to-day management to the Chief Executives Committee (CEC). Cadbury business is segmented to four main regions and they are:- America Britain, Ireland, Middle East and Africa Europe Asia Pacific Cadburys Values Cadbury team is performance driven, values led. Throughout changing times, our constant values have inspired us to be pioneers in business and in corporate responsibility. They help ensure we are proud of our company and are critical to our core purpose of creating brands people love. Cadburys values are: Performance, Quality, Respect, Integrity and Responsibility to social, economic and the environment Our Business Principles  are our code of conduct and also take account of global and local cultural and legal standards. They confirm our commitment to the highest standards of ethics and business conduct. 02. Task One 2.1 Marketing Planning Principals Analysis of the Market Being in the confectionery business and dealing with consumers, Cadbury has always been a market and consumer focused organization. It consistently conducts market studies to determine the positioning of its brands, in current, new and future markets. This forms the foundation of the Marketing Plan. Setting the Marketing Objectives In order to deliver growth, Cadbury conducts many marketing programs for its brands every year. Each marketing program is accompanied with a Marketing Plan. Each marketing plan has clearly defined objectives for the project team to deliver. Establishing the Strategies Tactics Based on the market analysis and set objectives, each Marketing Plan will contain strategies and tactics which will be necessary in delivering the desired outcome. Developing an Action Plan This is one of Cadburys key philosophies, making things happen. Therefore, every Marketing Plan in Cadbury has specific actions to be implemented by a person responsible, and within set time targets. Monitoring of Progress In Cadbury, every Marketing Plan is monitored monthly by the Senior Management Team of the respective SBU, to track the progress of the plan, as well as to make any necessary improvements or changes. Resource Financial Management Once a marketing program has been approved by the Senior Management Team of Cadbury, the necessary resources will be provided in order to deliver the objectives set in the Marketing Plan. As in the case of providing the necessary resources, Cadbury also provides an appropriate financial budget for the project to deliver the objectives set in the Marketing Plan. Measuring Success Cadbury continuously measures the success of each of its marketing projects, and compares the results achieved vs. the objectives set in the Marketing Plan. 2.2 Marketing Audit / Situational Analysis 2.2.1 Market Environment Conducts a complete external marketing audit which includes both the macro and micro environment of the confectionary industry and how these may have an impact on Cadburys Chocolate, Gum and Candy businesses. From this audit, the company will be able to identify the key issues impacting each business, and how the business can develop an effective plan with tactics and strategies to tackle these issues and ultimately achieve the Marketing Objectives. 2.2.1.2 Macro Environment Macro factors are factors that we totally have no or extremely little control off. It is not just looking at a segment of the industry, but the effects these factors have on the whole industry. An example of an audit tool is the PESTEL analysis, which identifies the opportunities and threats of the external environment, which then helps the Company to develop appropriate plans. Political Being in a confectionary industry, political factors have little impact on Cadburys business as chocolates, gums and candies are well established consumer products, and available everywhere. There are no political factors which restricts consumers from purchasing these products. However, in Singapore, the Government has banned the sale of gum, as it is seen as a nuisance to the environment. Therefore, in the UK, Cadburys businesses have no impact politically. Economic The state of the economy has an impact to most businesses. The credit crunch and slow down of economic growth, as we are currently experiencing, does effect consumer buying power, and hence Cadburys businesses. However, the reduction in interest rates does help consumers, as it creates consumer spending, and hence Cadburys businesses may have minimal impact. Social In terms of social factors, there are many consumer groups which voices their own opinions and sometimes this have a major impact on regulations and legislations. Consumer businesses are highly impacted by social factors. As an example, Cadburys chocolate business may be impacted by health reasons, such as sugar and obesity, which will influence the sugar and ingredient content of its product, and ultimately the formulation and taste. The introduction of sugar free gums and dark chocolates are good examples of how the gum and chocolate industry has evolved over the past 2 decades. Technological The increase use of internet has impacted businesses worldwide. Consumers are more aware of product offerings, have greater access to information and knowledge about products and can make more educated choices of products. The internet has also brought consumers closer to companies such as Cadbury, who now have faster feedback from consumers about their products. All of this has both positive and negative impact to Cadburys businesses. Advancement in manufacturing technology has also influenced the confectionery industry in terms of cost of production, shapes, sizes, packaging etc. All of these do affect Cadburys businesses in many ways. Environmental As the world experiences greater environmental challenges, such as global warming, environmental legislations do impact Cadburys manufacturing, product and packaging. As a responsible company, Cadbury practices a zero discharge to the environment, which increases the companys manufacturing costs. It also uses bio-degradable packaging material, which is a requirement in the EU. Legal The confectionery industry is a highly regulated industry. In each country, as in the UK, it is governed by legislations and monitored by the Food and Drug authorities. Influences from Environmental and Social groups, may introduce changes in legislations, which in turn impacts the confectionery business. As an example, the use of artificial colors, additives deemed to increase hyperactivity in children, has forced Cadbury and other confectionery companies to find alternatives, at higher costs. The increasing manufacturing standards for food products have also impacted Cadburys businesses. Tighter standards means higher costs to manufacturers. Whilst this is good for society, it has a negative impact to Cadburys businesses. 2.2.1.2 Micro Environment Analysis of the micro environment is equally important. These are the issues relating specifically within the organization and it is crucial that we clearly understand this in order to plan and develop the marketing plan. There are 6 factors and we use a simple tool SPICC Supplier The Supplier is important to any business, as they can either support or destroy value. In the case of Cadbury, due to its economy of scale, and long standing partnerships with suppliers, it is able to obtain good support from its suppliers. This provides Cadbury with the necessary competitive advantage it requires. Public In general the consumer and public at large tend to support a well established and responsible company such as Cadbury. However, there will always be minority groups who voice their concerns about products and companies, and these have to be handled with sensitivity. Intermediaries The retailers and stores tend to have less power to negotiate when it is dealing with a company as big and well known as Cadbury. Every store wants to have the Cadbury brands on their shelves and would tend to agree with terms offered by Cadbury due to the pull of consumers this brand brings to their shop. Customers Customers do play a big part on the success of a company or its brands. As there are many choices in the market, the customer determines the value of a brand. 2.2.2 Industry Analysis Porters Five Forces is very useful in this analysis; Treat of Substitutes Bargaining power of Buyer Rivalry Bargaining power of Supplier Threat of new Entrants Each of Porter Five Forces model contributes to the competitive environment in an industry: Threat of new Entrants With the confectionery industry showing good growth potential, new players may enter the market to get a small market share of a very large industry. However, due to high entry barriers, such as establishing a renowned Brand, as well as high manufacturing standards, the threat of new entrants remains low for the confectionery industry. Threat of Substitutes With new entrants in the market, a group of existing or new competitor may introduce new products/brands, for the chocolate sector, claiming the same consumer satisfaction, but at lower costs, e.g. Ice-creams, puddings which claim to be cheaper and healthier. The threat of substitutes is moderately high for the chocolate sector. Bargaining power of Suppliers As a long established player in the confectionery industry, Cadbury has the economics of scale to bargain for low cost raw materials. It works with the best suppliers in the world in order to ensure consistent quality and low cost materials. Therefore, the bargaining power of Cadburys suppliers is relatively low. Bargaining Power of Buyers In todays world consumers have many choices, due to the intense rivalry in the confectionery industry. However, Cadbury has a number of established brands which command a relatively stronger pull, hence the bargaining power of buyers (eg wholesalers and supermarkets, B2B) is low but the bargaining power of the consumer is moderately high. (B2C) Rivalry among Existing firms The confectionery industry is a crowded, with many players. Some are well established players, such as Nestle and Mars, who have equally strong brands as Cadburys. Some have carved out sectors, e.g. in-house brands of Tesco, Marks Spenser and Sainsbury. There are also many small players who have good positions in small sectors of the industry. Hence the rivalry among existing players is moderately high. However, Cadburys well established brands do provide some level of edge in the industry. 2.2.3 SWOT Analysis There are factors within a company which affect the internal environment and these should be addressed. Being a global leader in the chocolate business, the product, Brand and Corporate image, service, value of the product and quality is inseparable. Therefore an audit of the internal environment is also important. The SWOT analysis is a useful method in determining the key issues of a company, and will the company to develop a plan to mitigate threats and focus on opportunities. SWOT analysis of Cadbury Strengths Well established company since 1824 Global brands and innovative products One of the top 4 leading confectionery companies in the world Only focuses on confectionary products. Products available in almost all distribution Channels. Financially strong, with continued revenue And profit growth annually. Weaknesses Too many products and brands Highly dependent on confectionery market High cost base when compared to some Smaller confectionery companies. Relatively small presence in emerging Markets. Opportunities Entry into new markets (e.g. India China) with its established Brands. Ability to introduce new product extensions in existing markets using its established Brands Acquisitions of other confectionery companies. Threats New legislations and regulations which may increase costs Social impact from consumer groups on health related issues New entrants into the confectionery industry Products could be easily copied by competitors (carbon copy) 2.2.4 Value Chain Analysis Support Activities Firm Infrastructure Formation: Includes general management, planning management, finance, legal, accounting, quality management, public affairs, etc . Human Resource Management Personal activities: All activities that links with recruiting, development (training, education), retention and compensation of employees, manager, etc . Technology Development R D, etc : Include the technology development to support the value chain activities, i.e., Process automation, Research Development, design and redesign, etc. Procurement Purchasing inputs: The role of purchasing inputs i.e., procurement of raw materials, machines, spare parts, servicing, buildings, etc . Primary Activities Inbound Logistics Receiving inputs : Activities that associates with receiving, storing, transportation scheduling, inventory control Operations Building the product/ providing the service : Includes packaging, assembly, machining, maintenance, testing, activities that transform the final input into final product Outbound Logistics Distributing the product to buyers : Activities that involved the finished product to get to the customers; warehouse, orders, transportation, distribution, etc Marketing Sales Pre-sale support : Activities associated with getting buyers to purchase the product including channel selection, promotion, advertising selling, pricing, retail management, etc Customer Service Post-sale support : the activities that maintain enhance the products value, including customer support, repair services, installation, training, spare parts management, upgrading, etc Task 02 3.1 Marketing Objectives As the business still has significant untapped potential both in terms of top line growth and returns. By exploiting the strength of our leadership positions to continue to grow their market share and significantly increase the margins and returns, cadbury aim to achieve their vision of becoming the biggest and best confectionery company in the world. Vision into Action (VIA) plan for 2008 to 2011 aligns the energies and efforts of the teams around the world behind a number of priorities which will make the most impact on our revenue and margin performance. In order to generate superior returns for our shareowners, our VIA will deliver six financial targets. These are set out in our financial performance scorecard below: Organic revenue growth of 4% 6% every year Total confectionery share gain Mid-teens trading margins by 2011 Strong dividend growth An efficient balance sheet Growth in Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) To achieve these financial goals, have a growth and efficiency strategy which aligns behind our focus on fewer, faster, bigger and better. This focus is being applied to all aspects of our business. Corporate objective: Achieve sales of min. GBP25 Mil in 2009 UK Market Achieve sales of GBP80Mil in 20011, UK Market Functional objective: To increase 6% by end 2009 Operational objective: Achieve min of 80% consumer awareness of CCE Twisted within 12 months of launch Marketing Products, price, place promo, people, process, physical evidence Director Or CEO 3.2 Strategy The strategy for any marketing project is the key to the success of the project. It should map out what needs to be done, targeting which consumers, and providing them with what value, through the product offered. 3.2.1 Segmentation of Market Cadbury segments the UK Chocolate market based on Geography, Demographics and Psychographics to identify the target market segments for their Cadbury Cream Egg Twisted. Geography Cadbury geographically segments the UK chocolate market by:- Urban market (Cities) e.g. London, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, etc Suburb markets (Towns) e.g. Barnstable, Abingdon, Stamford Others (Villages) e.g. Sawston The company identifies the size of the chocolate market, per capita consumption, growth trends, as well as analyses each segment in terms of Cadburys market share, Cream Egg lovers and chocolate bar consumption. This will provide Cadbury the necessary information to target the right market for Cadbury Cream Egg Twisted. Demographic Demographic segmentation allows Cadbury to understand the chocolate market by age, gender, income group, etc. This allows Cadbury to identify which groups are the chocolate lovers, which group prefers Cream Eggs, which group prefers bar chocolates, etc. Psychographic Psychographic segmentation is based on consumer lifestyle, attitudes and motives. Cadbury segments the UK chocolate market, based on consumers who prefer branded goods, those who prefer taste, texture or shapes. By doing this, the company is able to identify the target segment which will best suit the Cadbury Cream Egg Twisted product. 3.2.2 Targeting the market After establishing the market segmentation, the next step is to evaluate each segment and choose which possible segments should the company target and offer Cadbury Cream Egg Twisted in order to meet its marketing objectives. Based on the segmentation analysis, Cadbury is targeting the following groups:- All locations around UK, with greater focus on urban markets. Across all channels, especially super and hyper markets, and convenient stores, where the chocolate consumption per capita is high. Children, teenagers and females, who are seen to be lovers of Cadbury Chocolate bar lovers, the group which Cadbury is hoping to switch from traditional bars to the Cadbury 3.2.3 Positioning Cadbury Cadbury is having broader ranges targeting many segments. Youth segment should position as Love and entertainment. Teenagers can attract through adventure aspiration. Childrens mind goes to various tastes and small gifts they are getting. Therefore should do the positioning accordingly. 3.2.4 BCG Matrix The BCG or Boston Consulting Matrix is a tool used to analyze the portfolio of a company. It classifies business units or product ranges into four categories based on a matrix of market growth rate and market share position. The market growth rate determines the attractiveness of the industry and the relative market share shows the competitive position of the business. Below is the BCG Matrix. Details about the 4 categories are as follows:- Cash Cows business units that have large market share in a mature, slow growing industry. Cash cows require little investment and generate cash that can be used to invest in other business units. Stars- business units that have large market shares in a fast growing industries stars may generate cash, but because the market is growing rapidly they require investment to maintain their lead. If successful, a star will become a cash cow when its industry matures. Question Marks business units that have small market shares in high growth markets. These business units require resources to grow market share, but whether they will succeed and become stars is unknown. Dogs business units that have small market shares in mature industries. A dog may not require substantial cash but it ties up capital that could better be deployed elsewhere. Unless a dog has some other strategic purpose it should be liquidated if it has little prospect for it to gain market share. In summary, the BCG matrix provides a framework for allocating resources among business units within a company, and it will be useful for us to review the portfolio of our Chocolate Business. 3.3 Marketing Mix The marketing mix is a combination of critical factors that make up the marketing strategy for a product, which helps the company to successfully achieve the set marketing objectives. 3.3.1 Product Cadbury UK emphasizes on the need for strong brand image, and therefore all the decisions they make with regards to its products are in line with the brand image. The product and packaging are designed to project and communicate the brand image reflecting Cadbury as who they are. The product reflects the innovation, high quality and nutritional value it provides to its customers, whilst the packaging clearly reflects the familiar purple corporate brand color and corporate brand logo, associated with reliability and quality. Cadbury maintains the original Cream features and taste, which is a well loved product. Uses no artificial colorants or banned additives, and meets all EU food standards. Product is in a twisted bar form to attract chocolate bar lovers. Personality of the Brand is fun and novel to target the young trendy and female market segment. Specially lovers Packaging is colorful, to attract the children, teenage and young adult market. 3.3.2 Price Pricing of products is key in reflecting the image of a brand. This is why Cadbury carefully considers the image of the product, the value it offers to the consumer and who is the target consumer, before it determines the price of any of its products. It is obvious that different Cadbury products, targeted at different segments of the market are priced differently. The decision on pricing does have an impact to the brand. For example Cadbury offers its bar chocolates at a premium price compared to Tescos or Sainsbury bar chocolates, for the mass market. Cadbury also sells some of its high end products to reflect a luxury image, and can command good premiums, example Cadbury Milk Tray, Cadbury Roses and Green Blacks. The price of a product is also dependent on customers perception of the brand which Cadbury takes into account before it prices its products. However, with the current economic scenario, Cadbury gives special deals, for example Cadbury Dairy Milk bars 20% more (means big ger size) at the same selling price without reducing the price and affecting the brand image. Cadbury priced to competitive price GBP per gram it is cheaper than the Cream, which allows differentiation. 3.3.3 Placement Cadbury chooses carefully the distribution channels it places its products based on the brand image of the products. For example for its Cadbury Dairy Milk bar range of products, because it is targeted to the mass consumer, this range of products are accessible across all channels, in all super and hypermarkets, chain retail outlets, other convenience stores and even in the mom and pop shops. For the premium products, eg Green Blacks brand, Cadbury carefully places them at high end outlet, such as Selfridges and Airports. Cadbury will be available across all distribution channels in the UK market. Focus will be in Hyper and Supermarkets as well as convenient stores, at prominent locations within the stores. Greater visibility will be provided at urban segments (both cities and towns). 3.3.4 Promotion Depending on the brand image, the target consumer and market, Cadbury carefully chooses its communication strategy to meet the objectives of increasing awareness and ultimately pulling the consumer to purchase its products. Every promotional activity has its own strategy and this can can vary from increasing brand awareness, maintaining the brand value, educate consumers about a new product, increasing seasonal purchases, or campaigns such as choose Cadbury to highlight the positive emotional value of the brand. However, due to the current economic downturn, Cadbury carefully selects its promotional activities; such that it has maximum returns for its promotional spend. With the advent of the electronic media, Cadbury has created a number of websites for its popular brands for consumer/members to be active. These websites have education information, games, good associates such as purple goes green, cocoa partnership and fair-trade. Cadbury has recently agreed to partnership with the 2012 Olympic, which will give its brands, global recognition. Websites are www.cadbury.co.uk, www.cadburycremeegg.co.uk. www.aglassandahalffullproduction.com, etc. Above the line promotion via TV, Radio and print media. Advertising will focus on target groups, e.g. children, teenagers, young adults and females. Below the line activities will be carried out at urban markets at high traffic outlets, such as Hyper and Supermarket concourses. Special standees will be appropriately designed to portray the fun and novel personality of the product, and placed in major outlets. Task 03 4.1 Key Issues faced by Cadbury and Implications to the Marketing Plan Key Issues Implication to the Marketing Plan The economic slowdown and credit crunch Possibility that the market will shrink Competition will be intensive driving prices to be more competitive. Pressure from consumer groups on health related issues Need to have more PR with consumer groups Need to educate consumers on ingredients used in products Higher legislations and standards for industry To support this in order to create higher barriers to entry for new entrants into the industry Too many products and brands To implement a rationalization program to weed out older and low margin brands Consumer awareness to create pull To conduct effective AP programs to bring awareness to consumers. Conduct market research to establish consumer needs and trends Growing in a challenging market Introduce new products in existing markets using established Brands Introduce existing Brands in new markets Understanding the Competition Conduct market research to determine level and position of competitors in the market 4.2 McKenzies 7S Framework The McKenzies 7S framework is a value based management model, which looks at all the key elements which make up an organization, and it enables us to evaluate the effectiveness of our Marketing organization. An effective organization achieves a fit between all these 7 key elements, and should any element change, it affects all other elements and hence the organization as a whole. The McKenzies 7S framework is made up of hard and soft elements. Hard elements are those which are easily identifiable and visible, whilst the Soft elements are those which are less visible and are below the surface. Most organizations tend to focus on the hard elements, and ignore the soft ones, which tends to be an ineffective way of diagnosing and solving an organization issue. The 7S framework is a useful tool used to analyze the current state of an organization. Below is a pictorial view of the McKenzies 7S framework showing the Hard elements (green) and Soft elements (yellow) Hard Elements Strategy plans for the allocation of a firms scarce resources over time to reach identified goals. Structure the way the organizations units relate to each other; centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized (the trend in larger organizations), matrix, network, holding etc. Systems the procedures, processes routines that characteri

Caught by a Computer :: Personal Narrative Cheating Papers

Caught by a Computer As I sat in his office, sweat dripped off my long brown bangs onto my light blue collared button-down shirt. It was not because I was nervous, it was because it was the end of April and unseasonably warm in Charlottesville, Virginia. I was there, in my professor’s office, in my mind, because he wanted to get caught up with me about my future plans after graduation. He was curious about my plans for the summer, plans for my fiancà © and I, and plans for my career as a high school teacher at the public school in my hometown, Mclean, Virginia. I was alone in his office, waiting for Dr. Bloomfield to show up to his office for our casual meeting scheduled for 3:30 that afternoon. The heat was becoming unbearable. The University of Virginia’s century old buildings on the quad were not air conditioned, and I was beginning to wish that I had paid the extra tuition to have them installed. I sat in his small dimly lit office, becoming impatient because it was nearing four oà ¢â‚¬â„¢clock. I began to notice the pictures that cluttered Dr. Bloomfield’s overrun office. Pictures of his wife, his twin daughters, who appeared to be roughly the same age as I, and his younger son, in his early teen years, sat atop stacks of periodicals and yet to be graded finals. I noticed my final research paper on the top of the stack. This seemed odd; however I guessed he only wanted to discuss it while we met, as foreclosure to the popular Intro. To Physics class for upperclassmen of his that I was enrolled in, as it was our final assignment. I was distracted once again by the array of pictures throughout his undeservedly small office. Among these were more pictures of his boat, his bay house on the Chesapeake Bay, and his chocolate lab Mocha, whom I was familiar with at this point due to several stories he shared in class. Dr. Bloomfield was a family man whom I had gained great respect for over the years. My aspirations for what I wanted my life to turn out like ve ry closely replicated his own life. Sitting alone in his office gave me time to think about what I wanted to become, who I wanted to marry, how many kids I wanted to have and so on.

10 Major Agricultural Problems Of India Essay

Some of the major problems and their possible solutions have been discussed as follows. Indian agriculture is plagued by several problems; some of them are natural and some others are manmade. 1. Small and fragmented land-holdings: The seemingly abundance of net sown area of 141.2 million hectares and total cropped area of 189.7 million hectares (1999-2000) pales into insignificance when we see that it is divided into economically unviable small and scattered holdings. The average size of holdings was 2.28 hectares in 1970-71 which was reduced to 1.82 hectares in 1980-81 and 1.50 hectares in 1995-96. The size of the holdings will further decrease with the infinite Sub-division of the land holdings. See more: Sleep Deprivation Problem Solution Speech Essay The problem of small and fragmented holdings is more serious in densely populated and intensively cultivated states like Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar  and eastern part of Uttar Pradesh where the average size of land holdings is less than one hectare and in certain parts it is less than even 0.5 hectare. Rajasthan with vast sandy stretches and Nagaland with the prevailing ‘Jhoom’ (shifting agriculture) have larger average sized holdings of 4 and 7.15 hectares respectively. States having high percentage of net sown area like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have holding size above the national average. Further it is shocking to note that a large proportion of 59 per cent holdings in 1990- 91 were marginal (below 1 hectare) accounting for 14.9 per cent of the total operated area. Another 19 per cent were small holdings (1-2 hectare) taking up 17.3 per cent of the total operated area. Large holdings (above 10 hectare) accounted for only 1.6 per cent of total holdings but covered 17.4 per cent of the operated area (Table 22.1). Hence, there is a wide gap between small farmers, medium farmers (peasant group) and big farmers (landlords). The main reason for this sad state of affairs is our inheritance laws. The land belonging to the father is equally distributed among his sons. This distribution of land does not entail a collection or consolidated one, but its nature is fragmented. Different tracts have different levels of fertility and are to be distributed accordingly. If there are four tracts which are to be distributed between two sons, both the sons will get smaller plots of each land tract. In this way the holdings become smaller and more fragmented with each passing generation. Sub-division and fragmentation of the holdings is one of the main causes of our low agricultural productivity and backward state of our agriculture. 1/2/2015 7:58 PM 10 Major Agricultural Problems of India and their Possible Solutions 3 of 16 http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/agriculture/10-major-agricultural-pro†¦ A lot of time and labour is wasted in moving seeds, manure, implements and cattle from one piece of land to another.  Irrigation becomes difficult on such small and fragmented fields. Further, a lot of fertile agricultural land is wasted in providing boundaries. Under such circumstances, the farmer cannot concentrate on improvement. The only answer to this ticklish problem is the consolidation of holdings which means the reallocation of holdings which are fragmented, the creation of farms which comprise only one or a few parcels in place of multitude of patches formerly in the possession of each peasant. But unfortunately, this plan has not succeeded much. Although legislation for consolidation of holdings has been enacted by almost all the states, it has been implemented only in Punjab, Haryana and in some parts of Uttar Pradesh. Consolidation of about 45 million holdings has been done till 1990-91 in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The other solution to this problem is cooperative farming in which the farmers pool their resources and share the profit. 2. Seeds: Seed is a critical and basic input for attaining higher crop yields and sustained growth in agricultural production. Distribution of assured quality seed is as critical as the production of such seeds. Unfortunately, good quality seeds are out of reach of the majority of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers mainly because of exorbitant prices of better seeds. In order to solve this problem, the Government of India established the National Seeds Corporation (NSC) in 1963 and the State Farmers Corporation of India (SFCI) in 1969. Thirteen State Seed Corporations (SSCs) were also established to augment the supply of improved seeds to the farmers.  High Yielding Variety Programme (HYVP) was launched in 1966-67 as a major thrust plan to increase the production of food grains in the country. The Indian seed industry had exhibited impressive growth in the past and is expected to provide further potential for growth in agricultural production: The role of seed industry is not only to produce adequate quantity of quality seeds but also to achieve varietal diversity to suit various agro-climatic zones of the country. The policy statements are designed towards making available to the Indian farmer, adequate quantities of seed of superior quality at the appropriate time and place and at an affordable price so as to meet the country’s food and nutritional security goals. Indian seeds programme largely adheres to limited generation system for seed multiplication. The system recognises three kinds of generation, namely breeder, foundation and certified seeds. Breeder seed is the basic seed and first stage in seed production. Foundation seed is the second stage in seed production chain and is the progeny of breeder seed. Certified seed is the ultimate stage in seed production chain and is the progeny of foundation seed. Production of breeder and foundation seeds and certified seeds distribution have gone up at an annual average rate of 3.4 per cent, 7.5 per  cent and 9.5 per cent respectively, between 2001-02 and 2005-06). 3. Manures, Fertilizers and Biocides: Indian soils have been used for growing crops over thousands of years  without caring much for replenishing. This has led to depletion and exhaustion of soils resulting in their low productivity. The average yields of almost all the crops are among t e lowest in the world. This is a serious problem which can be solved by using more manures and fertilizers. Manures and fertilizers play the same role in relation to soils as good food in relation to body. Just as a well-nourished body is capable of doing any good job, a well nourished soil is capable of giving good yields. It has been estimated that about 70 per cent of growth in agricultural production can be attributed to increased fertilizer application. Thus increase in the consumption of fertilizers is a barometer of agricultural prosperity. However, there are practical difficulties in providing sufficient manures and fertilizers in all parts of a country of India’s dimensions inhabited by poor peasants. Cow dung provides the best manure to the soils. But its use as such is limited because much of cow dung is used as kitchen fuel in the shape of dung cakes. Reduction in the supply of fire wood and increasing demand for fuel in the rural areas due to increase in population has further complicated the problem. Chemical fertilizers are costly and are often beyond the reach of the poor farmers. The fertilizer problem is, therefore, both acute and complex. It has been felt that organic manures are essential for keeping the soil in good health. The country has a potential of 650 million tonnes of rural and 160 lakh tonnes of urban compost which is not fully utilized at present. The utilization of this potential will solve the twin problem of disposal of waste and providing manure to the soil. The government has given high incentive especially in the form of heavy subsidy for using chemical fertilizers. There was practically no use of chemical fertilizers at the time of Independence As a result of initiative by  the government and due to change in the attitude of some progressive farmers, the consumption of fertilizers increased tremendously. In order to maintain the quality of the fertilizers, 52 fertilizer quality control laboratories have been set up in different parts of the country. In addition, there is one Central Fertilizer Quality Control and Training Institute at Faridabad with its three regional centres at Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Pests, germs and weeds cause heavy loss to crops which amounted to about one third of the total field produce at the time of Independence. Biocides (pesticides, herbicides and weedicides) are used to save the crops and to avoid losses. The increased use of these inputs has saved a lot of crops, especially the food crops from unnecessary wastage. But indiscriminate use of biocides has resulted in wide spread environmental pollution which takes its own toll. 4. Irrigation: Although India is the second largest irrigated country of the world after China, only one-third of the cropped area is under irrigation. Irrigation is the most important agricultural input in a tropical monsoon country like India where rainfall is uncertain, unreliable and erratic India cannot achieve sustained progress in agriculture unless and until more than half of the cropped area is brought under assured irrigation. This is testified by the success story of agricultural progress in Punjab Haryana and western part of Uttar Pradesh where over half of the cropped area is under irrigation! Large tracts still await irrigation to boost the agricultural output. However, care must be taken to safeguard against ill effects of over irrigation especially in areas irrigated by canals. Large tracts in Punjab  and Haryana have been rendered useless (areas affected by salinity, alkalinity and water-logging), due to faulty irrigation. In the Indira Gandhi Canal command area also intensive irrigation has led to sharp rise in sub-soil water level, leading to water-logging, soil salinity and alkalinity. 5. Lack of mechanisation: In spite of the large scale mechanisation of agriculture in some parts of the country, most of the agricultural operations in larger parts are carried on by human hand using simple and conventional tools and implements like wooden plough, sickle, etc. Little or no use of machines is made in ploughing, sowing, irrigating,  thinning and pruning, weeding, harvesting threshing and transporting the crops. This is specially the case with small and marginal farmers. It results in huge wastage of human labour and in low yields per capita labour force. There is urgent need to mechanise the agricultural operations so that wastage of labour force is avoided and farming is made convenient and efficient. Agricultural implements and machinery are a crucial input for efficient and timely agricultural operations, facilitating multiple cropping and thereby increasing production. Some progress has been made for mechanising agriculture in India after Independence. Need for mechanisation was specially felt with the advent of Green Revolution in 1960s. Strategies and programmes have been directed towards replacement of traditional and inefficient implements by improved ones, enabling the farmer to own tractors, power tillers, harvesters and other machines. A large industrial base for manufacturing of the agricultural machines has also been developed. Power availability for carrying out various  agricultural operations has been increased to reach a level of 14 kW per hectare in 2003-04 from only 0.3 kW per hectare in 1971-72. This increase was the result of increasing use of tractor, power tiller and combine harvesters, irrigation pumps and other power operated machines. The share of mechanical and electrical power has increased from 40 per cent in 1971 to 84 per cent in 2003-04. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest average sales of tractors during the five  year period ending 2003-04 and/West Bengal recorded the highest average sales of power tillers during the same period.  Strenuous efforts are being made to encourage the farmers to adopt technically advanced agricultural equipments in order to carry farm operations timely and precisely and to economise the agricultural production process. 6. Soil erosion: Large tracts of fertile land suffer from soil erosion by wind and water. This area must be properly treated and restored to its original fertility. 7. Agricultural Marketing: Agricultural marketing still continues to be in a bad shape in rural India. In the absence of sound marketing facilities, the farmers have to depend upon local traders and middlemen for the disposal of their farm produce which is sold at throw-away price. In most cases, these farmers are forced, under socio-economic conditions, to carry on distress sale of their produce. In most of small villages, the farmers sell their produce to the money lender from whom they usually borrow money.  According to an estimate 85 per cent of wheat and 75 per cent of oil seeds in Uttar Pradesh, 90 per cent of Jute in West Bengal, 70 per cent of oilseeds and 35 per cent of cotton in Punjab is sold by farmers in the village itself. Such a situation arises due to the inability of the poor farmers to wait for long after harvesting their crops. In order to meet his commitments and pay his debt, the poor farmer is forced to sell the produce at whatever price is offered to him. The Rural Credit Survey Report rightly remarked that the producers in general sell their produce at an unfavourable place and at an unfavourable time and usually they get unfavourable terms. In the absence of an organised marketing structure, private traders and middlemen dominate the marketing and trading of agricultural produce. The remuneration of the services provided by the middlemen increases the load on the consumer, although the producer does not derive similar benefit. Many market surveys have revealed that middlemen take away about 48 per cent of the price of rice, 52 per cent of the price of grounduts and 60 per cent of the price of potatoes offered by consumers. In order to save the farmer from the clutches of the money lenders and the middle men, the government has come out with regulated markets. These markets generally introduce a system of competitive buying, help in eradicating malpractices, ensure the use of standardised weights and measures and evolve suitable machinery for settlement of disputes thereby ensuring that the producers are not subjected to exploitation and receive remunerative prices.