Aspirin Essay Example

Aspirin Essay In this aspirin course work I will be investigating different types of aspirin and making aspirin. I will be looking at all the process taken to make aspirin and all the ingredients in aspirin.I Will be:Extracting some salicylic acid (2-hyroxy benzoic acid) from willow twigs or bark.OCOHOH2- hydroxy benzoic acid structureWe will also be learning about TLC (thin layer chromatograph), and its uses to confirm the identity of compounds. Calculating percentage yield carrying out melting points.My assignment will be structured into four tasks:Task 1- a survey of aspirin containing medicines and the medical uses of aspirin.Task 2-extracting and identifying the active chemical in willow barkTask 3- comparing methods for making and purifying aspirinTask 4- analysingTask 1- a survey of aspirin containing medicines uses of aspirinName of aspirinAdult/childrenPriceDoseIngredientsContra-indicatorsAscriptinChildren over the age of 12à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.492 caplets every 4 hours while symptoms persist, not to exceed 12 caplets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor for arthritis therapy. Drink a full glass of water with each dose.Aluminum Hydroxide Dried Gel (80mg), Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Hydroxide (80mg), Aspirin (500 mg)Do not use if taking a prescription drug for anticoagulation (blood thinning), diabetes, gout, or arthritis unless directed by a doctor. Antacids may interact with certain prescription drugs. If you are presently taking a prescription drug, do not take this product without checking with your doctor or other health professional.Alka-seltzer plus12 and overà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.87Take 2 tablets fully dissolved in water for every 4 hoursAcetaminophen 250mg (Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer), Chlorpheniramine Maleate 2mg (Antihistamine), Phenylephrine HCI 5 mg (Nasal Decongestant)Do not use if you are allergic to aspirin this product if you are on a sodium restricted diet unless directed by a doctorAnacin12 and overà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.792 tablets every 6 hours do not exceed 8 ca psules in 24 hoursAspirinDo not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any other pain reliever/fever reducer.BayerAdults and children over the of 12à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6.49Take 1 or 2 tablets with water every 4 hours. Do not exceed 12 tablets in 24 hours unless directed by a doctor.Aspirin 325mgDo not take this product if you are taking a prescription drug for anticoagulation (thinning the blood), diabetes, gout or arthritis unless directed by a doctor.AspergumAdults and children over the age of 12à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3.49Chew 2 tablets every 4 hours, not to exceed 16 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor.Aspirin (227 mg (3.5 gr))Do not take this product if you are taking a prescription drug for anticoagulation (thinning the blood), diabetes, gout, or arthritis unless directed by a doctor.Task 2- Extraction and identification of the active chemical from willow barkIn this practical we have to extract some salicylic acid from willow bark. We had to reflux it, which allows you to h eat it for a long time period without losing any liquids.Then we have to use thin layer chromatography to help us to confirm its identity.Apparatus* Reflux apparatus* 250cm3 beaker* 2 dropping tubes or melting-point tubs* Sulphuric acid* Potassium manganate* Iodine crystals* Willow twigs or bark* Coffee grinderWe do not have access to a batch reactor that is used in factories to make aspirin so the pear shaped flask would act as the batch reactor. This is were all of the reacting will take place.Method* Take a sample of fresh twigs or bark from a willow tree and chop them into fine pieces using a coffee grinder.* Set up a flask with a reflux condenser. In the flask place some of the fresh twigs or bark.* Cover the twigs with a mixture containing equal volumes of 2moldm-3 sulphuric acid and 0.2moldm-3 potassium manganate solution.* Reflux for 15 minuets.* While the mixture is still warm pour the mixture into a 25ocm3 beaker. It is not important if some bark comes with it. Carefully a dd further portions of a mixture of 2moldm-3 sulphuric acid and 2moldm-3 potassium manganate solution. With stirring until the volume is three times bigger. You must take great caution in handling the apparatus because it is extremely hot.Thin layer chromatography (TLC)Chromatography can be used to separate a mixture of components. Both qualitative and quantitative data can be obtained. Modern high performance techniques can identify trace impurities in samples. Chromatography can also be used to separate mixtures on a large scale. There is a range of related techniques. All work on the same principle. A delivery system supplies a mobile phase, which is moved through a stationary phase. The mobile phase, which is usually a solvent, carries the substance being analysed through the stationary phase. This is called elietion. A stationary phase often consists of a liquid system is used to monitor the separated components. A component is attracted to both mobile and stationery phases. Th e relative strength of attraction for each phase is important. A component strongly attracted to the stationary phase will be held back one strongly attracted to the mobile phase will pass through rapidly. Separated is achieved when components have different relative attractions for the two phases.ChromatographyMobile phaseStationary phaseThin-layerLiquid solventAl2 03 or Si 02 (often bounded together with CaSo3 and supported on a plastic sheet or glass plate this is called a TLC plate)PaperLiquid solventH20 can the surface of absorbent chromatography paper and therefore support by the cellulose fibres in paper)Gas layerInter gas (usually N2 or Ar )Liquid often a silicone gum (supported on suitable solid particles in a glass or metal tube)High performance liquidLiquid solventSmall solid particles (packed tightly in a tube usually stainless steel)When identifying the components some of them will be coloured and so will be visible but often they will not be visible. So then there are a lot of techniques thats can used to see them:* Specially pre-treated plates when exposed to ultraviolet light reveal substances as pale purple spots. Be careful not to look at the light for too long.* Exposure of plates to develops e.g. iodine vapour of chemical reagents which are sprayed on the plate after separation.* Radioactive isotopes can be used as tracers be careful when using radioactive isotopes. X-ray film is placed over the palate for a period of time. The positions of the components show up as dark spots when the film is developed. The degree of darkness indicates the amount of radiation and therefore the concentration of the component.MethodApparatus* Small beaker* T.l.c plates* Clingfilm or lid* Methanol* U.v lamp* Glass tube* Salicylic acid in ethanol* Take a piece of pre-dried thin-layer chromatography sheet, which will fit, into a small beaker. Dissolve a small quantity of the substance to be investigated in a solvent.* Draw a base line using a graphite pencil on the palate. It should be just above the level that will be reached by the solvent in the beaker. Apply the solution the palate using a finely drawn out glass tube.* The spot formed by the solution should be as small as possible. This is because components that do not separate well, will tend to overlap if large spots are made.* Put the solvent in the beaker and cover it with cling film or a lid. Leave for 10 minutes to allow the atmosphere to saturate. Stand the plate in the beaker and replace the lid.* When the solvent front is near the top of the plate remove the plate. Mark the position of the solvent front.Set up for the thin layer chromatographyChromatographypaper lidSolvent frontBaselinebeakersolventPure 2 hydroxy benzoic acid my sample of purified 2 hydroxy benzoicAcidTask 3- comparing methods for making and purifying aspirinOCOOH COH OHOC+ (CH3 CO) 2O +CH3 COOH CH3Salicylic acid ethanoic anhydride acetylsalicylic acid (vinegar)(2-hydroxbenzoic acid) (Aspirin)Method 1Apparat us* 2-hydroxybenzoic acid* 100ml beaker* Ethanoic anhydride* Concentrated sulphuric acid* Distilled water* 250ml beaker* Vacuum filtration equipment (buchiner funnels, buchiner flasks, tubes andFilter paper)* Ethanol* Melting point apparatusBuchner funnel setupWeigh 5.0g of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid in a 100ml beaker. Add 10ml of ethanoic anhydride with care stir to dissolve the solid. Add 12 drops of concentrated sulphuric acid stir continuously to prevent charring. Cool the mixture to room temperature and add it to 150 ml of distilled water to a 250 ml beaker.Filter the solid produced under vacuum filtration, wash with 50ml of distilled water. Re-crystallise the solid using a 50:50, which means equal quantities of distilled water and ethanoic acid as a solvent say about 10mls each. Filter, dry the product and take the melting points then store the products.We then had to work out the percentage yield and theoretical yield.Sample 1Theoretical yield(Maximum yield possible) = 138g 180g1g 1801385g 1805138Theoretical = 6.52Percentage yield= Actual yield 100Theoretical yield= 0.32 1006.52= 4.91gMethod 2Apparatus* Quickfit flask* 2-hydroxybenzoic acid* Phosphoric acid* Reflux apparatus* Distilled water* 250ml beaker* Glass rod* Ice* Vacuum filtration equipment* Melting point apparatus* Test tubeAdd the following to a 100ml quickfit flask 50.0g of 2-hyroxybenzoic acid and 10ml of ethanoic anhydride. Then add 12 drops of 85% phosphoric acid and swirl to mix. Fits a reflux condenser heat the mixture for about 10 minutes in a water bath without cooling add 5ml of water down the condenser. When the vigorous reaction has ended pour the mixture into a 100ml of cold water in a 250ml beaker.Cool to room temperature. Stir and rub the sides of the beaker with a glass rod to start crystallisation. Stand the beaker in an ice bath to complete the crystallisation process. Filter under a vacuum wash with a little water. Re-crystallise the solid from hot water dry the product in a dryi ng cabinet weight the product record its melting point. Calculate the yield and store the product in a labelled test tube.For each of the samples we made we had to use tlc to identify any impurities in our products. To do the tlc we needed 250ml beaker with Clingfilm or a lid, 5-10mls of solvent which is ethyl ethanoate mixed with a few drops of ethanoic acid. We had to spot the tlc plate with the following pure aspirin, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, make the solvent front, remove from the beaker and dry. We then had to look at the plate with a uv lamp and mark out the position of the spots.Sample 2Percentage yield= Actual yield 100Theoretical yield= 3.34 1006.52= 51.2gResultsProduct 1Product 2Weight0.323.34Melting point125172Tlc0.850.90Task 4- analysing aspirinRF (relative to the front) valuesThe distance a component moves relative to the solvent front is called its RF value.The equation is RF=distance moved by componentDistance moved by solvent frontSolvent frontchromatography paperBasel inePure sampleMy sampleUse a ruler to measure the length from the baseline to A then from the baseline to the solvent front then do the same for the other sample.Task2 results for TLCRF= 3.8 =0.5 my sample8.4RF=4.3 =0.5 pure sample8.4The sample that I made is pure compared to the pure sample that we testedTask3 method 1Solvent front= 8.2 cmPure aspirin=7.1cmMethod 1= 7.0cmMethod 2= 7.4cm2-hydrcxybenzoic acid= 6.4cmRF= 7.08.2 = 0.85 method 1RF= 7.48.2 = 0.89 method 2RF= 7.1 = 0.85 pure aspirin8.2RF= 7.48.2 =0.77 2-hydroxybenzoic acidProblemsSome of the problems that I encountered are not filtering the samples properly so when I took it out it was still mushy, so what I did to correct that was I had to put it into an oven for it to dry out. Or I could have filtered it again. Another problem that I had was when I was filtering my products the vacuum didnt have enough pressure for it to work that way it wouldnt of got filtered properly. So what I had to do to correct that problem is I h ad to open the tap as far as I could push the buchiner funnel into the flask and push in the tubes so that way there would be more pressure.Interpretation of the resultsThe thin layer chromatography (TLC) results tell me that my 2-hydrography benzoic acid (Salicylic acid) that I produced is not pure. Some of the reasons could be:* There were same impurities* Some of it didnt get converted properly* I did something wrong in the preparationMy first sample gave me a pure sample compared to the pure aspirin I tested. My second product wasnt pure I think this was because there were some impurities in the product or I did something wrong in the preparation.My method 1 gave me a very small yield maybe it was because we did something wrong or maybe there were was some impurities in it. I could see all of the crystals in the product. And my product was bright white.My method 2 gave me a very large yield but for some reason it was discoloured and it was light pink. I also couldnt see any crys tals.My results (TLC, melting points) tell me about my 2 products that the product 1 has a small yield therefore the yield is more pure. Were as my product 2 has a big yield so the yield is not that pure. My results also tells me that maybe the reason why my product 2s boiling point was so high because the impurities that were in it had I high melting point. My results tell me that if you want pure aspirin in small batches you should use method 1, but if you want a lot of aspirin but not that pure you should use method 2. but I think that method 1 is the best method because you dont need to heat it up for that long and the sample is pure.EvaluationThe literature value of aspirin is 1350C my sample for method 1 had a melting point of 1250C, which is quite close to the literature value, but it is not the same. Maybe this is because there were some impurities in my product or I did something wrong in the preparation stages.My sample for method 2 had a melting point of 1720C, which is v ery far from the literature value of aspirin this is mainly because there were some impurities in my sample making the melting point higher.Comparison with industrial processes of aspirin productionIn a factory were they make aspirin some of the processes that require precision, strength, time or knowledge are not done by humans they are done by machines or computers. The processes that are replaced by automation are:* The equipment and chemicals are transported on conveyor belts* Computers control the temperature* All of the processes that are done over night are done by computers* All of the filtration processes are done by computers* Controlling the batch reactor* PurificationSome of the advantages of using machines and computers to do most of the work is:* They are more precise* More accurate than humans* They work none stop* They are more cheaper* They are more stronger* Faster* More accurate* No errors* More durable

What to Do If You Have a Family Emergency in College

What to Do If You Have a Family Emergency in College Even though college students are often mocked for not living in the real world, many students do, in fact, deal with major life situations and events. Unexpected family illnesses, financial situations, deaths, and other events can happen during your time in college. Unfortunately, your academics might end up paying the price simply because you cant manage everything all at the same time. (And when faced with a major family emergency, its unrealistic to expect yourself to manage everything anyway.) If you find yourself faced with a family emergency in college, take a deep breath and spend 20-30 minutes doing the following. While it might seem like you dont have the time now, this small allotment of effort can do wonders for keeping your academics and college situation in check. Notify Your Professors and ​​Academic Adviser You dont have to go into too much detail, but you do need to let your professors know whats going on. Be as honest as you can without being dramatic. Let them know: What has happenedWhat it means for things like your class attendance, assignments, etc.What your next steps are, whether its an emergency trip home for the weekend or a longer absenceHow they can contact youWhen and how youll be contacting them next Ideally, everyone will then be aware of your situation and wont penalize you for having to miss class, be late on an assignment, etc. Additionally, your adviser should reach out in response and offer you some resources that can help with your situation. Tell the People You Live With Whats Going On Again, you dont need to share more than you need to. But your roommates might wonder whats going on if you leave without telling them for a few days; similarly, your RA might start to be concerned if he or she sees you missing class and/or coming and going at odd hours. Even if you just leave a note or send an email, its better to let people know that, for example, youre heading home to visit a sick relative than to cause undue worry or concern over your unexplained absence. Spend a Minute Thinking About Your Financial Situation Does this family emergency have financial consequences for you? Do you need to find funds right away for a flight home, for example? Does this emergency have a larger impact on your financial aid? It might seem awkward, but being aware of how your changed situation might affect your financial status is important. You can send a quick email to the financial aid office or even pop in for an emergency appointment. The staff there knows that life happens while youre in school, and you might be pleasantly surprised at the resources they have available for students in your situation. Think About Using the ​Counseling Center By their nature, emergencies cause turmoil, unrest, and all kinds of mixed (and often unwanted) emotions. At many (if not most!) institutions, visits to your campus counseling center are included in your tuition and fees. Even if you arent sure what youre feeling or how to feel about the situation, a visit to the counseling center might be a smart idea. Spend a minute or two calling the center to make an appointment they might have emergency slots open or at least finding out what resources are available if you decide you want them later. Tap Into Your Support Systems Whether its your best friend on campus or a favorite auntie who lives 3,000 miles away if youre facing an emergency family situation, check-in with those who support you the best. A quick phone call, text message, email, or even video chat can do wonders to update them as well as provide you with some love and support. Dont be afraid to reach out at a time you need them the most to those who love you the most. After all, if your friend or loved one were in your situation, you likely would be more than happy to support him or her however possible. Let yourself be supported by those around you as you deal with your situation.

Mona Lisa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mona Lisa - Research Paper Example 71). The Mona Lisa has an allure that can’t be explained, its popularity to a level where almost anyone in the Western world will recognize the work. Furthermore, the image has become a part of pop art, its imagery of a serene woman with a slight smile gracing items from merchandise such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, and greeting cards. The work has been taken by other artists and re-imagined into their own conceptualization, the imagery a part of the public sphere, thus subject to being used to created post-modern commentary on the consumerist culture. The Mona Lisa is the most famous piece of art in the world, the skill with which it was rendered now secondary to the iconic impact that it has upon popular culture. The Mona Lisa was begun in 1503 and finished in 1506. The work represents all that was best within the discoveries that were made during the Renaissance in painting towards representing reality. The painting uses finely crafted perspective, with all lines converging to wards a singular point. The painting is an example of geometric scaling within a painting, the symmetry and harmony of the piece provided through the triangulation of the composition. Da Vinci used chiaroscuro techniques, the use of light and shadow, to model the curves and features of his subject. Dark undertones were used to create a foundation from which he used multiple layers of thin, semi-transparent glazes, a technique called sfumato. One of the most significant changes in the history of art is represented by the Mona Lisa as the movement was begun away from wall frescos and toward oil paintings that were done on an easel which changed the way in which painted art was most often formed (Strickland & Boswell, 1992, p. 34). It is possible that the piece represents the wife of Giocondo, a Florentine merchant (Strickland & Boswell, 1992, p. 34). However, both because Leonardo da Vinci was known to be a strikingly handsome man with fine features, and the similarities that exist in the basic structure of Mona Lisa’s face to his own, there is some speculation that this is a self-portrait with gender reversal, an examination of how he would look if he was a woman (Cremante & Pedretti, 2005, p. 248). The painting infamously seems to hold a secret, the slight, serene smile suggesting that something more is being shown than what is most obvious in the work. Therefore, the Mona Lisa, with its unclear subject and chaste, yet seductive mystery, is a work that has held the interest of the public since it was put on display in the Louvre and the world was introduced to her. The work is known as the most famous work of art in the world. According to Sassoon (2002), an Italian opinion poll conducted in February of 2000 asked the question â€Å"What do you think is the best known painting in the world?†. The overwhelming response at a rate of 85.8% was the Mona Lisa (p. 9). However, the reasons behind its popularity are hazy, an unclear path that is hard to fully determine. The rise of popularity in the 20th century might be due to the theft that occurred in 1911. The painting was missing for almost two years, thus creating a further mystery around the mythology of the work that is only enhanced by the mysterious look of the woman in the portrait. According to Strickland and Bosewell (1992), between 1911 and 1952, at least 61 recreations by other artists had come into existence, the iconic history of the painting then going fully commercial with the works of Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns making

The Effects of Social Media in Todays Society Annotated Bibliography

The Effects of Social Media in Todays Society - Annotated Bibliography Example The author refers to usability as how well a system supports the needs of users and the ability of the system to accomplish a task. Greiter acknowledges that, even though usability testing is a common practice, the software of usability of security requires more consideration. My team could use this article to examine why computer users often circumvent the security mechanisms in places or why common users of computer may lack confidence in the security system that they use. This book explores the events surrounding the scandal of WikiLeaks and the issues concerning security. Brenner examines the legal challenges that were presented by the incident. My team could use this source in our report on security issues associated with collaborative online tools. Some of the recommendations made in this paper may be used for our conclusion. This paper examines privacy as a key aspect of the experience of computer user when online as well as on computing devices by reviewing the perspective that the users of computers have on computer system in order to aid in improving privacy through Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). My team could use this source to explain privacy as a process through which computer users can control personal data effectively. This article reports a survey of 115 information technology companies that was conducted in India and the United States jointly by the US trade association ITAA and the Indian trade association NASSCOM. The paper reports that companies are more concerned with security than ever before. 75% of the companies showed that information security is a vital differentiator in the provided services. My team could use this paper to cite background information on security case that involved Geometric Software Solutions, which included virus and spam problems. This article addresses security risk concerns to clients from the vendor workers from who

Racial Assimilation of Black Community in the Mainstream American Essay

Racial Assimilation of Black Community in the Mainstream American Society - Essay Example This paper highlights that the blacks needed to overcome the racial divide maintained by the whites, within the society and their aggressive attitude and flagrant disregard for the niceties brought them into the forefront of socio-political field.  Mere recruitment of the black students in the white dominated colleges was not sufficient for their effective assimilation within the white population. While their campus life may have reduced racial divide, outside the campus, the color of the skin played a major role in their social status. The violence within the campus and the defiant stance of the BSU did pave way to the fulfillment of their demands to ‘established a black studies program, and recruited black faculty and staff in 1969†¦ between 1968 to 1972, more than five hundred black students programs, department, curricula and libraries were established across the nation’.

Integrated Marketing Communication Plan For Costa Coffee Marketing Essay

Integrated Marketing Communication Plan For Costa Coffee Marketing Essay The objective of this research is to provide an integrated marketing communications plan for Costa coffee. The strategic plan strives to boost the sales of the business and expand the market share of the business. The IMC plan for the products of Costa coffee target college students. The marketing objectives of the plan are to increase the purchases and uptake of Costa coffee products among college students. The strategy of providing discounts to college students ensures that these objectives are attainable. The business should also increase its market share and expand its business outlets by utilizing the marketing, advertising and promotions set out in this plan. Conversely, the structure of the communication objectives contained in this plan aims to reach the desired audience in an effective and cost effective manner. The access to information regarding the business should be made readily available to the target audience. The objectives of the plan, therefore, would be to provide as much information as required for customers in order to increase sales, build the business brand and increase its market share. Putting into consideration the fact that the target audiences are usually the hardest to reach, it is critical to align the strategies developed with realistic objectives in order to attain the desired goals. The objectives of the integrated marketing communications plan developed, therefore, connects both the desired objectives to the development strategies in order to arrive at the objectives set out. The achievement of the integrated marketing communications plan becomes attainable through the combination of various communication vehicles such as the internet, personal sales, advertisements and sales promotion. The selection of these vehicles is based on the target audiences and, therefore, identified as the most appropriate methods of communication to attain the planned objectives. It is noteworthy that the current approach adopted by the business in this respect does not comprehensively provide for the needs of the target population. The incentives adopted to achieve this approach work to enhance the current strategies in order to come up with strategies aimed at college students. It is, therefore, conclusive that the situations call for a strategic approach aimed at both marketing and communications. Bringing into the picture the fact that the target audiences are the most difficult to reach, the strategies adopted must be within the realm of the target audience. The communication strategies must also fall within the setup of this population in order to achieve effectiveness. Background Two brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa established costa coffee in 1971. The coffee was initially sold to the locals and subsequently they went ahead to open a coffee shop. Currently Costa coffee is among the fastest growing chain of coffee shops with numerous shops within the United Kingdom and a couple of other shops across the globe. The company went international in 1999 with an establishment in Dubai. In 1995, the business became a fully owned subsidiary after it was acquired by White bread and in 2009, the business acquired coffee heaven increasing its business operations by an additional 79 stores. Situational overview Marketing analysis Coffee is among the most preferred beverage among a large percentage of the inhabitants in the UK, and the preference extends globally. The rapid growth in the industry shows that the preference for coffee is ever growing and the market for the business increasing, as well. By the close of 2010, Costa coffee was the market leader in the business with the principal market share in the industry. Market environment Costa coffee will experience higher commodity prices in the future. Some factors affecting all the key market players include the prices of coffee and other commodities used by the businesses, technological advancement, and expansion and development techniques. The impact of these issues in the communications planning is eminent as it offers the Costa coffee customers products as well as valuable information regarding the products and promotional offers. Consumer analysis The primary consumers of the products of the business enterprise are coffee lovers of all ages. The products of Costa coffee have been developed to maintain the traditional taste to retain its current customers as well as attract more customers through the constant good quality coffee. The current market comprises of both local and international customers with a passion for the traditionally brewed coffee and exceptional services offered by Costa coffee. Competitor analysis Starbucks coffee is the strongest competitor to Costa coffee with a substantial share of the market. Even though, Costa coffee has a larger share of the market compared to Starbucks the difference in this market share is marginal and; therefore, the determination of the price of the products and consumer influence among the competitors is not set by any of the players but set by market forces. SWOT analysis Strengths The main strengths of the business include its brand and custom products. The business brand has a strong reputation for providing excellent products, and the brands association with the traditional coffee brewing methods by using good quality coffee contributes to the strength of the business. This gives the business an edge among its competitors. Weaknesses The most significant weaknesses of the business are the procedures required in opening a new outlet. Although these procedures act to maintain the brand quality, they hinder the rapid expansion of their business through the numerous procedural requirements. The complex procedures always deter the expansion process. Opportunities The business has operational opportunities in the international market, and this venture will see the business increase its revenue and market share. The presence of the business in the international arena is still lacking and, with investment in the international emerging markets through franchise, this becomes a viable option in ensuring global presence. Threats Potential threats to the business are the vulnerabilities to economics shifts such as the change in the price of coffee beans and legal issues. Target audience The target market for the integrated market and communications plan is the young population and more so the college student population. The populace makes up a considerable portion of the economy, and the disposable incomes of the target population fit the products offered by the business. Overview The brand building by the company has ensured that the business has stayed afloat and further facilitated the expansion of the business. The use of the business brand in marketing helps to attract customers into the business. The college students targeted by the plan will likely be attracted to Costa coffee by its brand and its products quality The adoption of a strategy to focus on the younger generation and especially the college students founded on the notion that since most of the stores are situated next to bookshops and colleges, the business is strategically positioned for the target audiences. The media vehicles used to reach this population, therefore, inclines towards the employment of technological approaches to communication and in this regard, the use of the internet preferred. The existing communications strategy used by the company involves the use of the internet, where the business has a website on its products but apart from that, the business does not have other marketing plans. The business website is not interactive and does not have a vibrant outlay, although the website provides links to the companies social networks the relationship between the social media and website are not well interlinked. Another development in the business is that, in 2006, the business sponsored the Costa book awards meant to celebrate storytelling and literary works, which further informs the modalities of choosing the target population and the strategies developed. Objectives The integrated marketing plan will achieve many marketing communications objectives that will act as a basis for the enhancement of the business activities of Costa coffee. The objectives of the plan are ascertainable and based on the SWOT analysis of the business. The general objective of the plan is to improve the brand name of Costa coffee. This becomes attainable through increasing the brand image, which will improve sales and increase the organizations market share. The objectives of the plan will vary in degree but in order to arrive at the primary objective of the plan, it is necessary to put into consideration objectives aimed at making fundamental and implementation decisions. The goals of the plan, therefore, include providing awareness to the target population through advertisement, facilitate the introduction, and build sales of new products such as the Costa gift card and the book awards, gain consumer trust and loyalty and offer excellent products to the customers. The objectives of the marketing communications would be to inform the customers by creating and stimulating interest and awareness. This will make the target customers know about the products offered and the availability of these products. In this regard and respect to the target population, therefore, the strategies employed must be trendy and appealing. Persuading the customers that the products of Costa coffee are the best value for them compared to the competitors also forms the objectives of marketing communications. Giving offers and providing a reward program for loyal customers should inform the strategy used in this achievement. Additionally reminding the existing customers of the products and the quality of the products of Costa coffee assists the business improve its sales, as the customers are informed of it presence. Messages PROBLEM HOW TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM MESSAGE None of the Costa coffee products are meant for the college students Provide students a discount on the Costa products Costa coffee values all its customers, especially the young generation Costa coffee does not give back to the society Provide scholarships and events such as book awards Costa coffee supports education. Major message to the customers MESSAGE NAME AND CORE MESSAGE MESSAGE SUBSTANTIATION Costa coffee values the contribution of the students to its business Costa coffee will introduce discounts to its customers especially to the college students in order to appeal to the younger generation. Costa coffee values education Costa coffee will establish a scholarship program for college students and provide other educational support such as book awards to students. Communications strategy The communication strategy employed aims at the development and implementation of communication plans to enhance the visibility of Costa coffee. The strategy works to generate positive media coverage through the interaction through the social media. This will in turn generate support from customers on the improvements to tailor the Costa coffee to the needs of its customers. The communication strategy also facilitates the encouragement of the business customers to support Costa coffee. Branding Branding promotes the recognition of a product or service of a provider and where the provider provides quality services the brand is remembered and serves to provide repeat customers for the brand. The tendency of individuals to adhere to familiarity is a common factor in the consumption habits and, therefore, the use of a familiar brand translates top positive reception of services and products even where the products are new. When a customer recognizes a brand that they have used previously they tend to choose that product over the others. Marketing communications mix To position the products of Costa coffee strategically, the approach used focuses on the emphasis on the quality of its products instead of the prices. It is evident that the quality of the products of Costa coffee remains at a high standard throughout the market. The mix adopted in the attainment of this includes the use of advertisements, sales promotion, personal selling, and public relations. Advertisement involves the use of paid and non-personal form of media communication. The use of advertisement achieves many objectives in this endeavor such as building the brand image of the business, and passing the relevant information to the target audience. The downside of this form of communication is the expenses attached to an advertisement, which are usually high. Comparatively material is the use of personal selling which uses personal interactions with the aim of fostering a good relationship with the customers. This method makes a representation of the long-term commitment of the business to its customers and facilitates the use of feedback. However, this method is more expensive compared to the other methods. Paul et al. (1999) provides that sales promotion, on the other hand, use a variety of styles ranging from promotions coupons, discounts and contests. This method attracts customers as well as provides them with purchase-oriented incentives. The barrier to this metho d is that it does not aim at the long term objectives of marketing communications. Public relations support the credibility of the business as it is a more believable form of marketing communication and uses a variety of features in approach such as sponsorships, news stories and features as well as promotions. This approach is relatively inexpensive and achieves many desirable results. Creative strategies The creative strategy employed in the achievement of the objectives of the integrated marketing communications plan required for effective advertising. The creative strategies stem from the marketing strategy of Costa coffee, take into consideration the opinion of the customers, and integrate the component of honesty. The creative strategies should not promise what cannot be delivered and must be formulated on realistic expectations. The creative strategies aim at providing value to the customers and a solution to their problems. The focus of advertising is to show the customers that Costa coffee has a product that is of interest to them and that the product is of a good quality. The communication to the customer revolves around their tastes and preferences. Media strategy The target market segment of the plan will be individuals who are attending college and who have a regular access to the internet. In this regard, the preferred media for the attainment of the objectives of the plan will rely majorly on the internet. The same possess a structure aimed at attracting the initial consumption of Costa coffee and subsequently work to retain these customers while attracting more. Ajasafe et al. (2011) discusses that the availability of internet access to this fraction of the target population through their institutions further supports the preference for the internet. Measurement and brand equity concepts The success of the integrated marketing communications plan will be based on the improvement of sales by Costa coffee. The awareness of the target population shall also form a contributory factor in the assessment of the plans success. The return on marketing investment shall be based on these two factors as well as the attitude of the target audience to brand. The key objective of the plan being to improve on the sales, the change in the sale quantities of business shall be a direct indicator of the plans success. Putting into consideration the fact that the strategies adopted cannot yield immediate results a period of three months should be allowed in order to determine the efficiency of the plan (Malcolm and Wilson 2011). If, at the end of this period, the sales of the business do not increase then the plan should be reevaluated to ensure the set objectives are met. Brand awareness is also a crucial objective of the plan as a good brand wills attract customers to purchase a product. The ultimate goal, therefore, is to improve the brand awareness and ensure a positive attitude by the customers toward these products. Below the line communications This method of communication implies the use of channels that do not involve mass media. These methods focus on both brand building and sales promotions. It allows for engagement with the target audience in a more interactive and personal way. The communication needs are in turn tailored to fit the requirements and the expectations of the audience. Promotion Promotion plays the key role in the marketing plan with an estimate of half of the budget. Promotional activities and provision of discounts on the goods is a highly effective method of marketing as it is engaging to the intended target group. The concept will increase the brand awareness as well as boost sales with the use of practical marketing, which allows consumers to have an emotion; experience with the brand. The discount programs shall be applied to stores located around colleges and areas with a large population of the target group. Gifts and coupons The use of gifts and coupons for customers will improve the sales of the business as well as its brand name by giving the customers incentives to purchase from the store. These concepts give customers a reason to choose the brand over the rest because the customers are rewarded. Public relations This is also noteworthy as the target audiences are made aware of the presence of the brand and the foodstuff available for them. The concept also becomes practical where the audiences are reminded of the presence of the brand in the market. This concept fits the case of Costa coffee as the target audience can be reached both efficiently and effectively. This is true because of the huge concentration of the target audience in the selected areas. Direct and Digital Magazines By using magazines, especially those oriented towards the college students the target audience can be provided information as well as education on the products of Costa coffee. The essence of these advertisements is to drive the audience towards purchasing the advertised products. The target audiences in this case are more responsive to magazines that talk about contemporary issues and technology magazines, as well as educational magazines. This implies, therefore, that in order to reach the population it is imperative to advertise in these magazines. Internet The use of the internet is the most extensive form of communication aimed at achieving the objective of this plan. The reason the internet is the most efficient and practical vehicle for communication is that it has several modes of communication within it ranging from internet advertisements, social media, websites, and blogs. The internet is also comparatively cheaper than the other methods of communication such as promotions. The internet methods are also instant and the information is made available in a timely manner. It is also noteworthy that the target population is in constant touch with the internet world and as such a lo9t of emphasis should be placed on internet communication. The vast array of channels of internet communication also provides massive coverage of the target population. Integration The business brand will play a central role in the integration of various communication methods to be used in the plan. The brand will act as a signature for the business, and whichever method is applied in the communication strategy the contents of the communication must include the business brand of Costa coffee for identification of the business (Chris 2010). JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC PROMOTION GIFTS AND COUPONS PUBLIC RELATIONS MAGAZINES INTERNET Tactical calendar Budget The largest  portion  of the estimated budget is set for promotions  which results to 50% of the estimated budget. The decision to allocate this large percentage to promotion stems from the massive contributions of promotions towards the attainment of the planned objectives. The second budget estimate is set of advertisements and takes a percentage of 15% of the estimated budget (John 2007). The contribution of advertisements to the objective is also substantial, and the cost of putting up advertisements is higher than the other options, therefore, inflating the cost of advertisements. Other estimates in the budgeting process include public relations, which require 15% of the estimated budget. Public relations also provide a good platform in the marketing and communications strategy and, therefore, require a good budget portion. The emphasis on this vehicle culminates from the anticipated impact of this vehicle on the outcome of the integrated marketing communications plan. Gif t, coupons, and the use of the internet will both take an equal allocation of the remaining budget.

Unhealthy Images of the Female Body :: Psychology, Self-esteem

To some degree women in various cultures have always experienced the pressure to conform to specific ideals. The new phenomenon in Western society is telling women that beauty has requirements. That is, to be attractive you must be incredibly thing, firm, but not muscular and large breasted (Grogan 41). Unhealthy images of the female body are continuously displayed in almost all aspects of media, but television commercials are an incredibly strong influence. Although there are many influential commercials, the ad campaign by Victoria's Secret, Love My Body, is particularly frightening. The television commercials star the typical "stick thin and busty" models (McDonell-Parry) parading around in their underwear, wind blowing through their hair, making comments such as "I love my body", "my body is sexy" and "my body is my favorite body". The idea of confidence is possibly trying to be portrayed here, but the company strongly reinforces the narrow image of beauty created in Western society by choosing models that conform to Westernized beauty standards, thus contradicting the theme of confidence (McDonell-Parry). This specific Victoria's Secret commercial, along with many other commercials, are being viewed by thousands of women, both young and old. The portrayal of these women on TV sends a message to young females that confidence is fun and sexy, but you can only have it if you are extremely thin, busty, and beautiful like the displayed women. The commercials for the new line of bras could have easily been made to promote the love and appreciation of all women, despite their shape or size, but it chose to reinforce the unrealistic standards that the typical media source holds. It is images and ads like these that create inward negative feelings in young women. Self-esteem is considered to be a â€Å"positive or negative attitude toward†¦ the self† (Clay 451). Negative attitudes in young women can stem from a variety of internal or external forces. An accurate method to measure a young female’s self-esteem is through the interpretation of body dissatisfaction and what provokes it. Body dissatisfaction occurs due to three things, in the present day: the desire to be thin, the dread of weight gain and the idea that weight and shape are essential to a female’s character (Levine 11). All of these determinants of body dissatisfaction are a result of how media uses an unrealistic female body in virtually all of its aspects, thus creating a cultural norm that being "thin is attractive" (Levine 15).

Ethnomethodology Essay

1. How do the authors make the case that gender is a socially created concept as opposed to an independently existing reality? â€Å"Doing gender means creating differences between girls and boys and women and men, difference that are not natural, essential, or biological,† writes Candace West and Don Zimmerman in the article. The statement implies their theory that gender equates to a difference between two sexes that is not based genitals or anything that comes naturally with being male or female. This is further emphasized by the repetition of the same concept all throughout the article. West and Zimmerman reinforce their belief of gender being a socially-created concept by citing currently existing theories and views on sex and gender plus findings from other studies that point to the fact that gender is not something that we are born with – it is something that we have to keep on â€Å"doing†. West and Zimmerman let it shine how gender is something that we need to work at by saying that, as opposed to the Western, social sciences, and role theory perspectives of gender, we can neither consider gender as something that’s ingrained in our sexual category nor view it something that we only assume depending on the situation at hand. It is a â€Å"product of social doing† and is created through our interaction with other people. 2. What did you learn about your gender behaviors? What experiences have you had that have directed you towards accomplishing gender? Through the article, I have come to know that my gender behaviors are greatly influenced by how culture â€Å"idealizes† how a man or a woman should react in given circumstances. My gender is not only judged through masculinity or femininity but also through the way I adapt to each situation handed out to me. Another thing that I learned was that in as much as my gender behaviors are influenced by cultural dictates, so is culture influenced by my gender behaviors. By conforming to what is expected of my gender, I contribute to justifying the domestic, economic, political, and interpersonal allocation of power and resources already in place. Experiences that direct me towards accomplishment of gender occur almost everyday – from simply wearing what is expected of me to saying things that is expected of someone of my own gender. 3. How could you apply these learnings in a counseling environment with clients at various developmental stages? What contributions could these ideas make to counseling? What I’ve learned from West and Zimmerman’s article can be applied in a counseling environment, especially when dealing with people like Agnes or the growing up teenagers who often get confused with their ’sexual’ and/or ‘gender’ orientation. Since a person’s biological traits do not necessarily dictate his/her gender, the ideas proposed by West and Zimmerman can be the perfect explanation as to why the confusions arise. It can also point out why society reacts the way they do with gays and lesbians – they have a pre-constructed notion of how males and females should react and are usually taken aback by anything that suggests that there are more than two sexes. The authors’ theory is the first step towards knowing how the confusion and the seemingly negative reaction can be eliminated. 4. Describe the self-regulating processes you engage in the research class? What behaviors do you observe in others that serve to maintain gender identities? In research class, we are wont to being mindful of the topics that we handle. We strive to be gender-sensitive and try, as much as possible, to conduct a research in a manner that will not be offensive for either males or females. Maintaining gender identities is something that everybody strives to do. This may be apparent in the way questioning is done in different genders. Because females are expected to be coy about topics like sexual relationships, these are not normally asked straightforward of them. Also, since society has constructed man as a natural leader, the male members of the class are more often than not appointed leader or looked upon as knowledgeable. 5. In what ways do West and Zimmerman contribute to â€Å"theory making†? Describe their theory in your own words? How is it useful? West and Zimmerman themselves outlined in their paper, â€Å"Our purpose in this article is to propose an ethnomethodologically informed, and therefore distinctively sociological, understanding of gender as a routine, methodical, and recurring accomplishment.† In saying so, they themselves admit that, with their article, they are trying to add to the already existing body of knowledge on gender. With â€Å"Doing Gender†, West and Zimmerman contribute to theory making by inferring their own findings on what gender really is. For West and Zimmerman, gender is something that one has to continuously work on. It is not a given aspect of a person nor is it something that, once learned, is already ingrained in you. In fact, the two believes that gender is a continuing process and one has to keep on working at conforming to ‘roles’ associated with his/her gender. They also believe that â€Å"doing gender† is an inevitable part of life and that to actually change how â€Å"doing gender† solidifies gender roles, overhaul of societal beliefs is needed. West and Zimmerman’s theory is, in my opinion, useful in that it can help us achieve a unified definition of gender. This, in turn, may result to a better understanding of how the concept of gender is created by the societal undercurrents. 6. Discuss what makes West and Zimmerman’s article research? Describe their methodology. Give an example of an application of this methodology in counseling or counselor education. Merriam-Webster.com defines research as a â€Å"studious inquiry or examination†¦ aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws†. â€Å"Doing Gender† approached its conclusion with the use of a method (studious inquiry). The authors had a particular aim at conducting the study (aimed at interpreting facts), and that was to come up with a more informed understanding of gender (revision of accepted theories or law). Studious inquiry, aimed at interpreting facts, revision of accepted theories or law – all these have been successfully met West and Zimmerman’s article; hence, it can actually be considered a research. West and Zimmerman approached their comprehension of gender by compiling existing point of views and studies on gender. Those that actually contradict their theory were properly explained as to why they cannot be taken for truth and those that are in support of their theory were properly explained.   This is what George Psatahs called â€Å"The organization of practical actions and practical reasoning†, a variety of ethnomethodology (â€Å"Ethnomethodology†, 2007). Said method is aimed at looking at ways people construct the meanings and interpretations of the world and everything in it. Since counseling entails knowing why a person thinks the way s/he does, ethnomethodology can be very useful in conducting it. With a deeper understanding of how people view the world, more informed answers can be delivered in a counseling session.   

Biography of Christina, Unconventional Queen of Sweden

Biography of Christina, Unconventional Queen of Sweden Queen Christina of Sweden (December 18, 1626–April 19, 1689) reigned for nearly 22 years, from Nov. 6, 1632, to June 5, 1654. Shes remembered for her abdication and her conversion from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism. She also was known for being an unusually well-educated woman for her time, a patron of the arts, and, according to rumors, a lesbian and an intersexual.  She was formally crowned in 1650. Fast Facts: Queen Christina of Sweden Known For: Independent-minded queen of SwedenAlso Known As:  Christina Vasa, Kristina Wasa, Maria Christina Alexandra, Count Dohna,  Minerva  of the North, Protectress of the Jews at RomeBorn: December 18, 1626 in Stockholm, SwedenParents: King Gustavus Adolphus Vasa, Maria EleonoraDied: April 19, 1689 in Rome, Italy Early Life Christina was born Dec. 18, 1626, to King Gustavus Adolphus Vasa of Sweden and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, now a state in Germany. She was her fathers only surviving legitimate child, and thus his only heir.  Her mother was a German princess, daughter of John Sigismund, elector of Brandenburg, and granddaughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia.  She married Gustavus Adolphus against the will of her brother George William, who had by that time succeeded to the office of elector of Brandenberg. Her childhood came during a long European cold spell called the Little Ice Age  and the Thirty Years War (1618–1648),  when Sweden sided with other Protestant nations against the Habsburg Empire, a Catholic power centered in Austria. Her fathers role in the Thirty Years War may have turned the tide from the Catholics to the Protestants. He was considered a master of military tactics and instituted political reforms, including expanding education and the rights of the peasantry. After his death in 1632, he was designated the Great (Magnus) by the Swedish Estates of the Realm. Her mother, disappointed to have had a girl, showed little affection for her. Her father was frequently away at war, and Maria Eleonoras mental state was made worse by those absences.  As a baby, Christina was subjected to several suspicious accidents. Christinas father ordered that she be educated as a boy. She became known for her education and for her patronage of learning and the arts. She was referred to as the Minerva of the North, referring to the Roman goddess of the arts, and the Swedish capital Stockholm became known as Athens of the North.   Queen When her father was killed in battle in 1632, the 6-year-old girl became Queen Christina. Her mother, who was described as being hysterical in her grief, was excluded from being part of the regency. Lord High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna ruled Sweden as regent until Queen Christina was of age. Oxenstierna had been an adviser to Christinas father and continued in that role after Christina was crowned. Christinas mothers parental rights were terminated in 1636, though Maria Eleonora continued to attempt to visit Christina. The government tried to settle Maria Eleonora first in Denmark and then back in her home in Germany, but her homeland would not accept her until Christina secured an allowance for her support. Reigning Even during the regency, Christina followed her own mind. Against Oxenstiernas advice, she initiated the end of the Thirty Years War, culminating with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. She launched a Court of Learning by virtue of her patronage of art, theater, and music. Her efforts attracted French philosopher Rene Descartes, who came to Stockholm and stayed for two years. His plans to establish an academy in Stockholm collapsed when he suddenly became ill with pneumonia and died in 1650. Her coronation finally came in 1650 in a ceremony attended by her mother. Relationships Queen Christina appointed her cousin Carl Gustav (Karl Charles Gustavus) as her successor. Some historians believe that she was romantically linked to him earlier, but they never married. Instead, her relationship with lady-in-waiting Countess Ebbe Belle Sparre launched rumors of lesbianism. Surviving letters from Christina to the countess are easily described as love letters, though it is difficult to apply modern classifications such as lesbian to people in a time when such categorizations were not known. They shared a bed at times, but this practice did not necessarily imply a sexual relationship. The countess married and left the court before Christinas abdication, but they continued to exchange passionate letters. Abdication Difficulties with issues of taxation and governance and problematic relations with Poland plagued Christinas last years as queen, and in 1651 she first proposed that she abdicate. Her council convinced her to stay, but she had some sort of breakdown and spent much time confined to her rooms. She finally abdicated officially in 1654. Supposed reasons were that she didnt want to marry or that  she wanted to convert the state religion from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism, but the real motive is still argued by historians. Her mother opposed her abdication, but Christina provided that her mothers allowance would be secure even without her daughter ruling Sweden. Rome Christina, now calling herself Maria Christina Alexandra, left Sweden a few days after her official abdication, traveling disguised as a man. When her mother died in 1655, Christina was living in Brussels. She made her way to Rome, where she lived in a palazzo filled with art and books that became a lively center of culture as a salon. She had converted to Roman Catholicism by the time she arrived in Rome. The former queen became a favorite of the Vatican in the religious battle for the hearts and minds of 17th century Europe. She was aligned with a free-thinking branch of Roman Catholicism. Christina also embroiled herself in political and religious intrigue, first between the French and Spanish factions in Rome. Failed Schemes In 1656, Christina launched an attempt to become queen of Naples. A member of Christinas household, the marquis of Monaldesco, betrayed plans of Christina and the French to the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Christina retaliated by having Monaldesco executed in her presence. For this act, she was for some time marginalized in Roman society, though she eventually became involved again in church politics. In another failed scheme, Christina attempted to have herself made queen of Poland. Her confidant and adviser, Cardinal Decio Azzolino, was rumored to be her lover, and in one scheme Christina attempted to win the papacy for Azzolino. Christina died on April 19, 1689, at age 62, having named Cardinal Azzolino as her sole heir. She was buried in St. Peters Basilica, an unusual honor for a woman. Legacy Queen Christinas abnormal interest (for her era) in pursuits normally reserved for males, occasional dressing in male attire, and persistent stories about her relationships have led to disagreements among historians as to the nature of her sexuality. In 1965, her body was exhumed for testing to see if she had signs of hermaphroditism or intersexuality. The results were inconclusive, though they indicated that her skeleton was typically female in structure. Her life spanned Renaissance Sweden to Baroque Rome and left a record of a woman who, through privilege and strength of character, challenged what it meant to be a woman in her era. She also left behind her thoughts in letters, maxims, an unfinished autobiography, and notes in the margins of her books. Sources Buckley, Veronica.  Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric. Harper Perennial, 2005.Mattern, Joanne.  Queen Christina of Sweden.  Capstone Press, 2009.Landy, Marcia and Villarejo, Amy.  Queen Christina.   British Film Institute,1995.Christina of Sweden.5 Facts About Queen Christina of Sweden.

British Capitalism Develpment

British Capitalism Develpment Introduction/Thesis statement In order for us to be able to define and to explain the most distinctive features of British capitalism, ever since the time of Industrial Revolution until comparatively times, we will need to refer to the discussed subject matter from not solely economic but also geopolitical and socio-cultural perspective.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on British Capitalism Develpment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If put in a nutshell, the history of British capitalism can be outlined as follows: After Industrial Revolution made it possible to invest in such newly emerged industries as textile producing, railway building and steam-engine engineering, through years 1760-1860 British economy experienced an unprecedented boom. Nevertheless, from 1860 onwards, the vitality of British economy started to become progressively undermined. This process continued throughout the course of 20th century and had r esulted in creation of a situation when, as of today, British financial system is essentially the only self-sustainable sector of country’s economy. And, there are good reasons to believe that the closer analysis of British capitalism’s evolution, will provide us with the insight on what represented its foremost features, throughout the course of an affiliated historical era. In this paper, we will aim to do just that. Main part/Conclusion The origins of British capitalism are rooted in the workings of Puritan/Protestant mentality. As it was pointed out by Max Weber, the very essence of Protestantism, as essentially secular religion, created objective preconditions for Industrial Revolution to begin in Britain, as the country that featured a stable government, on one hand, and idealistically minded but utterly industrious population, on another – it is namely the combination these two socio-political factors that drives forward scientific progress.[1] Thus, it w as due to objectively existing laws of historical dialectics that, from 1760 onwards, the value of labor in British economy started to attain independent subtleties – hence, facilitating the process of country’s industrialization. By the end of 19th century, Britain became the first fully industrialized nation. Nevertheless, what differed Britain from other countries that had undergone industrialization later in history, is that it possessed a vast colonial Empire. This was exactly the reason why in Britain, instead of being invested into developing of new technologies, the bulk of ‘surplus value’, created by an ongoing process of industrialization, was invested into the maintenance of an Empire and into developing the resource-based sectors of economy.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In his book, Rubinstein (1993) states: â€Å"British investment increasingly went overseas, especially into developing the primary industries minerals, rubber, jute, gold and diamonds of the tropical Empire, or the infrastructure railways, docks, public works, construction in the temperate regions of the Empire settled by emigre Britons† (p. 4). Nevertheless, as we are well aware of, the pace of scientific progress renders the functioning of resource-based commercial enterprises increasingly unfeasible. For example, after the end of WW2, the cost value of a copper in telephone cables accounted for 80%. The telephone cable at the bottom of Atlantic Ocean, which during the course of forties and fifties was connecting America and Europe, was utterly expensive and yet – it allowed making only 138 parallel telephone calls. Nowadays, despite the fact that the cost value of raw materials in optical fiber cables accounts for only 10%, they can sustain 750.000 parallel telephone conversations, at the time.[2] In other words, t he initial vigor of British capitalism was lost, because Britons’ capitalistic industriousness was channeled into improving the living standards for local populations in colonies. To put it allegorically – the kinetic power of British capitalism was transformed into the heat, which later simply dispersed into the thin air, on the account of colonies having succeeded in liberating themselves from ‘white oppression’. Thus, one of the most distinctive traits of British capitalism was its affiliation with ‘white man’s burden’ of spreading the light of civilization, which sets it apart of from capitalisms of Germany or U.S., for example, strictly concerned with generating a commercial profit. As it was rightly pointed out by Rubinstein in the same book: â€Å"Gentlemanly capitalism, based on land, finance, and commercial services, is the key to understanding the growth of the British Empire† (p. 40). Apparently, British capitalists ne ver ceased being little more than just profit-driven individuals, as it used to be the case with their counterparts from the rest of the world. Thus, British capitalistic ‘gentriness’ can be partially blamed for the fact that, by 20th century’s twenties and thirties, there were millions of highly skilled but unemployed industrial workers in Britain. And, as time went by, it was becoming increasingly harder for them to find a job, as commercial feasibility of Britain’s industries, associated with extraction and utilization of natural resources (especially of those overseas), started to become progressively undermined. For example, in 1925, when prices for natural rubber were at all times high, this product accounted for 15% of all British exports. However, since Germans discovered a technology for producing synthetic rubber in 1935, within a matter of two years, the share of natural rubber from colonies in British exports fell down to 3% selling this produ ct simply ceased being quite as profitable.[3]Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on British Capitalism Develpment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, it is not by a pure accident that it was namely during the course of twenties and thirties, that British trade-unionist movement started to gain a momentum, which in its turn, established socio-political preconditions for the concept of so-called ‘welfare state’ to grow increasingly popular with more and more Britons. Very rapidly, the functioning of British free-market economy was attaining a number of clearly defined Socialist subtleties. This brings us to discuss another distinctive feature of British capitalism – the fact that it had undergone a rapid transformation being ‘wild’ to becoming essentially ‘semi-socialist’. Despite the fact that, throughout the course of second half of 19th century, British capitalism wa s strongly associated with merciless exploitation of child labor and with virtual absence of trade-unionist movement, in the first decade of 20th century a number of legislations have been passed by the Parliament, in order to protect workers’ social and economic rights. For example, Britain was the first country in the world that in 1911 made workers eligible for unemployment insurance. Moreover, as time went by, the government continued to bestow a variety of social benefits upon workers. In his article, Fulcher (1997) states: â€Å"The 1920 National Insurance Act greatly extended the coverage of unemployment benefit and the 1921 Act first provided allowances for the dependants of the unemployed†¦ The 1925 Act established the modern pension system of non-means-tested pensions for those over 65† (p. 515). In its turn, this explains why, unlike what it used to be the case in other major capitalist countries, such as France, Italy, U.S., Spain and China (with excep tion of Nazi Germany, of course), British Communists were never popular with British ‘proletarians’, on behalf of which they spoke. According to Wood (1959): â€Å"The C.P.G.B. (Communist Party of Great Britan) has always been smaller than any Communist party of a major industrial nation. Although membership of 10,000 was officially claimed at the time of its foundation, the actual figure seems to have been nearer 2.500† (p. 259). The reason for this is simple – due to Labor Party’s political activities, during the course of thirties, British society was growing increasingly Socialist. And, socialist-minded citizens are much more likely to affiliate themselves with the concept of a ‘welfare state’, as opposed to affiliating themselves with the concept of ‘class struggle’. Nevertheless, as we know from the lessons of history, while providing various benefits to unprivileged members of society, the implementation of the conce pt of ‘welfare state’ undermines the effectiveness of economy’s functioning. The economies of ‘welfare states’ are necessarily stagnant, which explains such economies’ insensitivity to free-market challenges.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was the reason why, unlike what it was the case with America’s capitalism, British capitalism remained largely unaffected by the Great Depression of 1929 – Britain’s depression began in 1921 and it subtly continues until today. As Booth (1982) had put it in his article: â€Å"At some time in early 1921 it became clear that the period of prosperity was over. To all sections of the community, therefore, the outlook was one of unaccustomed bleakness† (p. 208). The fact that this depression was being extended over such long period of time, simply made it less acutely felt. Unlike what it was the case with American depression, British depression was not predetermined by free-market economy’s fluctuations, but by government’s attempts to keep these fluctuations under control. Despite the fact that Britain came as a winner out of WW2, country’s economic might was greatly diminished by this war and by India’s proclamation of indep endence in 1947, which initiated the process of Empire’s dismantling. Britain’s financial system, represented by London’s City; nevertheless, remained comparatively strong. However, despite being semi-independent and privately own financial institution, much like America’s Federal Reserve, the Bank of England had chosen in favor of qualitatively different approach towards increasing the effectiveness of economy’s functioning, as compared to what it was the case with Federal Reserve. Instead of striving to provide a boost to the economy by increasing the amount of money in domestic circulation – hence, increasing citizens’ buying power, which in its turn, would result in increasing the competitiveness of nation’s industries, it simply embarked upon lending money to foreign governments and financial institutions and also upon ensuing a variety of internationally traded bonds.[4] In the book from which we have already quoted, Rubi nstein states: â€Å"The Citys traditional role re-emerged strongly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the rise of the Eurocurrency and Eurobond markets†¦ and the beginnings of large-scale investment and borrowings by Third World and Arab countries† (p.73). Such City’s strategy; however, should not be referred to as conceptually fallacious. After all, country’s peasantry has been ‘burned off’ is the chimney of industrialization in 19th century, which is why, after having been deprived of its colonies, Britain simply could not begin expanding industries on its own soil by the mean of increasing citizens’ buying power – there was simply no ‘human fuel’ left to sustain the process of industrialization once again. On the other hand, since the era of post-industrialism has not began yet, City also could not invest into developing of informational technologies and into setting up industrial production lines in the coun tries of Third World, which would have turned Britain into ‘manufacturer of intellect’, as it is the case with today’s Germany, Japan and U.S. This was one of the reasons why the capitalist realities in Britain, through 1945-1955, closely reminded the Communist realities in Soviet Union, around the same time – people standing in lineups to buy basic food, the system of products’ rationing, and the high extent of governmental corruption. Such was the unsightly face of British capitalism in post-war years. Throughout the course of sixties and seventies, the essence of British capitalism’s functioning can be outlined within the following framework: every time, citizens felt that their economic well-being was starting to improve, they would vote for Labor, and after that, their standards of living would take a steep dive again. And, so it went on and on, until Margaret Thatcher was appointed a Prime Minister in 1979. After that, British capitalis m started to remind capitalism proper, for a change – the government allowed the privatization of many state-owned companies, it cut back on investing into public sector and reformed country’s taxation policies. Within a matter of few years, British economy began to regain its former vitality. Unfortunately, British capitalistic revival did not last for too long. After winning the elections of 2001, New Labor proceeded with its old agenda of building a ‘welfare state’.[5] As a result, up until most recent elections, Britain was nothing short of a classical Socialist state the whole armies of uneducated immigrants from Third World were instantly made eligible for generous welfare payments, on the account of their ‘cultural uniqueness’, the quality standards in country’s health care and educational systems were drastically lowered, the medium-sized commercial enterprises were heavily taxed, which had brought many of them on the threshold of bankruptcy, the proper functioning of Britain’s energy sector was brought to a halt, etc. Nevertheless, as it was shown by the outcome of political elections of 2010, it is much too early to bury British capitalism, as the concept synonymous to the concept of properly functioning free-market economy. References Booth, A 1982, ‘Corporatism, capitalism and depression in twentieth-century Britain’, The British Journal of Sociology, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 200-223. Feenberg, A 1990, ‘Post-industrial discourses’, Theory and Society, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 709-737. Fulcher, J 1997, ‘Did British society change character in the 1920s or the 1980s’,  The British Journal of Sociology, vol. 48, no. 3, pp. 514-521. Lisle-Williams, M 1984, ‘Beyond the market: The survival of family capitalism in the English merchant banks’, The British Journal of Sociology, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 241-271. Martin, C 2004, ‘Reinventing welfare regimes: E mployers and the implementation of active social policy’, World Politics, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 39-69. Rubinstein, WD 1993, Capitalism, culture, and decline in Britain, 1750-1990, Taylor Francis Routledge, London/New York. Solo, R 1954, ‘Research and development in the synthetic rubber industry’, The  Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 61-82. Weber, M 2001, The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. New Translation and Introduction by Stephen Kalberg, Roxbury Publishing, Los Angeles. Wood, N 1959, ‘The empirical proletarians: A note on British Communism’,  Political Science Quarterly, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 256-272. Footnotes M. Weber 2001, The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism, Roxbury Publishing, Los Angeles, p. 15. A. Feenberg 1990, ‘Post-industrial discourses’, Theory and Society, vol. 19, no. 6, p. 720. R. Solo 1954, ‘Research and development in the synthetic rubber industry’, The Q uarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 68, no. 1, p. 63. M. Lisle-Williams 1984, ‘Beyond the market: The survival of family capitalism in the English merchant banks’, The British Journal of Sociology, vol. 35, no. 2, p. 250. C. Martin 2004, ‘Reinventing welfare regimes: Employers and the implementation of active social policy’, World Politics, vol. 57, no. 1, p. 45.

The founding of the UN during the Second World War shows that the UN Essay

The founding of the UN during the Second World War shows that the UN can meet international challenges in the way that the Leagu - Essay Example That way, if a country decides to make genocide legal, the international community can impose trade restrictions, embargos, and other measures in order to weaken that country’s ability to carry out its plans. In addition, an international government makes possible the use of a widespread alliance in military actions against a country such as Germany in World War II. However, the League of Nations proved incapable of preventing the aggressive military actions of Germany in the years leading up to the Second World War, which created the need for the United Nations, which is more structurally able than its predecessor to handle such international challenges. The intergovernmental League of Nations was formed in 1919 at the Treaty of Versailles immediately after the First World War, tasked with the responsibility of preventing another such war and maintaining world peace. It planned to do so through disarmament, serving as an international arbiter of disputes, and by enforcing law s related to prisoners of war, the arms trade, and global health (League of Nations). The countries of the world readily approved of the idea of the League, noting that the Great Powers of the world needed to take increased responsibility in ensuring the global security of the world. The Great Powers began to realize that eventually, in a conflict between countries, they would have to become involved (Walters). Because the League of Nation had no standing army of its own, it relied on the Great Powers for its security measures. The resolutions that the League drafted were to be enforced by the larger armies of the world and, thus, the League relied on the active and full participation of each of its members (League of Nations). However, many armies were hesitant to fully engage those resolutions for a number of reasons. In some cases, the League would draft a resolution against an economic partner or long-time ally of one of the Great Powers. For example, during the conflict between Italy and Ethiopia in the mid-1930s, the League called resolutions against Italy. Few countries complied, due to Italy’s status in the world as an economic and political ally. Italy itself mocked the resolutions, which damaged the public image of the League as the world’s policing agency (Jahanpour). These kinds of acts undermined the effectiveness of the organization not only to carry out its intergovernmental security role, but also to serve as an effective arbiter between states. Once countries did not respect the authority of the League, they did not respect its ability to effectively bring about conclusions to those conflicts. The greatest failure of the League came in the late 1930s with Germany’s non-compliance. Starting with a complaint from a Jewish German about rights violations based on religion, sanctions from the League on Germany resulted (Shoah Resource Center). These resolutions banned racist laws. Because one of the stated goals of the League w as to protect minorities in Europe, the organization lived up to its mission (Walters). However, in 1937, Hitler-led Germany refused to recognize itself as part of the League and continued enforcement of laws against Jews. The failure of the League in this instance was constituted by the assumption that the Great Po

Human Rescource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Rescource Management - Essay Example Rousseau (1989) defines the psychological contract as â€Å"an individual’s beliefs regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between that focal person and another party† (p. 123). There are various aspects of the work force like variations in the job, nature of job, challenges of the work and other areas that have been considered as growing areas of interests (Hughes and Palmer, 2007). There has been various human resource management issues related to the contingent work force that provided one of the most appropriate areas of studies for the professionals and researchers. According to Feldman (2006 as cited by Hughes and Palmer, 2007) the Bureau of Labour Statistics (2005) revealed that the contingent workers formed nearly 10% of the workforce in early 2005. George and Kelly-Patternson (2007) covered different importance of psychological contract within various professional groups. The present economy has transformed from the manufacturing to service and service to knowledge based economy. The experience and skills of individuals have become base for economy. The psychological contract is high in the knowledge based industry. Success of the projects depends on the psychological contract. Psychological contract is explained with respect to emotional aspects of loyalty of employees and support from the organisation (Grimmer and Oddy, 2006). There are individual perspectives of employees, perception of the employees and mutual promise among the employer and employees (Rousseau, 1995). Working relationship of the individuals and organisation is covered in psychological contract (Sparrow and Cooper, 1998). Psychological contract is explained with the use of the term â€Å"unwritten expectations† (Wellin, 2007). These expectations are ever-changing and continuously operating between the all the members of the organisation. There are transactional psychological contract and relational psychological contract. Transactional