Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Report - Assignment Example All these factors together with local conflicts have resulted in a poorer educational system in countries such as Africa and South Asia and in countries with a high population the situation is even worse (Crawford, 1995). Even those institutions which are backed by sufficient funding do suffer from certain shortfalls such as lack of appropriate teaching materials, shortage of teachers and less motivation programs for both teachers and students to completely enjoy the fruits of education (Notes). The teaching fraternity plays a vital role in the promotion of education among students, especially in the primary classes, and they should have access to the right teaching materials which would help to develop basic reading and writing skills of students. As if this is resolved students will have the confidence to excel and do better in higher classes as foundation is definitely the key to higher learning. Despite this understanding modern schools have shied away from providing the much needed encouragement for both teachers and students (Holmes, 2008, Notes). Additionally schools have also not been supported by suitable governmental policies and practices as they only focus on the economic or social outcomes of education. Unless the primary educational system is strengthened we will not be able to achieve the right benefits of education and it will merely remain only as a solution to global problems rather than as a means to realize the true potential of an individual (Carroll,

Essay 3 Carl Jung Essay Example for Free

Essay 3 Carl Jung Essay This essay will investigate and outline Carl Jung’s theory of personality types, by detailing each types and how they can shape a person. It will look at the origins and characteristics of the attitudes and functions and show how this can be linked to psychological disturbance. This essay will look at theorists that are for and against the approach in order to come to a conclusion of how either successful or unsuccessful they are to help a client reach there own personal goals. It is important to note that Carl Jung worked very closely with Sigmund Freud in  the early stage of his research, and was highly influenced by his companions work, however, both theorists were very different in their thoughts of therapist theory. Freud was concerned with the clients past, whereas Jung’s work was aimed at looking into the clients future. Freud also believed that human motivation was focused on human sexuality, whereas Jung was believed that motivation is caused by psychic energy. Even though Freud did extensive work on the subconscious, Jung believed that there was a deeper level to the  unconscious then Freud, he called this the ‘collective unconscious’. ‘Jung agreed with Freud that a person’s past and childhood experiences determined future behavior; he also believed that we are shaped by our future (aspirations) too’. (http://www. simplypsychology. org/carl- jung. html; 06. 10. 2014) Jung’s idea of the ‘collective unconscious’ can be seen as a collection of unconscious thoughts amongst individuals that ultimately will not be conscious, as the thoughts have not yet been experienced by the individual. Jung believed that peoples experiences and behaviors are shaped by this. Jung called the units of the collective unconscious ‘archetypes’ which he described as peoples untaught tendencies to experience things differently. Jung speculated that as we go through life we do so by going through a sequence of stages caused by a set of ‘archetypal imperatives’ that are shaped by behavior and personality. For example, each individual’s personality is made up of the ‘persona’. The persona is the mask that people wear in order to face the worlds social standards that make us act in a certain way. Jung identified that the  persona is developed in childhood when a child is learning to conform to parental approval. Jung said that individuals that believe their mask to be real might not really know whom or what there true self is, and can cause mental illnesses if not identified. Jung described the ‘shadow’ archetype as the element that helps an individual from forgetting their true self and even though a shadow can be seen as representing a dark side to the personality that maybe unwanted or disapproved by the individual it is this that controls the ‘ego’ and the ‘persona’. ‘The archetype is a symbolic formula which always begins to function when there are no conscious ideas present, or when conscious ideas are inhibited for external or internal reasons’ (C. G. Jung; 1960;Volume Six, Psychological Types; Routledge; Page 377) Jung saw the ‘self’ as an archetype of an individuals whole personality and described this as an individual living to their full potential. He believed that wholeness is the most important aim in life and is only achieved by a person’s individualism and the realisation that they are unique. This discovery of ones  self-realisation is a process that is when an individual looks inside themselves and finally see the world through a better vision. Jung’s research gave him reason to believe that an individual’s personality changes and develops throughout their life, with an influx of social influences. Jung’s theory of ‘personality types’ is based on the concept that people are motivated by their future goals, with an aim to develop themselves in their future life. Jung based his personality types on many other theorists who also researched this area. He specifically based his research on the way that individuals approach reality, and that persons type is the basis on how each individual has learned to communicate. He based each ‘personality type’ into four letters, each of which represented two conflicting behaviour choices. The combination of these letters amounts to sixteen personality types. The first letter represents people’s attitude in regards to how they see themselves and the external environment around them. The first letter can either begin with and ‘E’ for ‘Extrovert’, or ‘I’ for ‘Introvert’. Jung believed that ‘Extroverts’ aim their attention and interests outwards into society in a belief that the people around them recognise and respond to the individual’s life. They need interaction with other in order to fulfil their external expectations. Jung discovered that if the individual’s personality is too extroverted then the individual might fail to play up to what society requires from them and fail to identify their own needs if their ‘extroverted’ behaviour is not recognised by others. If you take an extravert you will find his unconscious has an introverted  quality, because all the extraverted qualities are played out in his consciousness and the introverted are left in the unconscious. (Jung in McGuire Hull, 1977, p. 342) Jung’s research on ‘Introverts’ show a totally different view on a person’s personality and how they view and relate to social expectations. An ‘introvert’ holds social standards and expectations inwards, and believe their own points of view and general thoughts describe what societies expectations mean to them. In other words, ‘Introverts’ give value to there own viewpoint. When an ‘introvert’ individual is in a social situation they do so by interacting on their own terms and therefore can sometimes become unable to communicate their own opinions and views with others. ‘Inferior introverted feeling typically manifests in a conscious attitude that is more or less impersonal. That is why this type may come across as cold and unfriendly; they are simply more interested in the facts than in what effect their attitude may have on others’ (Sharpe, Daryl; 19987; Personality Types – Jungs model of Typology; Inner City Books; Page 48). The next two letters in Jung’s personality types represent two functions that individuals use in their everyday life. One is the ‘perceiving’ function and the other is the ‘judging’ function. The ‘perceiving’ function in the letters is shown as the letter ‘S’ for sensation, and the other is the letter ‘N’ for Intuition. The ‘perceiving’ element is when we encounter new experiences that are unforeseeable, in other words, new situations. The ‘S’ or ‘N’ indicate how a person chooses to take in and respond to this information. The ‘Sensation’ type will accumulate information by centering their interests on what if directly in front of them. This ‘direct’ focus means this type can respond by awareness of facts and appearances. They draw their attention to the environment that is directly around them draw sensations from these. Jung said that the ‘S’ type could relate their immediate experiences to events that have occurred in the past; they tend to be very observant individuals who are influenced by information from their senses in their environment. Jung thought  that these individuals can sometimes reply too deeply on life’s immediate and materiality. ‘Sensation is an irregular function, because it is orientated not by a logical process of judgment but simply by what is and what happens, whereas the extraverted sensation type is guided by the intensity of objective influences’. (Sharpe, Daryl; 19987; Personality Types – Jungs model of Typology; Inner City Books; Page 79) The ‘N’ type uses new information my evaluating all their thoughts possible. They have a huge imagination that chooses to ignore the materialistic surface of  aspects of live, but focus on the ‘bigger picture’. The ‘Intuitive’ will try and find the meaning and future possibilities and not focus on details and factual information as the ‘S’ type would. The can sometimes be so engaged in the meaning that they can oversee the present situation. This type takes new information by looking into the future and what the outcomes may represent to themselves and their lives. They don’t necessarily see what it is, but rather what it may be. This type is very imaginative and is always dreaming about the future  and how to push for change. This type can easily jump to conclusions and make rash decision, and can even be said to confuse fact with reason. ‘Sensation and intuition are the information-gathering (perceiving) functions. They describe how new information is understood and interpreted. Individuals who prefer the sensation function are more likely to trust information that is in the present, tangible and concrete: that is, information that can be understood by the five senses. They tend to distrust hunches, which seem to come â€Å"out of nowhere. ’ (Myers, Isabel Briggs with  Peter B. Myers (1980, 1995). Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing. Page 45) Jungs’s next set of letter represent how we judge. The letter ‘T’ for ‘Thinking’ and the letter ‘F’ for ‘Feeling’. The judging use is how individuals observe and organize their lives behavior. These letter look at how individuals relate to their social surroundings before they act upon them. The ‘Thinker’ is a type that will use new information in a logical manner, and may tend to be a rule follower that follows social standards. These are the types that have to follow a set order and will categorise information. These types relate with their world with a clear picture as to what ‘will’ happen. They can over analyse that can sometimes distort the truth of the situation. Jung described ‘Feelers’ as individuals that organise information that is new to them on a personal level. They do this by organising their behaviour to a personal way that shares their morals that can be identified with other individuals. ‘Feelers’ have a tendency to make their judgements based on their feelings that is important to the individual; they make their judgements known to others around them and give rise to others responses that form part of their ‘external environment’. It is this personality type that prefers to create their reality with a general consensus with the interaction of others around them. This can sometimes make them reply too much on their feelings and make them dependant on the way they display themselves socially, causing the main aim to be socially accepted and not actually giving themselves any personal satisfaction. ‘Thinking and feeling are the decision-making (judging) functions. The thinking and feeling functions are both used to make rational decisions, based on the data received from their information-gathering functions (sensing or intuition). Those who prefer the thinking function tend to decide things from a more detached standpoint, measuring the decision by what seems reasonable, logical, causal, consistent and matching a given set of rules. Those who prefer the feeling function tend to come to decisions byassociating or empathizing with the situation, looking at it â€Å"from the inside† and weighing the situation to achieve, on balance, the greatest harmony, consensus and fit, considering the needs of the people involved. ’ (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Personality_type#cite_note-Myers-15; 10. 10. 2014) The forth letter of Jung’s personality type is what indicates the external factors of everyday life function. The letter ‘P’ represents ‘Perceiving’ and the letter ‘J’ represents ‘Judging’. Jung believed perceivers to be individuals that are more likely to rely on their  intuition and their experiences as they happen. This is the kind of type that tends to ‘live in the now’ and are totally aware of situations that need a response in an immediate fashion. They are the type that is against a situation where they need to follow set plans and organizations for events. Sensory P types are the sort of personality that are likely to interact physically with the environment around them, which is the opposite of ‘P’ types who see what in front of them and try and make sense of what is means, or in other wise examine situations to  understand what the big picture may be. ‘Perceiving simply what is sensation see’s what is sensation sees what is in the external world, intuition sees (or what we might say â€Å"pick ups†) what is in the inner world’. (Sharpe, Daryl; 19987; Personality Types – Jungs model of Typology; Inner City Books; Page 16) Jung thought ‘Judgers’ to be individuals that rely on rational thinking. This personality type is more than likely to organise for plans and activities and believe that they can predict what is likely to happen in such events. However, if  this type is found to be in a situation that is totally unpredictable than it more than like to cause them discomfort and even become quite irritable as they are not prepared for the event and do not have a set structure to follow. Thinking ‘J’ types relate to the standards that society has created by logically thinking and analysing in regard sot cause and effect. Feeling ‘J’ types are aware of values that they share with others and therefore look at information in a personal way in regards to social relationships. ‘Judging and Perceiving preferences, within the context of personality  types, refers to our attitude towards the external world, and how we live our lives on a day-to-day basis. People with the Judging preference want things to be neat, orderly and established. The Perceiving preference wants things to be flexible and spontaneous. Judgers want things settled, Perceivers want thing open-ended. Judging and Perceiving preferences, within the context of personality types, refers to our attitude towards the external world, and how we live our lives on a day-to-day basis. People with the Judging preference want things to be neat, orderly and established. The  Perceiving preference wants things to be flexible and spontaneous. Judgers want things settled, Perceivers want thing open-ended. (https://www. personalitypage. com/four-prefs. html#JP; 09. 10. 2104) The forth letter of Jung’s personality type theory represents an individuals higher function that relates to how they interact with the world. It conveys an extrovert function that helps set goals and what helps this type to blend in with society. This forth letter shows how our ‘inferior’ function is formed to use our inner reflection on how we interpret life experiences relative to our own self needs. Jung believed that the ‘P’ type extrovert uses there judging function for their inner thoughts. The thinking ‘P’ type inwardly looks at an image of all relationships in a logical way, like a systematic approach. The feeling ‘P’ type sense their own thoughts and values on their choices or intuition, however this can be somewhat difficult for type and they may find it difficult to convey or express directly. ‘J’ type personalities who are extrovert in regard sot their judging function implement their perceiving function for their inner (introvert)  reflections. ‘Sensation’ ‘J’ types hold their information of the physical external environment, mostly if this information is appealing to them on a personal level. The intuitive ‘J’ type will relate to the meaning of this new information. From the investigation of Jungs ‘Personality type’ theory I can see that by knowing a clients personality type can prove a useful tool in relation to helping the client map out their future goals. When a clients comes in the therapy it is usually for a reason, and they will tell you what is happening in their ‘present’ situation. The Jungarian styles it would appear that the clients would tell their life story, once the therapist understands the client’s point of view they can then help the client understand what issues they are impending. Once this has been established then the client and the counselor can then start to move forward to their journey to make goals and implement them. Goals act as a good basis for the therapist and client to see how the counseling is progressing. By understanding what personality type the client is the therapist can then relate to the clients issues and offer solutions. It is also very useful to  ensure that at the beginning of therapy that the therapist determines what the clients expectations are of therapy, and find out what their beliefs and values are and what there views are on their present situation. Once this is determined then the therapist can then see what the client wants to achieve and then help them move on to the level that they can. Carl Jungs research into personality types can offer an understanding for the therapist to see a clients sense of self. With that information the therapist can then set out goals that are achievable for the client to do as they wish in the  future. An aspect that is not looked at is the ‘emotional’ aspect towards situations. A theorist called Hans Eysenck also looked into the theory of ‘extroverts’ and ‘introverts. He concluded that an extrovert is someone who has a strong inhibition that and they can react to situations calmly. ‘Introverts’ can be self-conscious and because of this trait become more alert and maybe edgy in some situations. Eysenck discovered it was important to look at the interaction of emotions with ‘extroverts’ and ‘introverts’ when helping individuals. ‘British psychologist Hans Eysenck developed a model of personality based upon just three universal trails: Introversion/Extraversion, Neuroticism/Emotional Stability and Psychoticism’ (http://psychology. about. com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/trait- theory. htm; 10. 10. 2014) I can see that understanding personality types is just one aspect or guideline for a therapist to use in helping their client set and achieve goals. It is down to the therapist they decide that this is useful with the client they are presented with or not.

The Curious Atmosphere of Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

The Curious Atmosphere of Macbeth       The Bard of Avon created a complex atmosphere in his writing of the tragedy Macbeth. Let's give detailed consideration to this aspect of the drama in this paper.    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows how the atmosphere is altered for the better at the end of the play:    This theme is at its clearest where we are most in sympathy with the nemesis. Thus at the end of Macbeth, after the proclamation "the time is free," and of promises to make reparations of Macbeth's tyranny "Which would be planted newly with the time," there will be a renewal not only of time but of the whole rhythm of nature symbolized by the word "measure," which includes both the music of the spheres and the dispensing of human justice [. . .]. (94-95)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson explains why the atmosphere is so important in Macbeth:    Macbeth is a play in which the poetic atmosphere is very important; so important, indeed, that some recent commentators give the impression that this atmosphere, as created by the imagery of the play, is its determining quality. For those who pay most attention to these powerful atmospheric suggestions, this is doubtless true. Mr. Kenneth Muir, in his introduction to the play - which does not, by the way, interpret it simply from this point of view - aptly describes the cumulative effect of the imagery: "The contrast between light and darkness is part of a general antithesis between good and evil, devils and angels, evil and grace, hell and heaven . . . and the disease images of IV, iii and in the last act clearly reflect both the evil which is a disease, and Macbeth himself who is the disease from which his country suffers."(67-68)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" mentions equivocation, unreality and unnaturalness in the play - contributors to an atmosphere that may not be very realistic:    The equivocal nature of temptation, the commerce with phantoms consequent upon false choice, the resulting sense of unreality ("nothing is, but what is not"), which has yet such power to "smother" vital function, the unnaturalness of evil ("against the use of nature"), and the relation between disintegration in the individual ("my single state of man") and disorder in the larger social organism - all these are major themes of the play which are mirrored in the speech under consideration.

Impressionism and Post Impressionism

Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Eras Impressionism is the art movement that began in France in the 19th century. Claude Motet's work, Impression, sole eleven, or Impression, Sunrise, is where the name for the movement was derived. Various styles such as thin, small brush strokes, open composition, accurate depiction of light, ordinary subject matter, movement, and unusual visual angles were used in art during this time period. Impressionists broke the traditional guidelines of painting which drew a hostile reaction from the public at first.Instead of specific details their art depicted visual effects using various lord, shading, and short strokes leaving out much of the detail and capturing what was being observed at a given moment. (Impressionism, 2013) Impressionist artists were also liberated from painting only indoors by the innovation of storing paint in tubes. This technology allowed artists to pain outside which led them to create pieces that featured landscapes and were more focused on capturing natural light in their work. (Minded, 3. 20) In the sass's when Impressionism was beginning to grow in popularity, France was undergoing major changes in the political arena.Napoleon Ill had Just been defeated n a war against Prussia. During his rule France saw industrial and economic growth but certain freedoms such as press and assembly had been suppressed. Following his rule, France established the Third Republic. In the beginning there was conflict between royalists and a group referred to as The Commune, a socialist group. After five years of fighting the royalists of the Republic ultimately won by executing hundreds of The Commune in an event now known as The Bloody Week. During this time thousands of France also fled the country to places like England, Spain, and even he United States.Due to all the hostility by the opposing sides France stayed under martial law for five years. There were also religious impacts during this time period. Most notably w as the separation of the Church from the state. This legislation made the Church property of the state and required that religion be removed from schools. Additionally churches were only allowed to remain open if they held public political meetings in the evenings. Education reform was also in the works that focused increasing the availability of further education and training in technology.France in the 19th Century, 2013) Post-Impressionism immediately followed Impressionism beginning in the sass's. The actual term was first used by Roger Fry a British artist and art critic in 1910. Post-Impressionism typically refers to the time period since French painter, Dour Meant. The style of Post-Impressionism continued the use of vivid colors, thick paint application, real-life subject matter, and distinct brush strokes that were all common during Impressionism. Additionally artists also highlighted geometric forms, and used strange or uninformed colors.A foundation for quite a few 20th-c entury contemporary trends evolved because of the work of Post- Impressionist artists. (Post-Impressionism, 2013) World War II, a paramount world event was happening during the Post-Impression period. Many in France welcomed this war as a way to defeat Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. Attitudes soon changed regarding the war. Soldiers grew tired and hesitant to attack. Due to the war the economy in France was devastated during this time by German invasion in major industrial areas.America was a relief for France during the war providing DOD, money, and raw materials in 1917. Following the war France was in a poor state economically and the government struggled as well. France's economy continued to struggle even after the war as they were behind in industry. Germany and Great Britain both beat France industrially regardless of the great industry and infrastructure that was in France. (France in the 20th Century, 2013) There are many similarities and a few differences b etween art during the Impressionism and Post- Impressionism Eras.Both art forms were neither realistic nor abstract, dealt with legalistic subject matter a lot of which were landscapes and the artist's uses of colors to show light sources. Additionally both periods used some of the same techniques in relation to distinct brush strokes, thick application of paint, and use of vivid and sometimes unrealistic paint colors. Even though Post-Impressionist artists carried on several of the Impressionist innovations there were also new things introduced. Post- Impressionist artist used unnatural forms and colors to portray things in the natural world while Impressionists works were more realistic.Also, Impressionist artists had sees of a concern for expression and structure than Post-Impressionist artists. (Minded, 3. 20) Post-Impressionism continued much of the work of Impressionism. The use of real subject matter, the ability to do art outdoors, and the artists approach to color selection s and applications are all examples of how Impressionism had stylistic impacts on Post-Impressionism. These similarities can be better understood by analyzing works from each era. Claude Monet was an Impressionist artist. His work, Houses of Parliament, is an oil painting that he produced in approximately 1901.In this work Monet portrays his view of the houses of Parliament across the Thames River in London from his room in the Savoy Hotel. As in most works of this time period Monet used abstract shapes, muted colors, and a distinct light source that shows the exact time of day, late afternoon, in which he completed this work. (The Houses of Parliament, 2013) In contrast to this work is Vincent van Sago's Post- Impressionist work, Irises. Van Gogh completed this and many of his works from within the confines of Stain Paul-De-Mausoleum, an asylum in France. Van Gogh spent any of his days painting the gardens that surrounded the clinic.As seen in Irises, van Gogh uses bright vibrant c olors, lighting sources that resemble a bright, sunny day, and much more realistic techniques than in Motet's Houses of Parliament. (Vincent van Gogh, 2013) Houses of Parliament relates to Irises because they represent the differences between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism art styles and techniques. You can see in Irises a lot of the techniques that started during the Impressionist period but that were refined during Post-Impressionism, specifically in he detail of the brush strokes, more realistic feel, and brighter colors used in the piece.Post Impressionism influenced the art world by bringing painting into a more realistic phase and by introducing new techniques that are still used in painting today. The use of various colors to portray light sources, while beginning during Impressionism, was highly elevated during Post-Impressionism. Additionally the radical approach and independent styles used by post-impressionist artist and their resolve of pursuing exclusive artistic expression intensely influenced future groups of artists. The Met Post-Impressionism, 2013). References Impressionism. (2013). Impressionism and Post Impressionism Impressionism is the art movement that began in France in the 19th century. Claude Monet’s work, Impression, soleil levant, or Impression, Sunrise, is where the name for the movement was derived. Various styles such as thin, small brush strokes, open composition, accurate depiction of light, ordinary subject matter, movement, and unusual visual angles were used in art during this time period. Impressionists broke the traditional guidelines of painting which drew a hostile reaction from the public at first. Instead of specific details their art depicted visual effects using various colors, shading, and short strokes leaving out much of the detail and capturing what was being observed at a given moment. (Impressionism, 2013) Impressionist artists were also liberated from painting only indoors by the innovation of storing paint in tubes. This technology allowed artists to pain outside which led them to create pieces that featured landscapes and were more focused on capturing natural light in their work. (MindEdge, 3. 20) In the 1870’s when Impressionism was beginning to grow in popularity, France was undergoing major changes in the political arena. Napoleon III had just been defeated in a war against Prussia. During his rule France saw industrial and economic growth but certain freedoms such as press and assembly had been suppressed. Following his rule, France established the Third Republic. In the beginning there was conflict between royalists and a group referred to as The Commune, a socialist group. After five years of fighting the royalists of the Republic ultimately won by executing hundreds of The Commune in an event now known as The Bloody Week. During this time thousands of France also fled the country to places like England, Spain, and even the United States. Due to all the hostility by the opposing sides France stayed under martial law for five years. There were also religious impacts during this time period. Most notably was the separation of the Church from the state. This legislation made the Church property of the state and required that religion be removed from schools. Additionally churches were only allowed to remain open if they held public political meetings in the evenings. Education reform was also in the works that focused increasing the availability of further education and training in technology. (France in the 19th Century, 2013) Post-Impressionism immediately followed Impressionism beginning in the 1890’s. The actual term was first used by Roger Fry a British artist and art critic in 1910. Post-Impressionism typically refers to the time period since French painter, Edourd Manet. The style of Post-Impressionism continued the use of vivid colors, thick paint application, real-life subject matter, and distinct brush strokes that were all common during Impressionism. Additionally artists also highlighted geometric forms, and used strange or uninformed colors. A foundation for quite a few 20th-century contemporary trends evolved because of the work of Post-Impressionist artists. (Post-Impressionism, 2013) World War II, a paramount world event was happening during the Post-Impression period. Many in France welcomed this war as a way to defeat Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. Attitudes soon changed regarding the war. Soldiers grew tired and hesitant to attack. Due to the war the economy in France was devastated during this time by German invasion in major industrial areas. America was a relief for France during the war providing food, money, and raw materials in 1917. Following the war France was in a poor state economically and the government struggled as well. France’s economy continued to struggle even after the war as they were behind in industry. Germany and Great Britain both beat France industrially regardless of the great industry and infrastructure that was in France. (France in the 20th Century, 2013) There are many similarities and a few differences between art during the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Eras. Both art forms were neither realistic nor abstract, dealt with realistic subject matter a lot of which were landscapes and the artist’s uses of colors to show light sources. Additionally both periods used some of the same techniques in relation to distinct brush strokes, thick application of paint, and use of vivid and sometimes unrealistic paint colors. Even though Post-Impressionist artists carried on several of the Impressionist innovations there were also new things introduced. Post-Impressionist artist used unnatural forms and colors to portray things in the natural world while Impressionists works were more realistic. Also, Impressionist artists had less of a concern for expression and structure than Post-Impressionist artists. (MindEdge, 3. 20) Post-Impressionism continued much of the work of Impressionism. The use of real subject matter, the ability to do art outdoors, and the artists approach to color selections and applications are all examples of how Impressionism had stylistic impacts on Post-Impressionism. These similarities can be better understood by analyzing works from each era. Claude Monet was an Impressionist artist. His work, Houses of Parliament, is an oil painting that he produced in approximately 1901. In this work Monet portrays his view of the houses of Parliament across the Thames River in London from his room in the Savoy Hotel. As in most works of this time period Monet used abstract shapes, muted colors, and a distinct light source that shows the exact time of day, late afternoon, in which he completed this work. (The Houses of Parliament, 2013) In contrast to this work is Vincent van Gogh’s Post-Impressionist work, Irises. Van Gogh completed this and many of his works from within the confines of Stain Paul-de-Mausole, an asylum in France. Van Gogh spent many of his days painting the gardens that surrounded the clinic. As seen in Irises, van Gogh uses bright vibrant colors, lighting sources that resemble a bright, sunny day, and much more realistic techniques than in Monet’s Houses of Parliament. (Vincent van Gogh, 2013) Houses of Parliament relates to Irises because they represent the differences between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism art styles and techniques. You can see in Irises a lot of the techniques that started during the Impressionist period but that were refined during Post-Impressionism, specifically in the detail of the brush strokes, more realistic feel, and brighter colors used in the piece. Post Impressionism influenced the art world by bringing painting into a more realistic phase and by introducing new techniques that are still used in painting today. The use of various colors to portray light sources, while beginning during Impressionism, was highly elevated during Post-Impressionism. Additionally the radical approach and independent styles used by post-impressionist artist and their resolve of pursuing exclusive artistic expression intensely influenced future groups of artists. (The Met Post-Impressionism, 2013).

Queer theory Essay

The concept of sexuality, what is socially accepted, what is ‘natural’, what is prescribed by religion, what is deemed deviant has been a form of social analysis, controversy, political debate and a measure of human progress. For what was considered the least talked about issue in society, sexuality was in many ways what defined the individual, their society, culture and the legal and moral laws that presided within it. The controllers of power were white, middle class, heterosexual men. If one of the white, middle to upper class men were found to be practising homosexuality they were gaoled and deemed to be under the influence of Satan himself. Homosexuality was in many ways to the hegemonic masculinity an abdication of the throne, stepping down from the privileged class and taking the form of the lower forms of life; women and the lesser races. Lesbianism was either thought to not exist at all or was not thought of as a problem because they were not threatening (in any substantial way) the existence of a stable, masculinized order. Oppression came in the form of the hegemonic masculinity passing laws to outlaw homosexuality and pronouncing that homosexuality was in fact a medical condition and could be treated. Yet despite the many laws passed, all the psychotherapy and electrocution the homosexual was still very much alive. Then came the Stonewall riots, gay and lesbian and feminist movements who swept around the world, the liberation swept into the academic world and new thoughts surrounding sexuality were being produced at rapid rates. These thoughts of sexuality are in a constant state of change, deconstructing and reinventing. Queer theory has emerged from this spiral of thought and has impacted not only on the academic world but in the form of popular culture, where it continues to challenge and in many ways further sexual liberation. Queer Theory; It’s precursors and Theorists. Sexual desire has been for centuries thought of as being part of our natural  makeup, as if it were embedded within our very being. This idea of sexuality being a natural drive was shared by many leading figures in the academic world; Charles Darwin, anthropologist Malinowski, the philosopher Marcuse and Freud saw sexuality within human psychology. These ideas were challenged in the form of Post-structuralism, often associated with the works of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida, which dominants the structure and understanding of Queer theory. ‘[Post-structuralism] refers to a manner of interpreting selves and the social which breaks with traditional epistemologies’ Post-structuralism argues that subjects are the autonomous creators themselves or their social worlds. Subjects are embedded in a complex network of social relations. These relations thus determine which subjects can appear where, and in what capacity. Post-structuralism contends that a focus on the individual as an autonomous agent needs to be ‘deconstructed’, contested and troubled. It is engaged in denaturalising dominant understandings of sexual identity. In emphasising that sexuality is not an essentially personal attribute but an available cultural category. Michel Foucault in his much acclaimed History of Sexuality, Volume I changed the way everyone thought about sexuality and challenged the idea of the natural. ‘Foucault argued that society did not repress sexuality, which simply does not exist as an entity in nature. Rather, social discourses constituted sexuality as a cultural form, in the historical transition to modernity.’ Jacques Derrida offers a somewhat different approach through his ways of thinking surrounding how meanings are established. ‘†Supplement† suggests that meanings are organised through difference, in a dynamic play of presence and absence.’ A Derridean perspective would argue that heterosexuality needs homosexuality for it’s own definition. Feminist theory contributed greatly to many of the ideas behind Queer theory. Feminist theorists looked at gender as a system of signs, or signifiers, assigned to sexually dimorphic bodies, which served to differentiate the social roles and meanings those bodies could have. Feminist theory thus argued that gender was a social construct, something designed and implemented and perpetuated by social organisations and structures, rather than something merely ‘true’, something innate to the ways bodies worked on a biological level. In so doing, feminist theory made two very important contributions. The first is that feminist theory separated the social from the biological, insisting that we see a difference between what is the product of human ideas, hence something mutable and changeable, and what is the product of biology, hence something (relatively) stable and unchangeable. The second contribution is related to the first: by separating the social and the biological, the constructed and the innate, feminist theory insisted that gender was not something ‘essential’ to an individual’s identity. As a term ‘Queer theory’ was first used by Teresa de Lauretis in her introduction to the ‘Lesbian and Gay Sexualities’ issue of differences in the summer of 1991 in which to encompass the large circulation of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual writings. To describe ‘the conceptual and speculative work involved in discourse pro-duction, and . . . the necessary critical work of deconstructing our own discourses  and their constructed silences’. The object of study in queer theory is the social articulation of same-sex eroticism and why, in recent centuries in  Western-dominated cultures, this human interaction has been articulated as queer, as abject Other. Judith Butler in her widely cited book Gender Trouble contributes to gender and ideas of sexuality. How gender operates as a regulatory construct that privileges heterosexuality and how the deconstruction of normative models of gender legitimates lesbian and gay subject positions. Queer Theory; Gender, Identity, ‘We’re Queer! and We’re Here!’ Queer theory and Queer politics is often hard to comprehend, and harder to define since part of it’s basis is intentionally having no set definition. Queer theory is surrounded by contradictions, difficulties, opposing thoughts and political debate. Queer theorists have different ideas on what is ‘Queer’ and what is not ‘Queer’ and some Queer theorists believe there is no set doctrine in which to be ‘Queer’ because that would adhere to the ‘norm’s’ of heteronormativity. Examining different ‘Queer’ thoughts can help aid our own formulation of what is ‘Queer’ and what ‘Queer theory’ is to the individual and how it can help develop understandings around sexuality, gender, history, societies, cultures and heteronormativity. Queer Theory assumes that sexual identities are a function of representations. It assumes that representations pre-exist and define, as well as complicate and disrupt sexual identities. That people discover their identities by working with (and against) the identities the culture represents as possibilities. Queer theory drawing very much from the theory of performativity, where sexual identity is marked on the body and is in a constant process of embodiment. Where selfhood is a constructed idea, something not ‘naturally’ produced by bodies or by birth. Selfhood, in poststructuralist theory, becomes ‘subject hood’ or ‘subjectivity’. The switch in terms is a recognition that, first of all, human identity is shaped by language, by becoming a subject in language. The shift from ‘self’ to ‘subject’ also marks the idea that subjects are the product of signs, or signifiers, which make up our ideas of identity. Selves are stable and essential; subjects are constructed, hence provisional, shifting, changing, always able to be redefined or reconstructed. Selves, in this sense, are like signifiers within a rigid system, whose meanings are fixed; subjects, by contrast, are like signifiers in a system with more play, more multiplicity of meaning. Queer theory takes on this idea and opts for ‘denaturalisation’, where the individual can ‘challenge the familiar distinction between normal and pathological, straight and gay, masculine men and feminine women.’ Queer theory surrounds itself with ideas about sexuality as an innate or essentialist category and the opening to reformulation and the bending of the idea of gender roles as essential, and as determined by sex (males are masculine, females are feminine) through their unique combinations of what used to be called masculine and feminine styles. Queer theory allows us to examine Western culture and problematize it’s approach to attributing everyone to not only certain behaviour’s but identity’s and it’s tendency to label, box and categorise. As said by Sedgwick in Epistemology of the Closet; ‘A society which insists that each individual, just as he or she possesses a gender also must necessarily occupy one or the other category of sexual orientation.’ Queer theorists seek to break down traditional dichotomies surrounding gender and as novelist Saul Bellow observes, ‘The idea is to clobber everything that used to be accepted as given, fixed, irremediable.’ For the new radical theorists, the enemy is no longer a ruling class, a hegemonic race, or even a dominant gender. Instead it is the sexual order of nature itself. Oppression lies in the very idea of the ‘normal’, the order that divides humanity into two sexes. Instead of a classless society as the redemptive future, queer theorists envisage a gender-free world. Queer theory results in an effort to speak from and to the differences and silences that have been suppressed by the homo-hetero binary, an effort to unpack the monolithic identities ‘lesbian’ and ‘gay’ including the intricate ways lesbian and gay sexualities are inflected by heterosexuality, race, gender and ethnicity.’ Queer theory also seeks to not only break down gender roles, sexual order and dichotomies but break down the very thoughts around sexuality in regard to biology and reproduction. Much of out culture tends to define sexuality in terms of animal instincts, sexual responses are almost purely biological: we respond sexually to what is coded in our genes and hormones, and this is almost always defined in terms of reproductive behaviour. Queer theorists problematize this by pointing out that human sexuality differs immensely from that of the animals and that females do not enter a period in which they are in ‘heat’ and males are not solely programmed to seek out those females who are in ‘heat’. Humans also have an enormous repertoire of sexual behaviours and activities, only some of which are linked to reproduction. Queer theorists ask that we dismiss sexuality in linkage to reproduction and more so that sexuality is a discursive effect with never ending intricacies, possibilities and pathways. Queer theorists also challenge the ideas of sexuality in terms of moral and social judgement and how this links in with identity, that is-morality, in terms of right and wrong behaviours. Western cultural ideas about sexuality come from lots of places; from science, from religion, from politics, and from economics. These ideas about sexuality often take the form of dichtomic moral statements about what forms of sexuality are right, or good, or moral, and which are wrong, bad, and immoral. These categories have shifted over time, which is another way of arguing that definitions of sexuality are not ‘essential’ or timeless or innate, but rather are social constructs, things that can change and be manipulated. Queer theorists note how powerful the links are between sexual activities and notions of morality. And the link comes, in part, from defining sexuality as part of identity, rather than just as an activity which one might engage in. Hence, if you have genital sexual contact with someone of the same sex, you are not just having homosexual sex, you ARE a homosexual. And that identity then is linked to a moral judgment about both homosexual acts and homosexual identities. Queer theorists note that while someone who engages in a homosexual act does not consider themselves homosexual but if another becomes privileged to this information then that person may inflect the term ‘homosexual’ on that person hence defining an identity for this person. Queer on the other hand  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœmarks a suspension of identity as something fixed, coherent and natural.’ Queer theory: Contributions to social analysis. Part of Queer theory is based around the recognition of the role of interpretation in understanding all aspects of human life. That is, queer theory assumes that events, attitudes, relationships, etc., are never self-evident or self-interpreting but always require some grid of interpretation or key to decode and make sense of them. Queer theorists state that while every is subject to subjectivity, the past and how the self views and interprets the past is filled with ‘glitches’ and we decode the past through a lens that it set to examine the past through  the ‘norm’, which thus distorts the past and continues and perpetuates those norms. As Michael Warner explains it: ‘Almost everything that would be called queer theory is about ways in which texts–either literature or mass culture or language–shape sexuality’. Queer theorists are thus devoted to rereading past events, texts, and social theories, especially those related to sexuality with the lens set to disrupt, de-straight or de-norm. Queer theory has made interesting contributions to sociology, and though many sociologists are wary and sceptical of Queer theory some have taken Queer theory and used it constructively in social analysis. Sociology influenced by Queer theory is a move to a model of difference that provokes new insights into the continual reproduction of heteronormativity hegemony. Sociologists have been challenged to sharpen their analytical lenses, to grow sensitised to the discursive production of sexual identities, and to be mindful of the force of heteronormativity as a fundamental organising principle throughout the social order. The impact of queer theory can also be seen in studies of the institutional regulation and management of sexualities, and in people’s responses to that regulation by media, religion, kinship institutions, and political organisations. Sociologists have used Queer theory in application of the globalised media, in particular in the explosion of reality television such as Big Brother and talk shows such as Ricki Lake who provide a slice of what and how sexuality and sexualities operate within society. They not only study the behaviour of the people within this media discourse but a public (church groups, politicians, psychologists) reaction to their behaviour. Sociologists have used Queer theory in an examination of power and authority in the intersections between class and or race and sexuality. Scholars have examined how those in power use languages of sexuality to naturalise oppression based on race, class, and gender, such as in racist understandings of black women as sexually insatiable, Asian women as sexually exotic, black men as sexually predatory, and white women as sexually innocent. These assumptions, whether spoken or unspoken, have influenced policies as broad as colonisation, marriage and welfare law, healthcare and education and not to mention less institutionalised practices. The importance of Queer theory and it’s contributions to social analysis and a general understanding how the world has and continues to function is never ending in possibilities. Queer theory can continue it’s deconstruction and reinvention over time because sexuality is always changing. A continued effort of social analysis through a Queer lens can only help expose the many intricacies of sexuality. It’s potential to escape criticisms of Eurocentric bias and utilise it’s position that it’s available to everyone can help deepen an understanding of Western understandings of race, culture, ethnicity in regard to sexuality. Queer theory is in a constant state of change and challenge, it can only continue to broaden itself and academics into new thought-provoking realms. Bibliography: Books: Connell, R.W. Gender. Polity Press; Cambridge. 2002. Jagose, Annamarie. Queer theory: an introduction. New Yorks: New York University Press, 1996. Kirsch, Max H. Queer Theory and Social Change. Routledge Press; Great Britain. 2000. Ringer, Jeffrey. Queer words, queer images : communication and the construction of homosexuality. New York : New York University Press, c1994. Steven, Seidman (Editor) Queer theory/sociology. Cambridge, Mass: Blackwell, 1996. Thomas, Calvin. Straight with a twist : queer theory and the subject of heterosexuality. Urbana : University of Illinois Press, c2000. Journals Cornwall, Richard. A Primer on Queer Theory For Economists Interested in Social Identity’s. Feminist Economics 4(2), 1998, 73-82 Gamson, Joshua and Moon, Dawne. The Sociology of Sexualities Annual. Review. Sociology. 2004. Horowitz, David. The Queer Fellows. American Spectator, Vol. 26 Issue 1, (1993) 40-51. Mitchell, Peter. Wishing for Political Dominance: Representations of History and Community in Queer Theory. Australian Literary Studies. Vol.7 No.18. (2003) 189-197. Myers, Helen. Queer or not too Queer, That’s not the Question. South-western University in Texas. College Literature, Vol. 24 Issue 1. (1997) 171-182. Rudy, Kathy. Queer Theory and Feminism. Feminist Studies, Vol. 27 Issue 1 (2000) 192-203 Shepard, Benjamin. Queer Theory and it’s Continuing Significance. Routledge Journals. Vol. 29. No. 4. (2002) 89-94. Online articles Altman, Dennis. On Global Queering. Australian Humanities Review. http://www.lib.latrobe.e du.au/AHR/copyright.html Bredback, Gregory. W. Literary Theory: Gay, Lesbian and Queer. New England Publishing Associates. http://www.glbtq.com. Hedges, Warren. Queer Theory Explained. Southern Oregon University, 1999. http://www.sou.edu/English/Hedges/Sodashop/RCenter/Theory/Explaind/pdfs/queer%20theory Klages, Mary. Thoughts on Queer Theory. University of Colorado. http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/queertheory.html. 1997.

Learn Direct Response Copywriting From Junk Mail Pros

Learn Direct Response Copywriting From Junk Mail Pros Are you ashamed at how vulnerable you are to junk mail? Direct response letters are part of the pantheon of junk mail.  Or at least, that’s one way to look at them. They are those letters that arrive that sell a product or solicit a donation from you, the main reason the postal service is probably still in business. Yet  direct response letters are an example of copywriting that can be extremely effective in getting your reader to take action. And, in that sense, they are not junk mail. They’re a copywriting gold mine. How To Write The Best Copy Ever With Advice From Junk Mail via @JulieNeidlingerDirect response copywriting is different from indirect response copywriting because of the timing of the response. Indirect response is copy that eventually leads to a purchase over time by building trust and awareness. Direct response pushes for a purchase immediately, at the end of that copy. That means that direct response copywriting is easily tested; you’ll know quickly whether your copy is working or not. Advertising czar David Ogilvy refused to hire any copywriter unless they’d spent a few years writing and studying direct response copywriting, that’s how valuable he thought direct response techniques were. Bill Jayme, Direct Response Extraordinaire In the 20th century, Bill Jayme’s direct response copywriting (via mail) was second to none. He was the king of the direct response mailed letter with clients lining up to pay him to write their letter. One of his better-known examples was something he wrote to help launch the magazine Psychology Today. Jayme also wrote the copy for the envelope, and for this particular piece, he posed a provocative headline: From Mike Capuzzi’s blog post on provocative headlines. The envelope needed to be opened, just like your marketing emails need to be opened, just like your blog posts need to be read. Jayme wrote a headline that piqued curiosity, and then combined it with a free take-it-now psychological test and another free offer. Whether a person answered yes or no to the question was irrelevant. It got them in the door. Marketer Gary Elwood suggests that Jayme was successful with his direct response copywriting because he took an unorthodox approach combining both the visual design of envelopes with powerful copy techniques that included: Using mystery and intrigue. How do you get people to open envelopes? To read? You make them curious. Jayme frequently asked questions or used cliffhangers to get people to proceed. Involving readers psychologically. Jayme would ask seemingly strange questions that would pull readers in. Questions such as, â€Å"Are you embarrassed to eat in a restaurant alone?† or â€Å"How much should you tip the waitress, when you’re planning to steal the ashtray?† are effective, regardless of whether the reader answers yes or no. They’ll keep reading to find out what their answer means. Using urgency. Jayme would create scarcity by suggesting there was only a limited quantity or a limited time. Scarcity motivates people. No one wants to be left out. Turning the service/product into something else. Jayme never lied about the product or service for sale, but he turned it into something more valuable. For example, you’re not selling a financial magazine, you’re selling knowledge that will make someone a savvy investor and ultimately more rich. Saying the word â€Å"free.† Jayme used the word â€Å"free† in as many ways as possible, even providing an example: ‘Free gift comes to you with our compliments gratis- on the house. It’s yours to keep as an outright present without cost or charge- not a penny!' That’s about eight ways to say â€Å"free† in two  sentences! Using exciting words. The words Jayme used were not boring. They often had cacophony to their sound and excitement in their meaning. They were words that caught attention, such as: dead, naked, free. Knowing who was reading. In order to ask the right provocative question, Jayme had to know what buttons to push. And that meant understanding the reader a bit. Elwood uses an excellent example of this: promotional copy for Coastal Living said, â€Å"If you love the shore, this new magazine will do you a world of good.† The first five words establish who the audience is that Jayme was targeting. Jayme was fond of empathy as a selling technique. This is evidenced by how he started most letters with â€Å"Dear Reader.† Empathy, incidentally, requires a far better understanding of your audience than mere demographics. Demographics tell you who the reader is and what they’re interested in. Empathy taps into understanding what the reader wants. For Further Reading: The Gary Halbert Letter: Gary Halbert has used classic direct response copywriting techniques in his pared down website. Read some of his copy to get an idea of how direct response copy sounds. â€Å"Junk Mail’s Top Dogs†: New York Times article that covers the history of the practice, and highlights Bill Jayme’s work. Bill Jayme’s â€Å"Cool Friday† letter: A wildly successful direct response letter Jayme wrote for Life Magazine, considered a classic in the genre. Armageddon Advertising: Putting fear into readers might not be the best route for you, but studying â€Å"armageddon advertising† is still a useful learning tool, as it taps into reader psychology. Learn From Direct Response  Copy Examples Clearly, direct response â€Å"junk mail† is powerful, even if we think it’s cheesy and doesn’t work. Because it does work, even on marketers who know what’s up. John Jantsch, from DuctTapeMarketing, pulled together some examples of sales letters, and extracted the foundation of what made them tick: They use a headline. There is always some sort of startling, attention-grabbing headline at work in a sales letter. Whether it was on the outside of the envelope or in the letter itself, the success of the sales letter hinged on this. They demonstrate how a reader benefits. The copy of a sales letter isn’t telling the reader how great the company or product is. Instead, they show how the reader will have a better life if they buy. They offer something logical. There must be an offer, of course, or it wouldn’t be a sales letter. But that offer must, by the time the reader gets to the end of the letter, make sense. Ads don’t offer anything. They announce sales and product prices. Too often, our copy does the same. There is a difference between an offer and an ad. The best offer is a deal that can’t be refused. With those three characteristics in mind, Jantsch dissects sales letter samples. I’ve summed up the sales copy approach with a template so that you can see the method distilled down. â€Å"If Your Name Is On This Letter† In this example of a letter from Newsweek, readers were encouraged to subscribe to the magazine. This type of sales copy, according to Jantsch, feeds into reader vanity. It suggests there is exclusivity at work and that the reader, should the offer apply to them, is special. Otherwise, if the offer isn’t of interest to them, they are common.  This copy relies heavily on the second person (â€Å"you†), and often starts out describing what isn’t (the negative) instead of what is (the positive). Writing to sell? Tell your reader they're special, offer exclusivity, guarantee enrichment.The first paragraph assures readers they are special (â€Å"your education and income set you apart from the general population†). The letter then proceeds to tell readers that subscribing to Newsweek won’t make them rich, won’t give them more friends, or give them a better job. At this point, readers are curious as to why they should get the magazine. The sales copy responds to that question by showing how the magazine can satisfy curiosity, reduce the boredom of small-minded conversation, and expand knowledge of what’s happening in the world. It then presents an offer that reduces risk by letting readers know they can get money back. Reader, you’re special. That’s why we contacted you. We’re not going to lie about what our offer will do for you. But we will enrich your life. If you don’t like it, we’ll return your money. â€Å"Two Young Men† The next example Jantsch uses is from the Wall Street Journal. This direct sales copy uses a story (which readers love) to promise readers success if they buy (and suggest a warning if they don’t). The Wall Street Journal starts with a simple paragraph telling the story of two young men who met back during a 25th college reunion. One man was a success, the other was not. The letter then proceeds in sections, outlining what made the difference between the two men (knowledge provided by the publication, in this case), and how that applies to the reader. Read this interesting story about two possible outcomes. We’ll tell you why this happened. We’ll show you how our offer will give you the better outcome. We’ll reiterate, one more time, why those outcomes were different. And then we’ll make you a risk-reduced offer, and remind you again of the story. â€Å"Dirty Hands† The third letter example in Jantsch’s ebook is from Popular Mechanics, and uses a couple of unique things. The letter itself has a visual box at the top, filled with brief copy that establishes whether the reader is the right audience using vanity and rather obvious qualifications we all want to assign to ourselves. â€Å"If you want to live better, don’t mind hard work, like to pay your own way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The rest of the copy works very hard at appealing not to the elitist, but to the â€Å"average Joe†.   It’s filled with homey phrases that promote elbow grease, hard work, and flag-waving. Write to sell: Appeal as understanding, offer just for them, give away a bonus for  free.Popular Mechanics knew its audience pretty well, and they knew this would be best way to elicit trust and provide a sense that they truly understood what their readers wanted or thought. In this case, it was an illustrated handyman guide, and the selling points were how it would save you money by showing you how to make repairs yourself, that it was easy to use, and it was for readers â€Å"just like you.† To cap it off, the offer included a free first book, no strings attached, telling you what kind of projects you could find on specific pages in that first book. We understand you perfectly, and we made this product for readers like you. It’s so good, we’re giving the first one away completely free. â€Å"Quite Frankly† This letter example, from American Express, relies heavily on exclusivity. More than anything, we all like to know we’re good enough to be part of an elite and exclusive club, and (shamefully) that other people won’t get in. Compared to the other letters, this letter isn’t particularly long. It’s main punch is in two sentences in the opening paragraph, making a point to say that not everyone who applies to get the card will, and that such a card isn’t for everyone. The rest of the letter is a list of the perks and benefits the card provides. We’re exclusive, and not everyone gets in. You’re lucky we’re inviting you in. Look at all the benefits you’ll get. We expect you’ll apply now. â€Å"A Story About Grandmother† Using the story approach, this letter writes in first person and tells of memories of grandma. It’s very personal and approachable, and draws the reader in immediately. This letter is for Prevention magazine, and uses memories of healthy food vs. chemical-laden food, and the need to better understand how things had changed since the time of those grandma memories. The reader then learns about how the magazine can help them, being quite direct as to how it will make their lives better. In some sense, it taps into fear, suggesting that even their doctor isn’t telling them all they need to know. For all of us, the fear that we are being kept in the dark is a highly motivating one. The letter closes with bonuses that the reader could receive, and Jantsch notes that some people will buy based on the bonuses they get when making the initial purchase. So do offer bonuses. Let me tell you a personal story. Then I’ll tell you why you should be a bit afraid. But don’t worry; I have the solution. And, if you buy, I’ll give you lots of great extras! Putting Direct Response  Methodology To Work Direct sales letter writing techniques are directly applicable to your landing pages, of course, but also some of your blog posts. Challenge: The next time a direct sales letter arrives, don’t throw it. Dissect it. Figure out what they are doing in that copy, and what makes it work (or fail). Or, do some online searches and find more examples of direct response  letters, or landing pages that employ the same techniques. Do you feel motivated to buy at the end? Why or why not? What is the writer appealing to? Fear, vanity, trust? How long is the copy? How many words? How is the offer presented? Are there bonuses? Is the copy written in first or second person? These are just a few questions to ask as you figure out what makes direct response  copy work.

Query Boot Camp Vol. 2 Thrillers

Query Boot Camp Vol. 2 Thrillers Query Boot Camp Vol. 2: Thrillers Here is our editor Rebecca with the second installment of Query Boot Camp, focusing on†¦ thrillers! If you missed the first installment of QBC, or you’re not sure what this segment is all about, check out the introduction to Rebecca’s first post here. I’m so excited to bring you this second installment of Query Boot Camp, and want to start by thanking you for the comments, shares, likes and support for Volume 1. A few of you expressed concern that without seeing the query letters directly, the article feedback was less meaningful. But to respect the privacy of our authors and their work, I’ll continue to â€Å"narrate† what I see and relay the important bits as needed. Think of all you can learn about a book from a thorough Amazon review; that’s the same idea we’re working with here. Special thanks to the authors who submitted letters and excerpts for this month’s entry. Let’s get started!

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted!

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! By Maeve Maddox Reader Ron Harper, Jr. wonders about the use of the word impacted: I used a word today and immediately questioned my use and the history of word over the last decade or so.   The word was â€Å"impacted.†Ã‚   As in That incident really impacted me.  Ã‚   Is that a correct usage historically?   It seems that its not correct as soon as I said it although I hear people use it that way!   (but how many talking heads use irregardless?!) The use of the past participle impacted to mean â€Å"had an impact on† is fairly recent. The original sense of impact (v.) is â€Å"to press closely into something, It’s from Latin impactus, pp of impingere, â€Å"to push into.† The word Impinge comes from the same source. The form impacted has until recently been used to describe something that is closely wedged together. Teeth, for example, can be impacted. A bone that has been crushed can have impacted fragments. Other things not nice to mention can be impacted. Coleridge used impact in 1817 as a noun to mean â€Å"the effect of coming into contact with a thing or a person. Ex: That had an impact on him. Nowadays the noun impact is also seen in the plural in the context of various occupations: impacts A measure of viewing to advertisements. One impact is equivalent to one viewer watching one 30-second advertising spot. impacts Effects of pressures on the status of surface water and groundwater impacts The significant consequences of a government program activity, either intended or unintended, and either positive or negative. The earliest recorded use of the verb impact to mean â€Å"to strike forcefully against something† dates from 1916. If something can be said to impact something, then the participle use is sure to follow. Like so many shortcut words beloved by headline writers, impacted in place of â€Å"had an impact on† is here to stay: Has the Economy Impacted Your Earnings? How space exploration has impacted our health How Globalization Has Impacted Labor How football hooliganism has negatively impacted the sport Nevertheless, I find it disconcerting. When I hear someone say, â€Å"That really impacted me,† I have the mental image of a body all mashed in on itself. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeopleUsing "zeitgeist" Coherently

Financial Fragility, Capital Regulation and Bank Testing Essay

Financial Fragility, Capital Regulation and Bank Testing - Essay Example As the discussion highlights  bank mergers can reduce the cost of operation and increase scope of activities thus enabling them to control market and funding liquidity. This document examines the effects of bank mergers on market and funding liquidity and their interactions during the financial crisis. The activities of the bank influence their capacity to control market and funding liquidity. Investors prefer strong institutions that they perceive as being less risky because they are fairly stable during the periods of the economic downturn.  Ã‚  This paper outlines that liquidity risk is the risk that a particular asset or portfolio may not be exchanged in the market quickly in order to evade a loss, and it results from uncertain liquidity. Liquidity risk could either be due to the market liquidity or funding liquidity. Market liquidity is the condition whereby the assets cannot be traded in the market due to lack of liquidity in the market. The market liquidity can drain sudde nly, interlinked with instability, have cohesion across securities, co-varies with the market, and is dependent on â€Å"flight to quality†. Funding liquidity refers to ease with which traders can obtain funding for assets. The investors require portfolio security with high returns in case the market is illiquid and require return premium for an illiquid security in a situation where the entire market is illiquid. Small banks pose high risk to the investor because they may not be able to acquire funding during the periods of the economic downturn.

Discussion Paper on Utilitarian Theory and Duty Oriented Theory Essay

Discussion Paper on Utilitarian Theory and Duty Oriented Theory - Essay Example This rule is applied directly to a selection of particular actions under particular events (Mill). This implies that there are no fixed principles that can be established before the occurrence of any specific event, and that the particular action that works for the greater benefit of society should be the preferred method. Hence the judgment on what constitutes the ‘greater good’ is of extreme importance when following act utilitarianism. There can be counter arguments to the aforementioned notion because, while the majority’s verdict may satisfy everyone in the short run, it may have negative implications for everyone in the long run. This raises concerns over the guaranteed presence of someone shrewd enough to judge what constitutes the greater good of the society. Rule Utilitarianism:- Rule utilitarianism states that it is our duty to abide by rules designed for the greater total good and produce consequences better than those produced by any other rules. This doctrine is applied to a selection of a set of rules which are then used to determine what to do in particular situations. The primary argument of rule utilitarianism is that there should be pre established rules that define what constitutes the greater good. ... Duty Oriented Theories: Duty oriented theories fall under the category of nonconsequentalists theories. Nonconsequentalists believe that there can be rules to guide moral judgments independent of consequences. The underlying argument of these theories is that the means justify the ends rather than the other way round and if the moral conduct undertaken to achieve an acceptable consequence is incorrect than the entire act is incorrect. There are several theories that follow this school of thought. The divine command theory suggests that moral conduct is judged on the basis of the level of fulfillment of rules laid down by a higher authority. This is an extreme end of the nonconsequentalists theories that seeks to abandon control completely. Emanuel Kant was one of the key contributors to duty oriented ethics. Kant’s theory stems from his arguments about misconceptions about the purpose of life and what makes one happy. He argues that if the purpose of life was to achieve happin ess, we shall all seek gratification and pleasure and believe that it shall lead to happiness. But happiness is not within out power to achieve, and is at times, a matter of luck. He also suggests that if we are to avoid skepticism, our ethics should be rational, unconditional and universal. Kant believes that it is not important that the consequences be of our choice, but the thinking behind our choices. He argues that the only one kind of thing that is inherently good is good will. Kant proposed a categorical imperative that shall guide our moral behavior. The categorical imperative argues that One should act on only those maxims (rules of action)

Negative effects of technology in education Research Paper

Negative effects of technology in education - Research Paper Example One of the most fundamental golden rules that have to be observed when using technology in education is that moderation is everything and this is because of the fact that technology can easily be overused within the classroom, and this can cause a negative effect on the entire learning experience. It is true that some of these effects are already being seen from student texting and internet usage during class and there are also increased prevalence of plagiarism for coursework and general deficiency of respect for accurate language usage particularly when writing essays. This is a clear indicator of the consequences that technology usually has on the intellectual abilities of the current generation and is a display of the overall power of the internet. According to David Gelernter, â€Å"computers are our worst educational nightmares come true.† While it is a fact that independent thought has greatly been encouraged through the reading of books and has ensured the development of new ideas, this ability would be immensely diminished if there were no books in the world because it is only through the study of old ideas that new ideas are developed. Technology that is used in education, such as the internet will inevitably lead to the extinction of books from the education system because it is the source of plenty of information. However, despite the large reserves of information within this technology, the internet does not have the qualities which books have because most of the information gotten from it is often instant and shallow. The internet does not allow individuals to contemplate on the information which they have just received, as books do and the lack of independent thought because of the absence of books is likely to put the human race into a dark age of intellectual stagnation. The ability to think through the study of the previous work of scholars is what has helped the academic advancement of many children in the past and the inability to thi nk and the reliance on shallow sources of information such as the internet is likely to see the end of the academic system as we know it. Students are able to learn about their past from books and with this knowledge, the take action to avoid the mistakes of their past. The use of technology in education has to be moderated because it is a fact that books have been and still are the most credible source of academic information for centuries, and without books, one would conclude that there can be no history. Gelenter further states that â€Å"teaching children to understand the orderly unfolding of a plot or argument is a critical part of education and this is why the study of stories and arguments is only possible through books and because of the developing lack of interest in them, slowly but surely, students are likely to end up without a culture of analyzing their environment. This can clearly be seen when most of the children today prefer watching television, playing video gam es and even social networking on the internet to having intellectual discussions. The power of the media has become so great that many students in the education system do not have the will, or the inclination, to live a different sort of life. When individual students are asked what they learned

Muhammad Yunus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Muhammad Yunus - Essay Example Micro finance is a term given for the practice of providing financial services, usually very small loans, to developing economies. As the name itself suggests, most transactions in micro finance involve small amounts of money, frequently less than 100 USD. This paper will review an article about Microfinance titled, The Microfinance Promise written by Jonathan Murduch with special focus on Economist, Muhammad Yunus. The main thesis of this article is about the role of Microfinance in the development of individuals and how Muhammad Yunus’s role is very crucial in that development. Microfinance is the ray of hope for many people the world over, who were living a life of struggle due to the lack of basic needs caused by deficient economic resources. This economic deficiency is actually due their inability to find a livelihood and this is further accentuated by the apathy shown by the Government and its institutions. â€Å"About one billion people globally live in households with per capita incomes of under one dollar day. The policymakers and practitioners †¦face an uphill battle. Reports of bureaucratic sprawl and unchecked corruption abound† (Murduch 1569) The author focusses on Muhammad Yunus and Grameen bank after discussing about the utility of Microfinance and the latest approaches. According to the author, it is due to the personal initiative of Muhammad Yunus that Microfinance had its roots in Bangladesh, which in turn ‘rooted’ and ‘routed’ many lives in their path to success. Before Yunus’s initiative, many people had no idea of about the concept of Microfinance and lived their lives with lot of discomfort. And, this term entered common parlance due to the work of Prof. Muhammad Yunus, who was aptly awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 2006. Muhammad Yunus is only credited with disbursing the first microloan in Bangladesh in 1974 using his own money. The author of the article, Murduch focusses on Yunus

Financial Strategy in the Emergent Countries Essay

Financial Strategy in the Emergent Countries - Essay Example Though, despite of vital up to date developments in hypothetical and to some point experiential, phases of the macroeconomics of economical policy, contemporary analyses have until at present failed to address the key issue of what establishes a nation's financial posture. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) In an expression, the dilemma is that economists for the majority of the time treat monetary policy as exogenous and deem the legislator to be similar to a programmable mechanism. Awfully there is very little literature available that addresses the issues like: Even very fewer studies have adapted contemporary economical analysis to solicit the category of institutions or lawful arrangements that will assist to sustain financial restraint and uphold stabilization efforts. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) The conventional literature on price increases in developing countries had paid attention on three core determinants of inflationary strains which are funds generation, economic imbalances and cost-push fundamentals. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) While the primary two aspects have been accentuated by the authors of a monitory influence, cost factors have played a decisive role in the structuralist theories urbanized throughout the 1950s-1960s. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) However, the majority of the current researches on price increases and stabilization have reallocated their concentration away from conventional direct economic causes of price increases such as funds creation, in the direction of political along with institutional determinants of inflationary forces. It is necessary for developing economies to focus on the methods like cost-shifting and externalities in array to maintain the pace of GDP growth rate in the times of global recession. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) This paper hereby highlights the significance and effects of cost-shifting and externalities in the economies of the developing countries. Cost-Shifting and Its Impacts An imperative characteristic as illustrated in diagram 2.2 is the relation among production and reproduction work in a social order structured around funds and earnings. As reproduction job is unwaged, the capability of viable institutions to valve into it provides growth to the likelihood to save capital and trim down costs. (DAHL, Robert Alan, 1992) It is evident that in this era of globalization the demands for cost reduction and increased efficiency have escalated from business institutions constrain to endure a viable conflict to governmental drive to trim down expenditures in array to struggle with a non-existent price increases. (DAHL, Robert Alan, 1992) There are majorly duo methods to trim down costs: 1. technological change 2. Cost-shifting "Technological change" entails the preamble of latest machinery that boosts labor efficiency and accordingly permits a diminution in unit cost. In a profit-driven civilization, this technological modification usually fallout in an employment affects i.e. amplification in unemployment

Cultural difficulties can be difficult to manage, even if they Essay

Cultural difficulties can be difficult to manage, even if they anticipated - Essay Example The so-called resource-based approach to strategic management, for instance, is based on this line of thinking (Barney, 100-110, 1999; Dereskey, 230-244, 1997). Even though it cannot be allocated and generated in a way entirely analogous to the financial resources of a corporation, it is still an integral part of strategic management (Itami, 108-114, 1987). A strategic resource is defined as a resource that can be shifted from one business strategy application to another (Lorange, 132-154, 2000) - not only financial funds or technological expertise, but also human resources. Without the growth of human resources as a strategic resource within a corporation, it will be difficult to secure the long-term strategic future of the corporation, even though financial resources might be adequate (Evans, 102-128, 1996). Managers of international workforce are currently witnessing an increase of cooperative cultural problems as vehicles for implementing strategy, particularly in multinational contexts where joint cultural problems, licensing agreements, project cooperation, and other methods of cooperation are becoming commonplace (Contractor and Lorange, 144-187, 2003). The reasons for the growth of cooperative cultural problems are manifold: they may make scarce strategic resources last longer by utilizing complementary resources from several partners; they may allow faster market penetration; they may be a political necessity, and so on (Lorange, 164-176, 1986). It is interesting to notice that, while strategic alliances in the past often might have been seen as the "next best" options, with full ownership being preferred, today the positive emphasis on creativity and opportunity seeking through bringing together complementary creative teams seems to have put these types of cooperative how manage rs can overcome problems arising from cultural differences of employee strategies in an even more favourable light (Chakravarthy and Lorange, 316-322, 1999; Lorange and Roos, 141-153, 1992). The human resource function is particularly critical to successful implementation of such cooperative cultural problems or how managers can overcome problems arising from cultural differences of employee strategies. Several strategic human resource issues surrounding these cooperative cultural problems, however, are not well understood; therefore, the present article raises and discusses a number of them. It can be argued that the choice of a cooperative international business should satisfy several requirements of each participating partner. The cooperative international business must create a value-added chain by bringing together synergistic factors for a combined output greater than the sum of the outputs of each participating partner. The combined output must result in a competitive product or service, in comparison with alternative sources of supply. A partner in a joint international business may wish to keep a certain degree of discretionary control over its unique resources. Some strategic resources, such as unique technological skills or relevant marketing expertise may not as readily be made available to

Financial Strategy in the Emergent Countries Essay

Financial Strategy in the Emergent Countries - Essay Example Though, despite of vital up to date developments in hypothetical and to some point experiential, phases of the macroeconomics of economical policy, contemporary analyses have until at present failed to address the key issue of what establishes a nation's financial posture. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) In an expression, the dilemma is that economists for the majority of the time treat monetary policy as exogenous and deem the legislator to be similar to a programmable mechanism. Awfully there is very little literature available that addresses the issues like: Even very fewer studies have adapted contemporary economical analysis to solicit the category of institutions or lawful arrangements that will assist to sustain financial restraint and uphold stabilization efforts. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) The conventional literature on price increases in developing countries had paid attention on three core determinants of inflationary strains which are funds generation, economic imbalances and cost-push fundamentals. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) While the primary two aspects have been accentuated by the authors of a monitory influence, cost factors have played a decisive role in the structuralist theories urbanized throughout the 1950s-1960s. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) However, the majority of the current researches on price increases and stabilization have reallocated their concentration away from conventional direct economic causes of price increases such as funds creation, in the direction of political along with institutional determinants of inflationary forces. It is necessary for developing economies to focus on the methods like cost-shifting and externalities in array to maintain the pace of GDP growth rate in the times of global recession. (GREGORY, John Milton, 2008) This paper hereby highlights the significance and effects of cost-shifting and externalities in the economies of the developing countries. Cost-Shifting and Its Impacts An imperative characteristic as illustrated in diagram 2.2 is the relation among production and reproduction work in a social order structured around funds and earnings. As reproduction job is unwaged, the capability of viable institutions to valve into it provides growth to the likelihood to save capital and trim down costs. (DAHL, Robert Alan, 1992) It is evident that in this era of globalization the demands for cost reduction and increased efficiency have escalated from business institutions constrain to endure a viable conflict to governmental drive to trim down expenditures in array to struggle with a non-existent price increases. (DAHL, Robert Alan, 1992) There are majorly duo methods to trim down costs: 1. technological change 2. Cost-shifting "Technological change" entails the preamble of latest machinery that boosts labor efficiency and accordingly permits a diminution in unit cost. In a profit-driven civilization, this technological modification usually fallout in an employment affects i.e. amplification in unemployment

Armitages and Keeble-Allens Undertaking a structured Literature Review Essay

Armitages and Keeble-Allens Undertaking a structured Literature Review or Structuring a Literature Review, Tales from the Field Article Critique - Essay Example The study conducted by the two researchers relies on a number of credible secondary sources for the literature review. The primary data on the other hand was gathered from the field with a sample of four master students. The methodology applied by the researchers is credible in that it abides by established methods of research. In particular, the researchers relied on unstructured interviews to gather primary data from the sample during their supervisory sessions. Critique of the Evidence Used During research, it is normally in order to use a in some cases, especially if the population under study is extremely high or when associated costs of conducting the study are extremely high (Patton 2002). While the researchers used a small sample in conducting their study, it is beyond doubt that the evidence used was adequate and accurate. The data from the unstructured interviews with master students was adequate and is representative of what other students encounter while conducting their studies at the undergraduate and master levels. The study also –provides evidence based on 18 secondary sources that are recent (from 1995 to-date), credible and authored by authoritative sources.

Stonegate pub company performance Essay Example for Free

Stonegate pub company performance Essay The Stonegate pub company is privately owned which concentrates in pubs and bars in the UK. It was started in the year 2010 and currently have more than 620 bars and pubs all over in the country. In the same year the company acquired over 330 managed pubs from M and B. This gave the company operational power to run. The company takes great care of all its target customers as it has various joints as in: student bars, traditional pubs, night clubs and all kinds of pubs. This makes the company attract all kinds of customers depending on their needs. In 2011, the company joined with the Town and pub company forming a large pub operator which would become the largest in the country. This in return led to the company acquiring lettuce brands, Yate’s and slug. Stonegate company also involves itself in selling of drinks and food that is seasonal favorites. Being one of the largest companies in the country, Stonegate company keeps books of accounts which can be evaluated. The company’s return on capital in the year 2012 is far much higher than that of 2011. This in return has increased the shareholders amount in the year. Since the return on capital in 2012 is greater than in 2011, the company indicated growth. The Gross profit of the company increases from 8.7% to 12.3% due to the increase of sales from 264,671 to 484623. The gross profit of the company indicates that the company is in the right direction towards its development. Net profit margin of any company will show how much it earns after tax deductions per dollar. When it is high, the firm comfortably controls its costs and favorably competes (BAKER, 2005, 62). In 2011 it had 0.41% compared to 4.5% in 2012 and could therefore earn more in 2012 after the tax had been deducted per dollar. The company, hence records higher amount of sale as time goes by. Gearing measures the financial leverage of a company and compares the ration between financial aid by lenders and shareholders. In 2011 it was 47.9% as compared to 159% indicating the country borrowed more than in the previous year. Interest cover shows the ability of a company to repay interest on an outstanding debt. In 2012 the ratio is at 3.5 times as compared with 0.95 in 2011. This indicates the ability of the company to repay has increased. On the other side the company’s current ratio came from 0.77:1 in 2011 to 0.74:1 in 2012. This shows that it was in a position to pay debts comfortably in 2011 while it struggles in 2012 which is not a comfortable place for any company in theworld. Liquidity ratio of a company shows its ability to pay short term debts. Stonegate company had a ratio of 0.69: 1 in 2011 and 0.62: 1 in 2012 showing the ability to repay short term debts reduced in 2012. Stock turnover is the amount of times that stock is sold over a given period of time. The company had a stock turnover of 9 times in 2011 as compared to 6 times in 2012. This indicates that the stock is sold at a fast pace in 2012 as compared to 2011. Debtor collection period is the period in which the business receives money sold on credit. Many businesses sell on credit to increase their sales. In 2011, Stonegate company had a debtor collection period of 43 as compared to 25 in 2012. This shows that the company would be able to get money sold on credit more often in 2012 which leads to development. Credit payment period on the other side represents the number of days a company takes to repay a credit transaction. The shorter the period the busy the business, hence faster development since this indicates faster inflow of cash. In 2011 it was 24 days compared to 12 in 2012. In 2012 therefore, Stonegate company had the power to repay back its debts within half the time spent in the previous year. This indicates growth in financial aspects of the company. The number of days a company takes to realize cash from its inventory is operating ratio. The company has an operating ratio of 28 days in 2011 and 19 days in 2012. The company enjoys fast money in the latter year,which in turn leads to faster development as compared to 2011. Stonegate company compares with other companies in the market and competes effectively. In the year 2011, Net Profit before interest and tax on sales is 0.64% compared to 12.3% in 2012. The company records growth in the latter year as compared to other companies. Labor cost of sales in 2011 is at 26.5% as compared to 28% in the year 2012. In comparison to other companies, the company is paying more of its money in wages and salaries in 2011 than in 2012. This poses dangers in any company. Overhead costs of sales refer to other costs other than labor. These costs may include rent and insurance. In relation to other companies, the company had a figure of 8.2% and 6.7% in 2012 indicating a reduction in the rate of overhead cost. Reduction in overhead costs which may be escapable, benefits the company as it is an additional expense on the side of the company’s budget (Tracy, 2013, 237) . The company’s current ratio in 2011 is at 0.77 and 0.74 in 2012 compared to other companies. This shows lack of strength to pay its debts faster as the years progress. On the side of acid test, the company had a ratio of 0.69: 1 in 2011 and 0.62:1 in 2012. It shows that the company could not comfortably depend on its current asset to pay its current debts in the year 2012 as compared with 2011 in relation to other countries. It therefore shows that the company depends on its own inventory in paying these debts. Stonegate company recorded a favorable rate of stock turnover as compared between the two years 2011 with 9 times and 2012 with 6 times. This shows effective competition with other companies in the market. The company may be lagging behind other companies due to the use of some strategies it takes in its dairy production. The company records tremendous improvement in the financial sector as witnessed by the large amount of profits and sales in 2012 compared to 2011. This shows improvement in the management part of the company which brings aboutbetter methods of production. This is what in return brings the positive change experienced in the company. According to Davenport (2013, p. 27), IT IS due to data-keeping in the company that parties may be able to know where the company is going astray and where they are right. This also helps in decision making . Although the company seems to be walking in the right direction, the business still lags behind other companies in the market due to its strategies. Some of these strategies include gearing. For instance Stonegate company depended much on the lenders as opposed to the shareholders in 2012 as compared to the year 2012. Lenders require a large amount of interests on loans given to the companies and may even ask for repayment within a short period of time (Moles et al, 2011, p. 642). Interests associated with these loans reduces the profit margin as evidenced in the Stonegate company. Other competing companies used the money from the shareholders as this would be somehow permanent as compared to money from the lenders. In this regard, the rate of gearing went up from 47.9 in 2011 to 159 in 2012. This is one of the areas where the company is lagging behind its peers and care must be taken to avoid collapse of the company in the future. The company’s current ratio went down and it could not be able to repay short-term debts as it used to do in the previous year. Decrease in the current ratio of a company may be brought about by such factors as an increase in the amount borrowed reducing the company’s current assets due to repayment of the debts (Kaya Banerjee, 2014, p. 25). Although this money leads to increase in the level of profits, the company should avoid it. Net profit margin, which increases due to this approach helps in the payment of the debt, though it does not fit the amount borrowed. Another rich area that the company is lagging behind is in the payment of wages and salaries. The amount used in 2012 was far much more than the amount spent in the year 2011. This is even after keeping all the other factors constant. Stonegate company’s acid tests proved that it could not depend on its current assets to pay its current liabilities. The company could therefore depend on its inventory to pay these debts.Being unable to pay short term debts by the company is a concern that needs to be addressed in order to prevent collapse of the company.On the other side, the company enjoys improvement in the rate of stock turnover indicating that the products are moving at a higher speed in 2012 compared to 2011. The overhead costs also go down,adding up to the profit margin of the company. Care must be taken to avoid doing away with an overhead cost that is vital to the business for example insurance. This is because overheads costs are an important part in the running of businesses. Stonegate company has adopted strategies that make it compete favorably with other competitors. This has enabled it to remain relevant in the market. It has offered services to all round customers with the number of joints that supply drinks and food. To have powers in the market, the company joined hands with the Town and pub company to form a large company and the largest private company that is in the pub business. It also acquired more than 330 pubs from M and B which gave the company powers to enter the market in full force leading to almost forming a monopoly. In return, Stonegate company has continued to record high amount of profit associated with an increase in the amount of total sales. Due to this factor, it has recorded tremendous development and growth of the structures and the number of workers. An increase in the amount of profits as time goes may be attributed to the increase in the amount of sales sold (Kumar, 2008, p. 62 ). As compared with other companies in both 2011 and 2012, the company records an increase in the amount of profit and sales. This has given the company more resources to deal with the operations of its duties that lead to efficiency and growth. This accounts for the increase in the number of employees’ salaries who increases in number due to increase in the operation of the company. This has in return increased net profit margin of the company showing the positive trend the company is heading to. Rate of stock turnover also reduces in the years under scrutiny. This has led to faster movement in and out of inventory which results in higher returns indicated in the working ratios of the company. The ratio between the shareholders and the lenders also increases during the latter year. This indicates that the company has resulted in the use of the lender’s money as opposed to shareholders’. This in return has made Stonegate company unable to pay short term debts using its current assets since most of its money is borrowed money. This is a major concern for the company to consider and correct. Relying on lenders money may seem risky in the event that they give out money with a lot of requirements that leaves the company in a servant position. The loans also attractthe interest that is additional cost which adds to the expenses of the company in return reducing the profit. Using money from the shareholders who are somehow long time as compared to loans is more easier and efficient. They ask for interests after an agreed period of time without their investment value as opposed to lenders who asks for both (Jiang et al 2010, p. 3602). Stonegate’s debt collection period has reduced in the years in discussion. This indicates good mechanisms and strategies in debt collection and incredit selling. This has enabled the company to reduce its credit repayment period. Managing these important trading strategies by the company has led to growth and improved operations a great achievement in the side of the company and its associates. An area of concern is the ratio of wages and total sales that increased in the year 2012 as compared to 2011. This increase in the ratio indicates that the company would be using more money to pay labor in the latter year as compared to the total output in the same year. This is a point of consideration that Stonebic company should take into account and make the necessary improvements.Stonegate company,continues to report increased revenues as in 2003 it stood at  £470.3m (Wingett Williams, 2014, p. 168). Conclusion             The Stonegate pub company is a competitive company in the market that offers drinks to its esteemed customers. The company keeps records of its finances an indication of a company that follows the set regulations for success in business. The company continues to grow in the amount of sales and profits attributed by the reduction in the rate of stock turnover, debt recollection period and debt repayment period. The company also uses a lot of funds from lenders, which increases its operating capital which in return results in the growth of its structures. The company through its many joints holds all kinds of customers in its different joints as involvement in fresh foods gives it additional customers who do not drink. References Baker, H. K., Powell, G. E. (2005). Understanding Financial Management A Practical Guide. Oxford, Blackwell Pub. Davenport, T. H., Kim, J. (2013). Keeping Up With The Quants: Your Guide To Understanding And Using Analytics Firms, Journal Of Accounting, Business Management, 21, 2, Pp. 23-35 Jiang, W, Li, K, Shao, P 2010, When Shareholders Are Creditors: Effects Of The Simultaneous Holding Of Equity And Debt By Non-Commercial Banking Institutions, Review Of Financial Studies, 23, 10, Pp. 3595-3637 Kaya, H, Banerjee, G 2014, The Impact Of Monetary Policy And Firm Characteristics On Firms Short-Term Assets, Liabilities, Term Structure Of Debt And Liquidity Ratios: Evidence From U.S. Industrial Kumar, V. (2008). Managing Customers For Profit: Strategies To Increase Profits And Build Loyalty. Upper Saddle River, N.J., Wharton School Pub. Moles, P., Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. S. (2011).Corporate Finance. Chichester, Wiley. Tracy, J. A. (2013). Accounting Workbook For Dummies.Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley Sons. Wingett, M, Williams, R. 2014, Stonegate performance in line with peers, Publicans Morning Advertiser. Business Source Complete168, p. 15 Source document