The Life and Accomplishments of Jacqueline Kozak Thiel

Jacqueline Kozak Thiel learned at an early age that it is her â€Å"kuleana to get involved and to give all she has got during her time on this Earth. Born in Pennsylvania, she arrived in Maui in 2003, one week after graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Arts and Sciences with concentrations in environmental science, social work, and philosophy. Last year, she was appointed to the position of State Sustainability Coordinator and is intent on translating Hawai`i’s sustainability goals enshrined in Act 181 into collaborative action. Through her interagency position she plans to â€Å"coordinate across state departments and with counties, federal agencies, and community partners to support progress on Hawaii’s interconnected sustainability goals.† Based on the five goals – Way of Life, Economy, Environment and Natural Resources, Community and Social Well-Being, and Kanaka Maoli and Island Values – outlined in Act 181, Ms. Thiel intends to focus her efforts on â€Å"areas of clean energy transformation, local food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, green jobs creation, education, climate change adaptation, smart growth, cultural vitality and community health.† The State Sustainability Coordinator position puts Ms. Thiel in a unique position. Although hosted in the Chairperson’s Office at the Department of Land and Natural Resources, there is not an official â€Å"Office of Sustainability† or dedicated staff.

Essay on symbolaw Use of Symbols and Symbolism in The...

Birds are major symbolic images in the narrative. They symbolize the ability to communicate (the mockingbird and parrot) and entrapment of women (the two birds in cages; the desire for flight; the pigeon house). Flight is another symbol associated with birds, and acts as a stand in for awakening. The ability to spread your wings and fly is a symbolic theme that occurs often in the novel. Edna escapes her home, her husband, her life, by leaving for the pigeon house. Mlle. Reisz lectures Edna on the need for strong wings in artistic endeavors. Clothing is also symbolic. Edna is fully dressed when first introduced; slowly over the course of the novel she removes her clothes. This symbolizes the shedding of the societal rules in her life and her growing awakening and stresses her physical and external self. As she disrobes, the reader is presented with an internal voyeuristic view. As MacCurdy points out, Ednas dress opposes external nature, but more importantly, it begins to oppose her inner nature. A division exists between her and her environment as well as between her social character and her awakening instincts (59). When she commits suicide she is finally naked, she has shed everything she has in her quest for selfhood. But it is not only Edna who is symbolized in clothes, Adele is more careful of her face in the seventh chapter and wears a veil. Both she and Madame Leburn constantly make clothes to cover the body, and the woman

Statistics Impact Of Sustainable Development And Resource Management

Question: Discuss about theStatistics for Impact Of Sustainable Development And Resource Management On Global Environment. Answer: Introduction The concept of sustainability has become one of the major solutions to absolving the world of its environment and financial crises. Since the conceptualization of sustainability, there have been several investigation and researches on the vagueness as well as the ambiguity of its definition. It is observed that the term sustainability has been a global buzzword as the major solution to many global, regional as well as global issues faced by the society in the recent time. Conversely, it is also identified that resource management is also considered as one of the major factors to gain a sustainable growth in the global environment. Hence, the resources can be considered in the form of financial, human, inventory and information technology. The proposed research investigates the impact of sustainable development and resource management on the global market. Through a critical discussion of the literature review, the importance of sustainable development can be understood. Literature Review Concept of Sustainability As mentioned by Griggs et al. (2013), sustainability is the technique suggested to enhance the quality of human life within the constraints of the global environment. In the light of sustainable development, Karatzoglou (2013) opined that sustainability could help to enhance solutions for developing human welfare that does not positively influence environment or imposing on the well-being of other individual. Though precise meaning of sustainability has yet not been developed, there is a basic concept that helps to learn the sustainable measures. These measures may involve living within the constraints of earth capacity to manage life, realizing the inter-relations among the economy and managing an effective distribution of resources as well as an opportunity for future growth. As argued by Scherer, Palazzo and Seidl (2013), the issues of sustainability can be divided into three different categories namely political or social, environmental and economical issues. Available Natural Resource and Sustainability As put forward by Ribot and Larson (2013), resources are considered as the backbone of economy. It usually provides two core functions such as raw materials for the production of products and services as well as environmental services. Several types of natural resources should be protected for sustainable development. The natural resources may include non-renewable and non-recyclable resources like fossils fuels, minerals, fish, forest, wind energy and soil (Mitchell 2013). Thus, the problem of repetition plays a vital role in the utilization of non-renewable as well as renewable resources natural resources. In addition, it is also observed that environmental services may include the sink functions that incorporate and recycle waste products from consumption and production. Renwick, Redman and Maguire (2013) opined that natural resources and flow are not repeatable and they are always available. Nevertheless, the natural resources could be degraded by pollution. The existing literatu re indicates that while utilizing the resources and transforming them, the opportunity of building capital stock that could further add to the wealth of present as well as future growth. Research Objectives To understand the impact of sustainable development and natural resources on global environment To critically analyze the importance of sustainable development and natural resources on global environment To suggest a set of solutions to resolve to manage natural resource and maintain sustainable development Research Questions What is the impact of sustainable development and natural resource management on global environment? What is the importance sustainable development and natural resource in developing the global environment? What actions can be implemented to manage natural resources and maintain sustainable development? Research Methodology Selection of appropriate research methodology plays a crucial role in performing the research effectively (Gioia, Corley and Hamilton 2013). For the proposed research both primary as well as secondary analysis will be performed. Besides the analysis of data, certain design, philosophy, and approaches will be selected that help to guide the research. Among different research philosophy, positivism research philosophy helps to analyze the data with factual knowledge and real-world problems (Creswell 2013). Deductive research approach: For the proposed research, the deductive research approach includes scientific approach. The principles of deductive approach are based on science. In addition, the researcher could explain the causal relationship among the variables. As the research includes quantitative approach, the deductive approach could help to collect quantitative data. Research Time Table Research Activities 1-4 4-8 8-12 12-16 16-20 20-24 24-28 Topic of the Research Collection of secondary information Investigation Reviewing Literature and forming hypothesis Setting plans for the research Selection of Research Techniques Data analysis Interpretation of the collected data Conclusion Formation of Draft Final Submission of the thesis paper Table 1: Research Time Table Research Process Quantitative research approach- The proposed research includes quantitative approach as it helps to quantify the issues through the ways of generating numerical data or the data that can be converted into useable statistics. The quantitative research approach is selected as it helps to quantify the attitudes, behaviors and defined variables. In addition, another reason for choosing this particular method is to measure the collected data to build the facts and hidden patterns in the study. The quantitative data will be collected by conducting a survey among the managers of large industries. This could help to learn the techniques used by the managers to deal with sustainable development and resource management. Data Collection and Analysis Techniques Primary Data Collection- The primary data will be collected from the survey. The proposed survey includes the managers of large organizations from different industry. A questionnaire will be distributed among the managers of the organizations Secondary Data Collection- The secondary data for critical analysis will be collected from different secondary sources such as books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and other secondary sources. Data Analysis- The collected data will be converted to numerical forms to perform the statistical analysis of the data. Through statistical analysis mode and the mean value of the data can be calculated. Moreover, the collected data will be presented with the help of a graph, table, and chart. The findings will then be linked to the literature review. Expected Outcomes The outcome of the research will be compared with the results of previous research. The results of previous research indicate that the economic conception of sustainable development usually focuses on the advanced mechanism of the market. This is considered as the solution to specify the production to sustain the capacity of natural resources. However, the current research is determined to find out the factors that positively influence the sustainable development. Reference List: Creswell, J.W., 2013.Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. Gioia, D.A., Corley, K.G. and Hamilton, A.L., 2013. Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research notes on the Gioia methodology.Organizational Research Methods,16(1), pp.15-31. Griggs, D., Stafford-Smith, M., Gaffney, O., Rockstrm, J., hman, M.C., Shyamsundar, P., Steffen, W., Glaser, G., Kanie, N. and Noble, I., 2013. Policy: Sustainable development goals for people and planet.Nature,495(7441), pp.305-307. Karatzoglou, B., 2013. An in-depth literature review of the evolving roles and contributions of universities to education for sustainable development.Journal of Cleaner Production,49, pp.44-53. Mitchell, B., 2013.Resource environmental management. Routledge. Renwick, D.W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: a review and research agenda*.International Journal of Management Reviews,15(1), pp.1-14. Ribot, J.C. and Larson, A.M. eds., 2013.Democratic decentralisation through a natural resource lens: cases from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Routledge. Scherer, A.G., Palazzo, G. and Seidl, D., 2013. Managing legitimacy in complex and heterogeneous environments: Sustainable development in a globalized world.Journal of Management Studies,50(2), pp.259-284.

Lowering Of Drinking Age Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Lowering Of Drinking Age Essay, Research Paper Lowering of Drinking Age When adolescents turn 18, we tell them they are grownups and direct them into the universe. They go to college, acquire a occupation, marry or fall in the military. They do grown up things like ballot, pay revenue enhancements and become parents. They can drive autos, purchase a gun, fume, serve on a jury, and travel to an grownup prison. But they can t travel to a saloon for a drink because when it comes to liquor, they are still merely childs. Where s the logic in the 21 and older imbibing jurisprudence? The lower limit imbibing age should be 18 since it is the age of maturity. The imbibing age of 21 has non been around for long. In 1984, merely 18 provinces required that drinkers be 21 until the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed. Through this amendment, legislators tried to work out the bibulous drive crisis across the state. We will write a custom essay sample on Lowering Of Drinking Age Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In kernel, the federal authorities blackmailed the provinces into making what it wanted. Since so, the lessening in imbibing and drive jobs are the consequence of many factors, non merely the rise in purchase age. These include instruction refering intoxicated drive, designated driver plans, increased place belt and air bag use, safer cars, lower velocity bounds, and free cab services from imbibing constitutions, along with many others. It s obvious that adolescents drink alcohol despite the imbibing Torahs. Moment t childs who want to imbibe are traveling to make it, and merely because it s against the jurisprudence doesn t halt them from imbibing in fact, it makes it more appealing. When they have the chance to imbibe, they do so in an irresponsible mode because it is seen as a badge of rebellion against authorization. Lowering the imbibing age to eighteen would take away the bang and exhilaration of holding something that you re non supposed to. Even for those who are minor, liquor is the easiest drug in the universe to acquire. Many spirits shops are willing to sell intoxicant to adolescents without inquiring for designation. It s besides non hard to acquire older friends or siblings to purchase for bush leagues. Young grownups should be allowed to imbibe in controlled environments such as eating houses, bars, and official school and university maps. In these state of affairss, where mature and reasonable imbibing behaviour would be expected, responsible intoxicant ingestion could be taught through function mold and educational plans. We can larn from this. Because the 21 twelvemonth old imbibing age jurisprudence is non working, we need to alter it and learn responsible imbibing techniques to those who choose to devour alcoholic drinks. I m non stating that intoxicant is good, but if our authorities feels that 18 twelvemonth olds are responsible plenty to do of import life determinations, it should demo assurance in these immature grownups to move mature when it comes to imbibing.

Free Essays on School Prayer

Should school prayer be allowed in public schools? Introduction Since this country’s establishment, there have been several debates over the issue of religious prayer in school. Religious sects and other groups feel that prayer should be mandatory in public schools; however, many people believe it to be our right to have church and state remain separate. If we allow prayer in school, then it will indoctrinate our unsuspecting children’s minds and devastate the United States Constitution. Religious prayer must not be allowed into public schools. The destruction of our constitution through prayer in schools raises a group of children with no independence of their own thoughts and beliefs. The research that is presented in this paper will prove indefinitely why the use of prayer in public schools is illegal. Government’s Position Public schools are for all children, whether Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, Quaker, or Atheist. Schools are supported by all taxpayers and should be free of school prayer and religious observances. It is the duty of the parents and churches to instill religious beliefs. It should not be the governments’ job to help instill these religious beliefs. School prayer is a time where all children are required to pray. Justice Black sees the First Amendment as, â€Å"a guarantee that neither the power nor the prestige of the Federal Government would be used to control, support or influence the kinds of prayer American people can say† (Bach 128). When government attempts to promote, support, establish, or use religion in any way, both church and state suffer (Bach 128). Newt Gingrich’s belief on voluntary school prayer is thus, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group prayer in public schools or other public institutions. No person shall be required by the United States or by any State to participate in prayer. Neither the United States nor any State shall com... Free Essays on School Prayer Free Essays on School Prayer For many years, American public school students have been denied the right of religious freedom that the Constitution's First Ammendment established. A section of the First Ammendment reads, "Congress shall make no law restricting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof," but yet, court rulings have, in many cases, prohibited students to take part in certain religious activities. As a result, prayer has been banned from many public schools throughout the country. Those who are pro-separation of church and state argue that prayer should be banned from public schools, but I, being a religious person, believe prayer should be allowed. The doctrine of the separation of church and state, as it has been articulated in the past years by our courts, is an inaccurate misinterpretation of the Constitution that actually provides the framework for immense violations of our First Ammendment rights. The First Ammendment was never meant to eliminate all references to God and religion from our public life or government. The most certain sign of the craziness of this doctrine is the fact that the Declaration of Independence itself can only be taught as a historical artifact rather than as a living expression of our moral identity as people. Starting a school day off with a prayer will not harm society. Prayer may be a way of allowing students to clear their minds. It gives students a peaceful way to start the day, instead of a teacher having to quiet an annoying group of students. Prayer does not only help make the transition into learning smooth, it also helps students resolve personal issues. It gives students a time every morning when they can think about values and faith to help them through life. Many students have problems, and prayer gives them time to think about their issues. Many ask, "What is... Free Essays on School Prayer Should school prayer be allowed in public schools? Introduction Since this country’s establishment, there have been several debates over the issue of religious prayer in school. Religious sects and other groups feel that prayer should be mandatory in public schools; however, many people believe it to be our right to have church and state remain separate. If we allow prayer in school, then it will indoctrinate our unsuspecting children’s minds and devastate the United States Constitution. Religious prayer must not be allowed into public schools. The destruction of our constitution through prayer in schools raises a group of children with no independence of their own thoughts and beliefs. The research that is presented in this paper will prove indefinitely why the use of prayer in public schools is illegal. Government’s Position Public schools are for all children, whether Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, Quaker, or Atheist. Schools are supported by all taxpayers and should be free of school prayer and religious observances. It is the duty of the parents and churches to instill religious beliefs. It should not be the governments’ job to help instill these religious beliefs. School prayer is a time where all children are required to pray. Justice Black sees the First Amendment as, â€Å"a guarantee that neither the power nor the prestige of the Federal Government would be used to control, support or influence the kinds of prayer American people can say† (Bach 128). When government attempts to promote, support, establish, or use religion in any way, both church and state suffer (Bach 128). Newt Gingrich’s belief on voluntary school prayer is thus, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group prayer in public schools or other public institutions. No person shall be required by the United States or by any State to participate in prayer. Neither the United States nor any State shall com...

The Man Who Brought Geometry to the World

The Man Who Brought Geometry to the World Much of our modern science, and astronomy in particular, has roots in the ancient world. In particular, the Greek philosophers studied the cosmos and tried to use the language of mathematics to explain everything. The Greek philosopher Thales was one such man. He was born around 624 BCE, and while some believe his lineage was Phoenician, most consider him to be Milesian (Miletus was in Asia Minor, now modern Turkey) and he came from a distinguished family. It is difficult to write about Thales, since none of his own writing survives. He was known to be a prolific writer, but as with so many documents from the ancient world, his vanished through the ages. He is mentioned in other peoples works  and seems to have been quite well-known for his time among fellow philsophers and writers. Thales was an engineer, scientist, mathematician, and a philosopher interested in nature. He may have been the teacher of Anaximander (611 BC - 545 BCE), another philosopher. Some researchers think Thales wrote a book on navigation, but there is little evidence of such a tome. In fact, if he wrote any works at all, they did not even survive until the time of Aristotle (384 BCE- 322 BCE). Even though the existence of his book is debatable, it turns out that Thales probably did define the constellation Ursa Minor. Seven Sages Despite the fact that much of what is known about Thales is mostly hearsay, he was definitely well-respected in ancient Greece. He was  the only philosopher before Socrates to be counted among the Seven Sages. These were  philosophers in the 6th century BCE who were  statesmen and law-givers, and in Thaless case, a natural philosopher (scientist).   There are reports that Thales predicted an eclipse of the Sun in 585 BCE. While the 19-year cycle for lunar eclipses was well known by this time, solar eclipses were harder to predict, since they were visible from different locations on Earth and people were not aware of the orbital motions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth that contributed to solar eclipses. Most likely, if he did make such a prediction, it was a lucky guess based on experience saying that another eclipse was due. After the eclipse on 28 May, 585 BCE, Herodotus wrote, Day was all of a sudden changed into night. This event had been foretold by Thales, the Milesian, who forewarned the Ionians of it, fixing for it the very year in which it took place. The Medes and Lydians, when they observed the change, ceased fighting, and were alike anxious to have terms of peace agreed on. Impressive, but Human Thales is often credited with some impressive work with geometry. It is said he determined the heights of pyramids by measuring their shadows and could deduce the distances of ships from a vantage point onshore. How much of our knowledge of Thales is accurate is anyones guess. Most of what we know is due to Aristotle who wrote in his Metaphysics: Thales of Miletus taught that all things are water. Apparently Thales believed the Earth floated in water and everything came from water. Like the absent-minded professor stereotype still popular today, Thales has been described in both glowing and derogatory tales. One story, told by Aristotle, says Thales used his skills to predict that the next seasons olive crop would be bountiful. He then purchased all the olive presses and made a fortune when the prediction came true. Plato, on the other hand, told a story of how one night Thales was gazing at the sky as he walked and fell into a ditch. There was a pretty servant girl nearby who came to his rescue, who then said to him How do you expect to understand what is going on up in the sky if you do not even see what is at your feet? Thales died about 547 BCE in in his home of Miletus. Edited and updated by  Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India Essay

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India - Essay Example This paper further discusses several aspects of investment risks in India, and points out how investors can implement certain useful techniques. Finally, it offers some suggestions to overcome these challenges. Keywords: Investment, Project Finance, Investment in India, Public-Private-Partnership. Introduction: The long term financing of various types of infrastructure, industrial and public service projects are usually referred to project finance. In recent times, it has funded many large-scale natural resource projects as well as a number of high-profile corporate projects. However, similar type of financing scheme is recorded in the history of ancient Greece and Rome, the modern trend of project finance developed in last forty years. Basically this is an innovative and timely financing system. The non-recourse or limited recourse loans of project finance are mainly based upon the estimated cash flow of the project. â€Å"The key to project finance is in the precise forecasting of cash flows† (Ghersiy, 5). The assets, rights and interests of project secure the loan amount in such cases of debt. And repayment of loan exclusively depends on project’s cash flow. The balance sheet and creditworthiness of the project sponsors are secondary in it. Unlike conventional financing methods, project financing is unique. Since project financing enhances the values of some of these projects by permitting higher optimal leverage than with conventional financing.... The borrowing party has limited liability in some risky and expensive projects. Such cases are secured by a surety from sponsors. Therefore this is also known as limited recourse financing. There are many huge industrial and infrastructural projects, as already carried out successfully for certain types of project i.e. infrastructure development, mining, highways, railways, pipelines, power stations, etc. By the end of previous millennium, the private share alone in infrastructure investment varied between the lows of 9% and 13% in Germany and France and the extreme highs of 47% and 71% in the US and Great Britain, respectively (Miller & Lessard, 67). In fact, the projects that require non-recourse project financing would require significant contractual framework (Singh, 19). Moreover, the securities and borrowings are designed to be serviced and redeemed exclusively from the cash flow in non-recourse project finance. Whereas, the project sponsors or government provide undertakings t o an effect that coerce them to supplement the cash flow under assured limited conditions in limited recourse project finance. Generally, project financing is not designed for already running business rather for the large-scale innovative initiatives. Often it involves the creation of a legally independent project company financed with equity from one or more sponsoring firms and non-recourse debt for the purpose of investing in a capital asset (Esty, 213). The design of project finance is indicated in the following diagram. Figure: Project Finance Structure Source: The Institute for Public Private Partnership (Powell, 19) In present scenario, project financing emerged as an alternative to conventional financing over the world,

Global Water Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global Water Crisis - Essay Example In a global perspective, only a small proportion of water can be regarded as fresh. It is worth noting that much of the fresh water is not physically accessible by human beings. In fact, UNEP estimates that two-thirds of fresh water is tucked in frozen glaciers, meaning, it is not readily available for human and animals consumption, as well as for agriculture. In terms of accessibility, UNEP (2010) posits that approximately 1.1 billion people lack access to water, and a further 2.7 billion experience water scarcity at least a month annually. The World Bank estimates that 80 countries experience water shortages, translating to 2 billion people lacking access to clean water. One of the factors that has contributed to the global water crisis include population expansion. Figures from the World Health Organization (2012) points that population has undeniably doubled over the recent past. Consequently, this has led to transformation of water ecosystems, coupled with loss of biodiversity. Rapid population growth has contributed to overpopulation in many parts of the world and thus many people have been forced to inhabit or encroach on water basins and other water catchment areas. Consequently, increased human population, which increased from 1.7 billion to 6.6 billion people in the last century according, has also been linked with unsustainable use of water. Population growth has been accompanied by economic development in the last fifty years, and has also been supported by subterranean water resources which are non-renewable.

New Jerse Essay Example for Free

New Jerse Essay Now this is a story all about me, when my life got twist turn upside down, if you like to take a minute just reading right here, Ill write you how I became a prince of a town called New Jersey could you find a word that rhymes with New Jersey? In East London Im born and raised on a playground is where Ive spent the most of my days chilling out, relaxing all cool and all kicking some football outside of school when a couple of guys, they were up to no good started making trouble in my neighbourhood I got in one little fight and my mum got scared and said youre moving with your aunt and uncle in New Jersey here, have this Hershey that kind of rhymes. If you didnt know Hershey is a chocolate bar that is sold in America. Although I would like to think that I was the fresh prince, my story didnt exactly start out like that. Instead of my parents sending me to my relatives because of academic problems, I went because I have been nagging them for a really long time. Im not saying that my academic level was reaching its fullest potential before I went, but the main reason I went was to have a taste of things to come. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to live in one of those semi-detached American houses with the large front garden, golden retriever, two kids and a large garage. When most people watch American films they are focused on the storyline, but when I watch them not only am I watching the story, but also at the back of my mind I am constantly absorbing the American background. Finally in the summer of 2000 July 3rd, I got the chance to have a taste of my dream. Even though it was just a small taste, it was enough to last me however long it will take to finally move there. When my parents did decide that it was o. k. to send me there, it was there idea of making me have a taste of the real world. There idea of a taste of the real world was my idea of a taste of a dream. At the time I had just finished my GCSEs, and my grades were not that great. My parents had planned that America would change my course; I guess it did in the end but my biggest change was with my personality. When I did return I felt more confident, independent, funny and larger (thanks to those large American portions of food). Everything leading up to the day I left flew by and before I knew it I was in the airport sitting at the waiting room with my dad. I remember my dad being really calm and cool about everything, he never really got sad in front of me especially with good-bys. He told me stories about when he went to New York for the first time: Now this is a story all about your dad, back in the day I also was bad, Your old man also had the American dream, thinking that it would be so cool and supreme, I stayed there for a while to learn the truth, that America was best lived in the movies, what a poof! I never knew my dad could rap, looks as though he has a problem with finishing it as well. To sum up my dads rap; he also had the American dream being brought up on James Dean movies. Throughout his teenage years he had dreamt up an image of what America would be like, unfortunately when he stayed there, it did not match his dream. That is how my dad tells the story, but I think theres something he is not telling me. I also believe that my parents dont want me to live far away from them because they regret moving far away from their parents when they were younger. On the plane, I sat next to an empty seat, which wasnt bad as I wasnt really good with the airplane conversations. I travelled on Virgin Atlantic and the in-flight entertainment was great, they had a video screen in front of each seat with which I could play games, watch films and programmes. Anyway back onto America, I remember as we approached the New York coast I heard a passenger in the seat in front of me, look theres the statue of liberty I looked to my right out of the window and saw her. She was a bit smaller then I had imagined (in Ghostbusters 2 she was huge! ), and she was green. I never actually realised that she was green before; I always thought she was grey. I wasnt disappointed though; looking at the New York skyline for the first time was great. However I still felt as though I was in England, maybe it would change when we land. After I collected my luggage, I went through the inspection terminal where policemen checked your passports. I found this strange but the strangest was to come, when I reached the gate where my aunt would be waiting for me. Oh yeah if I didnt mention it before, I would be staying with my auntie there, like my parents were really going to let me stay there by myself.

Shrinking Middle class Essay -- essays papers

Shrinking Middle class The Incredibly Shrinking Middle Class I never thought I would find so much information on the incredibly shrinking middle class until I searched around for it on the Internet. In the United States, the middle class is put into a strange socioeconomic category. Although it is not easily defined everyone believes they belong in that class. I guess what you can do is look at it in two different ways. First ask the question â€Å"What percent of all income is distributed to the middle class at any time,† then think about â€Å"How many families obtain enough income to achieve a middle class standard of living at any point of time.† Basically these are two ways of approaching the middle class called either the percentile approach or the class share approach. What comes into my mind when thinking on how to categorize those people that belong in the middle class, I look at such things as education, race, family, income, gender and how many people are in your household. I look at it as those people who are making between $40,000 and about $85,000 to be in the middle class while the next step would be the upper middle class and then to the upper class. Maybe I am wrong here, but like I said before, everyone wants to have that â€Å"I am middle class† attitude. The most recent Census Bureau survey data shows that the share of households with incomes of $75,000 or more has doubled in the past 24 years. Other studies, however, discover that more people who depart the middle class move down than up, at least temporarily. The most often cited cause of the decline of the middle class in the United States is stagnant wages. Between 1955 and 1970, real wages adjusted and inflation rose by an average of 2.5 percent per year. Between 1971 and 1994, the average growth of real wages was 0.3 percent a year. The stagnation of wages has been especially noticeable to middle-class people, who rely very much on the money they make at their jobs. Recessions seem to hit higher income households much harder, which sends them down to the middle class. Middle-income households may or may not be more likely than higher-income households to qualify for unemployment compensation when jobs are scarce. But those who do are more likely than high-income households to receive benefits that replace a greater share of their regular wages, which helps them maintai... ...ocess. Data generated by the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Reserve and other nonpartisan sources oppose claims commonly made. For example, data from such agencies show that differences in family income largely reflect differences in how many members of a family actually work and how hard they work. Americans in all income groups have prospered, or have failed to prosper, together. Gains by upper-income Americans have not come at the expense of middle or lower-income Americans. Nor has anyone else gained in those periods when higher-income families have lost ground. The best era in recent history for middle-income and lower-income American families was the Reagan era, which lasted from 1982 to 1989. During that period, middle-class families saw their real incomes grow by an average of 12.6 percent, while lower income families saw an average increase in real earnings of 12.9 percent. The wealth inequality debate should focus on what public policies will aid the accumulation of wealth by more, not fewer, American families. The first step American’s need to make toward transforming our consumer culture is to understand it better.

Compare how Shakespeare and Luhramann Essay

One of Shakespeare’s most well acknowledged and famous plays Romeo and Juliet was a written in such a manner which would have been liked by a wide range of audience on the Elizabethan stages. Similarly Baz Luhrumann has attempted to recreate Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet into a feature film with some touches of the 21st century to suit the modern audiences today worldwide. Throught the main themes and the prologue of the play, Shakespeare has tried to hold the audiences interest. The prologue has played a very important and central point of the whole play. Shakespeare set the scene in ‘fair Verona’ because of the simple reason that he didn’t want to offend the British audience and the Queen, as the characters are shown as very violent and short tempered. This already has a very large impact on the Elizabethans as it gives the audience a very proud feeling of being British and the also to the Queen that her monarchy is comparatively superior. Plus to show the Italian culture and the stereotypical image of the Italians, which suited the situation very well. The play was to be staged on a Elizabethan stage which was organized in such a way that the sittings would be arranged according to the class, so the Aristocrats would on separate chairs at the back of the theatre whereas the peasant would be standing in front and were named the Groundlings as the were on the ground. This proves that all ranges of audience came to watch his plays. Which means that he would have to write plays according to the taste of the Queen, the Aristocrats and the groundlings. Shakespeare created the prologue keeping in mind the audiences taste. The Prologue is written in forms of a sonnet, a trailer to what the audience was going to see. The main themes of the are summarized to give the audience a glimpse as it says â€Å"From ancient grudge break to new mutiny†, this means that there is going to Violence and blood shed leading to peace. Then it says that Romeo and Juliet will fall in love and their fate is death,†A pair of star crossed lovers will take their life†, â€Å"and â€Å"Doth with their death-marked love†, this grabs and holds the audiences attention as it tells them what’s going to happen later on so the audience stays to see how the conflicts occur. The prologue seems to unfold the entire story by referring to the â€Å"lovers† and they â€Å"doth with their death â€Å", this makes audience absorb the situation and also creates suspense among the audience In Act 1 scene 1 the story is opens in the streets of Verona. Both of the Capulet servants Sampson and Gregory are in a chatting about their enemies. During this discussions Shakespeare holds the audiences attention through using some puns and bawdy humour â€Å"Tis true and therefore women being the weaker vessels are thrust to the wall, and thrust his maids†, this kind of bawdy humour was acknowledged by all the audience, again this was a tactic to grab the audience’s attention. The dialogues in act scene 1 consisted some Stichomythia, which a was enjoyed by the audience as it is enjoyable to watch an argument and the Elizabethans would be delighted in word-plays, especially the puns and sexual humor’s. Then Benvolio from the Montague family enters and begins a â€Å"quarrel† with Samson and Gregory. â€Å"Let us take the law of our sides, let them begin†, this dispute between the two servants from the Montague and Capulet demonstrates the foolishness of the quarrel between the two families and how pointless it is and engages the audience with some humour. In the next part ahead Shakespeare creates a very different atmosphere compared to all the disputes and quarrel. Montague and his wife asks where about is his son, Benvolio then says that he has been seen walking around alone unwilling to get out, and is in love with a girl who doesn’t seem to like him, â€Å"Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love†, the language used in this line describe the mood swings that Romeo is going through. Romeo has fallen in love and feels that time flies in love, and that time drags on when there is no love in his life, â€Å"Not having that, which, having, makes them short†. The girl is the cause of Romeo’s miserable attitude who’s name is Rosaline, who doesn’t appear in any of the acts as Shakespeare wanted to keep her anonymous and create a curiosity among the audience, for another the fact that she was his past and Juliet was going to the future love and to show that Romeo was love-sick from the beginning. Romeo urges for Rosalines love and he makes his room appear as if it is night, because light represents love to him and he is out of love. The sadness in the scene is in strong contrast to love that he feels throughout the play â€Å"When then brawling love, O loving hate†, Shakespeare’s consistence use of oxymoron’s is to portray Romeo’s love-sickness, the use of contrasts continues â€Å"Misshapen chaos, well seeming forms†, to show the audience the abstract thoughts of Romeo in his â€Å"course of love†. Baz Luhrumann has used Shakespeare’s concepts combined with his direction and modern film techniques to engage today’s modern audiences. He has shortened the script, as the attention span of today’s audience is lesser than the Elizabethans. The prologue has been presented in a very differently to suit the modern concept, A women on television presenting a news which is the prologue. Luhrumannn has used television a modern source of information to convey the prologue in a more contemporary manner, as it will interest more of today’s audiences of today. The camera angle slowly intensifies into the television, as if he wants the audience to indulge themselves in to the story. This kind of cinematic techniques is a preview of the drama and violence coming up in the film. The dramatic music helps to strengthen the affect. This has been influenced by music videos to suit the younger audience. He has presented as if the whole story is smashing news on television and that it is a live coverage. When the newsreader mentions â€Å"both alike in dignity†, it shows two equal towers to show the households are alike. Baz Luhrumann symbolizes the family crest â€Å"sword† as a gun in the film to suit the modern audiences . He highlights the contrast by showing similar towers of the â€Å"two houses† with fast modern music to enhance the contrast. He then uses the scene in the petrol station to show the â€Å"ancient grudge† and the conflict between the two families. The sign, which says, â€Å"Add fuel to your fire,† predicts the further disputes. The costumes, which Luhrumann uses in the petrol station scene, distinguishes the two families, as they are modern and helps them portray the image of contemporary gangs, it also facilitates them to create an identity. The use of fast camera shots helps Luhrumann to engage the audience in the fight scene between the two families. The movie continues as it opens out on the next scene, where it demonstrates a very modern setting, with modern punk costumes to suit younger audiences taste. On the other hand he has kept the dialogues, as it is to maintain Shakespeare’s concepts. The scene with quarrel between the four members of the Capulet and Montague’s are set in a petrol station to make the quarrel more obvious and outstanding. The ‘Add fuel to fire’ sign symbolizes the ancient grudge, which breaks to new mutinity and meaning add fuel to your anger. The part where Tybolt is smoking and the use of guns also symbolizes the danger of the fight. Samson gets hit by the citizens which portrays the characterization, this means that Samson is stupid and brainless character and Gregory is in control. This implies that the characters are written to engage the audience as the characters portray a certain image and humour through that. Again Luhrumann has tried to maintain the themes of the play, which in this case would be ‘Hate’ this plays a very important role in the movie, in the film Luhrumann has shown the two differences and hatred between the families by the separations of the towers, cars, and two sides of the city. And why was there hatred? Nether of Shakespeare or Luhramann decided to explain the ancient grudge as it the point of the story. As it didn’t seem necessary for the audience to know the reason Another important theme â€Å"Love†, it is a grand passion similarly to â€Å"Hate† which has been the support of Romeo and Juliet journey. Romeo’s love for Rosaline has been portrayed in an exaggerated way in the first act, as he becomes cynical while describing her â€Å"She is rich in beauty, only poor† and â€Å"That when she dies, with beauty dies in store†. As mentioned earlier in the prologue â€Å"star crossed lovers†, which means the play is based on â€Å"Love†. Luhramann has presented the bawdy humour more physically than verbally, the shot where a woman is dancing on the streets while a man is watching her. Which leads to the scene where Romeo enters which is shot on the beach with the sunrise to show the calm but depressing atmosphere. The scene moves on to showing Romeo writing his diary, and reading his diary in his mind as he is writing, this idea of a voice over was a modern concept of Luhrumann, that grabs the audience’s attention. â€Å"For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo†, this would have been said by the Prince in the play whereas Luhrumann has changed it to show the same newsreader from the prologue ending the show with this line. The two star-crossed lovers had to give their life in order for their families to end Overall both Shakespeare and Luhrumann’s main motive was to engage their respected audiences. With different techniques Luhrumann wanted re-create the play in to a film to suit today’s audiences, keeping in mind the themes, which Shakespeare had included. The motive was fulfilled as Luhrumann tried to store the ideas to make a modern film. Shakespeare and Luhrumann both made the three main themes outlined very clearly love, hate and fate. The two star-crossed lovers had to give their life in order for their families to end their fighting. Romeo and Juliet ends with AA story of more woe (sorrow) Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

The Beatles Influence on Rock-and-Roll

The Beatles are one of the most innovative rock bands of all time. They have not only changed the way rock and roll is looked at, but also the way that the music is recorded. They have influenced the artists of the 60s and the 70s, and also many generations later and to come. Originating from Liverpool, England, the Beatles, or the Fab Four, consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Topping the charts in ’63 with â€Å"Love Me Do,† and bringing in the highest rated viewing in history while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles are definitely a band that broke the sound barrier of rock and roll.They used unique sounds in their music and weren’t afraid of experimenting in the studio, they even welcomed accidental occurrences and toyed around to get the sound they were looking for. Artificial double tracking was invented during the recording of their album Revolver and also a new technique on miking strings. They paved the way for other British Bands in America and even had full-blown imitators, like the Monkees, that copied everything from their look, to the spelling error in their name, and their campaign. They also helped create a whole new genre of music called folk rock.Their influence is still seen in today’s musicians, such as the band Oasis, who compare their music constantly to the Beatles. The Beatles Influence on Rock-and-Roll â€Å"The impact of the Beatles – not only on rock and roll but on Western culture – is simply incalculable. As musicians, they proved that rock and roll could embrace a limitless variety of harmonies, structures and sounds; virtually every rock experiment has some precedent on Beatles records. † Said by the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll, could not be any more wrong.The Beatles had a huge impact on not just rock and roll, but music as a whole, as well as influencing the technology used to record their music. They weren’ t afraid of experimenting and instead of producing music they produced art. Their influence is seen all over the world, but no one has come close to the fame that was Beatlemania. The Beatles originated from Liverpool, England and consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They first started playing shows in Hamburg, Germany as a skiffle band in 1960.In 1962 they released their first single â€Å"Love Me Do,† which reached the number one spot on U. S. charts in May of ’63. Their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in February of ’64 brought in over 73 million viewers, the most in U. S. history. By April 1964, they held the first five places in the Billboard Hot 100. The Beatles were one of the biggest influences on music during the 60s and 70s. Their music, to this day, remains more widely known than any other music of the rock era. They have brought new sounds and ideas in their music and revolutionized the idea of rock and roll.Their work was always invested with originality, using unique sounds in their music, which is most dramatically seen in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. They used many studio effects on this album, including reverberation, echoes, and reverse tape effects. They experimented with sounds that no other bands used, and had great success with it. They created their own material, breaking the Tin Pan monopoly of song writing, setting in motion revolutionary changes in the music publishing industry. They wrote songs for fellow artists and even encouraged the Rolling Stones to write their own music. The Beatles were the first group to use the recording studio as a writing tool, building up complex song arrangements by multi-tracking and importing orchestral textures and avant-garde effects under the guidance of producer George Martin† (Glassman).In Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, instead of using traditional breaks in between songs, one tracked merged i nto the next, which were linked by studio talk, laughter, electronic noises, and animal sounds. They also used audio tricks involving steam organs, orchestras, sitars, and even a pack of foxhounds in full cry at the end of â€Å"Good Morning, Good Morning. The use of animal sounds were actually first used in the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds that the Beatles admired. When asked the Beach Boys where they got their innovation for Pet Sounds, the Beatles Rubber Soul album was what inspired them. â€Å"A Day In The Life,† the last song on the album, featured â€Å"what Lennon described as ‘a sound building up from nothing to the end of the world’† (Lazarescu). The song â€Å"Strawberry Fields Forever† fused two different versions of the same song and used reverse-tape cellos for an eerie effect.After George Harrison used sitar on the song â€Å"Norwegian Wood,† other bands like the Byrds, Yardbirds, and the Rolling Stones, soon followed incorporat ing Eastern-influence sounds into their work. Paul McCartney once said, â€Å"We would say, ‘Try it! Just try it for us. If it sounds crappy, OK, we’ll lose it. But it might just sound good. ’ We were always pushing ahead: Louder, further, longer, more different† (â€Å"All About Jazz†). The Beatles had complete access to Abbey Road studios free of charge, spending hours upon hours experimenting and writing music.They used the studio as an instrument in itself. They were the first band to push musical and technological boundaries. They took advantage of accidental occurrences in the recording process. You can see this in â€Å"I Feel Fine† where there is feedback and also in â€Å"Long, Long, Long† where there is a resonating glass bottle. They also deliberately toyed with situations and techniques that would further chance effects. An example of this is in â€Å"I am the Walrus,† where they used a live mixing of a UK radio broa dcast into the fade of the song, and also the chaotic assemblage of â€Å"Tomorrow Never Knows. Ken Townsend invented artificial double tracking (ADT) during the recording of Revolver because Lennon didn’t like singing a song twice. ADT is still widely used for instruments and voices; however, it is now mostly known as automatic double tracking. Other influences the Beatles had on technology were the use of close miking the strings by engineer Geoff Emerick when recording. In 1966 that was a radically new way of miking strings, and now it is common practice. The Beatles were also the firsts to use direct injection to record McCartney’s bass on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.This is done by connecting the bass to the recording console via an impedance matching DI box. The Beatles paved the way for other British bands in America. The Beatles were the first British group to break into America and since the Beatles were able to have fame in the US, they gave other British bands the possibility of making it in America. Such bands were Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and the Searchers, who were all also managed by Brian Epstein. Other British bands that followed the Beatles were the Rolling Stones, the Who, and the Yardbirds.The Rolling Stones had a raunchier dirty bad boy look, different then the clean-cut look of the Beatles. As the 1970s began, you can see the Beatles influence in artists like Elton John and Pink Floyd. In America, the most blatant imitators of the Beatles were the Monkees, who even calculatedly misspelled the name just like the Beatles. The Monkees were four actors portraying longhaired whimsical musicians; however, their music was actually performed by studio musicians. They copied the Beatles to a tee, including their campaign.Before the Beatles came to the US, their manager Brian Epstein had Capital Records spend $50,000 on a campaign, plastering posters all over the country stating, â⠂¬Å"The Beatles Are Coming,† and gave disc jockeys records of interviews with the Beatles to feel like they were actually making personalized interviews. For the Monkees, â€Å"The band’s label spent $100,000 on an ad campaign that involved seventy-six advance men, who distributed thousands of posters proclaiming ‘The Monkees Are Coming’ and provided preview records to 6,000 disc jockeys† (Szatmary 125).After the assassination of President John Kennedy, the whole country was at a low point and the Beatles brought them back to happier times, especially the folk artists. A lot of folk artists felt like the protest was over after Kennedy was killed. Kennedy was making a change in the country, but after his death, they felt like there was no more fight left in them. Bob Dylan, one of the major folk musicians of the era, just gave it all away and went towards the more electrified sounds of the Beatles.Gene Clark, who at the time was part of the folk group the New Christy Minstrels, was on tour when he first heard the Beatles song â€Å"She Loves You. † â€Å"I must have played it 40 times in the two days the New Christy Minstrels were playing that town,’ he later enthused. ‘I knew, I knew that this was the future† (Szatmary 140). Gene Clark later quit the New Christy Minstrels and formed his own band with Roger McGuinn and a few other former folk musicians. They called themselves the Byrds, misspelling it to emulate the spelling error in the Beatles.They combined Dylanese folk, vocal harmonies and Beatles music to create folk rock. Other folk bands that switched to folk rock were the Turtles, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, and Scotland’s folk singer Donovan Leitch, which Paul McCartney was featured singing with him on his song â€Å"Mellow Yellow. † One other band was Lovin’ Spoonful who owed their debt to Dylan and none other than the Beatles. When new wave and punk music started in th e late 1970s, their sound and style could still be heard in artists like the Squeeze, the Police, and Elvis Costello. Their music has spoken not only to its own time but to every generation since† (Campbell, Brody 168). In the late 1980s a new style of music called â€Å"baggy† originated from Manchester. The musical devotees sported Bealte-esque haircuts and drew heavily on the 1960s. They fused Beatles psychedelic with electronic elements taken from the simultaneously developing acid house scene. You can see the Beatles influence in the guitar style and song arrangements of the Stone Roses, guitarist John Squire cited them as one of his main influences.The mid 90s saw a whole new host of Beatles influenced bands. The band Cast, which was formed by guitarist John Powers in 1994, has Lennon-esque vocals and memorable songs, which are still reaping the rewards. In 1995 a Liverpool band called the Boo Radleys had both the Beatles pop and psychedelic styles. Songwriter/gui tarist Martin Carr told Melody Maker in 1994 that, â€Å"There's never been a time when they haven't been a part of my life† (Glassman). The Gallagher brothers, who formed the group Oasis, lived and breathed the Beatles.They even named dropped the Beatles whenever they could in interviews. They would write their own melodies and then arrange them in a Bealte-esque style, but with a rocky, attitude-dowsed edge. â€Å"It's beyond an obsession. It's an ideal for living. I don't even know how to justify it to myself. With every song that I write, I compare it to The Beatles,’ Noel Gallagher told Q in 1996† (Glassman). Of the eight years that were the Beatles, no band has received more attention from fans, musicians, and scholars. Their music tells us more about the sixties than any other band.Their influence is seen in music and even the technology used to record music. From their first album Please Please Me (1963) all the way to their last album Hey Jude (1970), n o band has seen such a diverse selection of songs, going from retro one minute to folk-influenced the next. With their use of experimentation, they have opened a whole new door to the way rock is heard, converting even folk musicians, like the Byrds, to their style of music. You can still hear their inspiration in music even in today’s bands such as Oasis. Yet no one has seemed to copy the sound that was the Beatles.

Four Little Girls essays

Four Little Girls essays When documentaries are filmed, produced, and then viewed, the audience is left with more knowledge and awareness than before having watched it. When I watch a National Geographic documentary on exploitation of indigenous peoples, I become aware of their situation and further understand the cruel world around me. Also, my emotions are stirred up. With the awareness that documentaries bring, also comes the waves of emotional buildup. This is why documentaries are most effective in grabbing an audiences attention on a subject matter having to do with exploitation, injustice, and racism; they show the cruelty and disrespect the victims are faced with. Four Little Girls, a documentary directed by Spike Lee, is an example of this. He interviews those that were involved or held knowledge of the bombing at 16th St. Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. He speaks with officials and professionals, preachers, family members and childhood friends of the four girls killed at this incident. At the same time that these interviews are going on, there are clips from the 50s and 60s of black protesters, marches, and beatings relevant to the political and social crisis of the day. Also included are picture shots of the girls, including their gravestones. Lee incorporates the ongoing Civil Rights Movement with the story of the bombing incident and the four girls that The Civil Rights Movement becomes more real to us when the protagonists are also made real. The victims parents tell the audience through their words, stories, and pictures, of who the girls were and how they lived. They also display the girls badges, awards, certificates, and Bible that one had in her pocketbook the day she was in the church basement attending The white officials, who were more or less viewed as the antagonists, spoke of that same era from their point of view. Through intercuttin...

The History and Origin of the U.S. Democratic Party

The History and Origin of the U.S. Democratic Party The Democratic Party along with the Republican Party (GOP) is one of the two dominant modern political parties in the United States. Its members and candidates- known as â€Å"Democrats†- typically vie with Republicans for control of federal, state, and local elected offices. To date, 15 Democrats under 16 administrations have served as President of the United States. Origins of the Democratic Party The Democratic Party was created in the early 1790s by former members of the Democratic-Republican Party founded by influential Anti-Federalists including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Other factions of the same Democratic-Republican Party formed the Whig Party and the modern Republican Party. The landslide victory of Democrat Andrew Jackson over incumbent Federalist John Adams in the presidential election of 1828 solidified the party and established it as a lasting political force. In essence, the Democratic Party evolved due to upheavals in the original First Party system, made up of the two original national parties: the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. Existing between roughly 1792 and 1824, the First Party System was characterized by a system of deferential-participant politics- the tendency of constituents of both parties to go along with the policies of elite political leaders out of sheer respect for their family pedigree, military accomplishments, prosperity, or education. In this respect, early political leaders of the First Party System might be viewed as an early-American aristocracy. The Jeffersonian Republicans envisioned a locally-established group of intellectual elites who would hand down the unquestionable government and social policy from on high, while the Hamiltonian Federalists believed that the locally established intellectual elite theories should often be subject to the approval of the people. Death of the Federalists The First Party System began dissolving in the mid-1810s, possibly over the popular revolt over the Compensation Act of 1816. That act was intended to raise the salaries of Congressmen from a per diem of six dollars a day to an annual salary of $1,500 per year. There was widespread public outrage, fanned by the press which was almost universally opposed to it. Of the members of the Fourteenth Congress, over 70% were not returned to the 15th Congress. As a result, in 1816 the Federalist Party died out leaving a single political party, the Anti-Federalist or Democratic-Republican Party: but that lasted briefly. A split in the Democratic-Republican Party in the mid-1820s gave rise to two factions: the National Republicans (or Anti-Jacksonians) and the Democrats. After Andrew Jackson lost to John Quincy Adams in the election of 1824, Jacksons supporters created their own organization to get him elected. After Jacksons election in 1828, that organization became known as the Democratic Party. The National Republicans eventually coalesced into the Whig Party. Political Platform of the Democratic Party In our modern form of government, both Democrat and Republican parties share similar values, in that it is the political elites of those parties who are the main repositories of the public conscience. The core set of ideological beliefs subscribed to by both parties includes a free market, equal opportunity, a strong economy, and peace maintained by an adequately strong defense. Their most glaring differences lie in their beliefs of the extent to which the government should be involved in the daily lives of the people. Democrats tend to favor the active intervention of the government, while Republicans favor a more â€Å"hands-off† policy. Ever since the 1890s, the Democratic Party has been measurably more socially liberal than the Republican Party. Democrats have long appealed to the poor and working classes and Franklin  D. Roosevelts common man,† while Republicans have gained support from the middle class and higher, including suburbanites and the burgeoning number of retirees. Modern Democrats advocate for a liberal domestic policy featuring social and economic equality, welfare, support for labor unions, and nationalized universal health care. Other Democratic ideals embrace civil rights, stronger gun control laws, equal opportunity, consumer protection, and environmental protection. The party favors a liberal and inclusive immigration policy. Democrats, for example, support controversial sanctuary city laws protecting undocumented immigrants from federal detention and deportation. Currently, the Democratic coalition includes teachers unions, womens groups, blacks, Hispanics, the LGBT community, environmentalists and many others. Today, both the Democratic and Republican parties are made up of coalitions of many diverse groups whose loyalties have varied over the years. For example, blue-collar voters, who were for years attracted to the Democratic Party, have become Republican strongholds. Interesting Facts The symbol of the donkey for the Democratic Party is said to have stemmed from Andrew Jackson. His opposition called him a jackass. Instead of taking it as an insult, he chose to adopt this as a symbol. This, in turn, became the symbol of the Democratic Party.The Democrats hold the record for controlling both houses of Congress for the most consecutive Congresses. They controlled both houses of Congress from 1955 to 1981.Andrew Jackson was the first President of the Democratic Party; and, including him, there have been 14 Democrats in the White House. Updated by Robert Longley Sources: Aldrich JH. 1995. Why Parties? The Origin and Transformation of Political Parties in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Skeen CE. 1986. Vox Populi, Vox Dei: The Compensation Act of 1816 and the Rise of Popular Politics. Journal of the Early Republic 6(3):253-274.

Personal Development Action Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Development Action Plan - Essay Example I am confident that I have improved a lot in many aspects of learning although I must admit there are still many things I need to learn and even unlearn. In this evaluation paper, I will discuss what I have learned so far and what skills I have acquired and developed throughout my one year stay in the university. I will specifically reflect on my communication, analysis, social skills, how improved my learning and performance as well as examine my technical skills development. In any profession, communication is always a valuable tool. As an international student, this is my greatest struggle because my English communication skill is poor. Class discussions are in English so I have difficulty grasping the lessons. Consequently, I have to give extra effort to listen intently and put more hours reading so I can cope with the lessons. In addition, I cannot express myself well in English so that my self-confidence is affected. Nevertheless, I realized that I needed to force myself to improve so I watched a lot of English movies and programs which helped me with my comprehension. Therefore, I could still say that I have improved a lot. Comparing my performances during the start of the school year, I am now more able to understand native speakers and to communicate well using the English language. My vocabulary has greatly improved and so has my grammar. Another important aspect of learning wherein communication is greatly valuable is analysis. This task is not just about understanding images, symbols and numbers and solving problems but basically, it is understanding the issue or problem in order to offer the best solution. Therefore, communication skill is essential. As my English comprehension developed, I also became better in analyzing data. For instance, in my Engineering Analysis class, I learned how to create concrete mixture and computing the desired ration and proportion of materials needed for certain buildings. I also learned to calculate

Managing for future Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Managing for future - Assignment Example Part I: Analysing the environment Corporate social responsibility Tata steel is one of the firms which were the first to have a fully fledged corporate social responsibility program, not only in India but also around the world. This began with its founder in the early 20th century, who in his own words said that â€Å"In a free enterprise, the community is not just another stakeholder in business but is in fact the very purpose of its existence" (Srivastava, 2012, p. 20). In the current time, Tata Steel Ltd. has a well grounded corporate social responsibility program which includes community development, environmental sustainability, employee relationships etc. This has made Tata to be recognized around the world due to its pioneering in this area (Mahesh, 2001). According to Mahajan (2003), Tata Steel Ltd. today spends between 5 and 7 % of its after tax profits to facilitate corporate social responsibility activities. This is a commendable amount of money to spend in corporate soci al responsibility programs. In this case study, commissioned and selected for studying the topic of CSR by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), it becomes very clear that Tata is one of the firms which have taken corporate social responsibility in a very serious way. ... to identify the impact on the community in which the project is being carried out. This helps in influencing the way Tata Steel Ltd. operates its project especially with regard to the impact on the community and the environment. An evaluation of Tata Steel Ltd’s corporate social responsibility programs indicates its dedication in terms of making sure that its operations don’t affect the community in a negative way. However, there are a number of issues which come up as one looks closer. The first issue is that although Tata Steel Ltd. has invested a lot in corporate social responsibility programs, these programs are mostly directed towards philanthropic programs to the communities. Offering scholarships, healthcare services and other community programs is just a very small part of the problem especially for a big firm like Tata Steel Ltd (Puneet, 2011). Tata steel has activities which are very destructive to the environment and it is necessary for the firm to be able to look beyond just having philanthropic programs. Although Tata Steel Ltd. states clearly in its CSR policies that its CSR goes beyond just philanthropic projects, it does not seem so in practice (Wilson, 2012). It is possible that despite the many corporate social responsibility programs that Tata steel has, the long term effects of its operations will exceed the benefits achieved by the community through Tata’s corporate social responsibility programs. This indicates that there are issues which must be looked at in a very serious way in order to close this gap. Tata must look beyond just having good corporate social responsibility programs and look at the ways in which it can deliver a more practical and useful CSR programs. Environmental

Exploring the role of change management and new HRMS system adoption Dissertation

Exploring the role of change management and new HRMS system adoption the case of American Express Bahrain - Dissertation Example However, there are some strategic loopholes that can addressed to reap full benefits of the system. Table of Contents 1 Chapter One- Introduction 2 Chapter Two- Literature Review 3 Chapter Three- Research Methodology 4 Chapter Four- Results and Findings 5 Chapter Five- Conclusions and Recommendations 6 References 7 Appendices Chapter 1- Introduction 1.1 Title Exploring the role of change management and new HRMS (Human Resource Management System) adoption; the case of American Express Bahrain. 1.2 Aim To explore the role of change management by studying the steps American Express Bahrain has put into action to introduce the new HRMS on its employees. 1.3 Research Question What are the chronological steps that a company must apply in order to introduce new software to the organisation? 1.4 Objectives To examine the techniques that American Express Bahrain use when introducing change to employees. To establish a questionnaire to understand the steps those were taken. To draw conclusions on ways and theories that help organisations sequential their introduction of change to their employees. 1.5 Background to the study The term Change Management deals with the substitution of one thing or set of conditions for another , thus making something different from its previous condition, be it an alteration in state, or quality, variety, variation, mutation(Sofroniou,2009). Change Management is something that all managers should know how to cope with especially with our rapidly changing world and the contribution of technology to the modernisation of business functions and practises. Consequently, organisations must adapt to the environment around them in order to stay competitive by leveraging technology and new systems (Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2009). Organisations must be able to adapt to the changing environment if they are to survive. Threats to organisational existence include but are not limited to changes in technology, the tastes of consumers, the regulation s of the Government, the increase in the cost of various resources, and values and capabilities of the prospective employees, downsizing, mergers and acquisitions(Palmer et al, 2006). However, all these reasons came from one major source –Globalisation. According to Webster’s dictionary the term globalisation is the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets (merriam-webster, 2012). Thus, the world’s economy is treated as one big market which makes it difficult for organizations to be unique and different from competitors. Moreover, globalization has majorly affected organizational change. This is evident because of all the planned and unplanned changes that occur in small and multinational companies. In the recent time the most important thing faced by most of the global organization is the constant changes in the all aspects of business. Due to the technological revolution most of the organizations are practicing the new technologies related to the human resource management system(HRMS). The development in the information technology has given a new paradigm shift to the HRMS. Most of the global organizations are accepting the virtue of the HRMS (Grobler & Warnich. 2005. P, 39) The new trend in the global organization is to apply computer based technologies to create a strong HRMS. Most of the organizations like American Express are using the HRMS to revamp the HRMS

Ethical Brand Management Strategies for Fashion Industry

Ethical Brand Management Strategies for Fashion Industry Though brand management is not limited to the apparels and accessories it is very evident that fashion industry has given the word a turnaround over the years. From brand fanaticism to Brand loyalty Fashion Brands have the tendency to create a strong Brand identity amongst the minds of the consumers. Many of their brand management strategies have been successful. The global fashion industry is a giant in terms of the impact it has on economy, trade and commerce of many countries, the reach and importance of its products and the strength of its employment. Over the century, growth of the industry has been astonishing in terms of technology and revenue. The innovations had been rapid and growth exponential. Though origin of branding dates back to historical times, fashion industry is one of the industries which capitalized the most of a Brands strength. Fashion industry has a strong affinity to brand management, and most successful brand strategies like retailers Zara, Mark Spencer and Luxury designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Armani, Dior and YSL. The Brand strategy of most fashion brands revolve around the concept of differentiation of products, target customer group and building brand-consumer relationship from which is derived a Brand Personality and Identity of each brand. This identity carves a niche for the brand in the market. But there arise a few questions about this glamorous industries brand management strategy. Does a successful brand management strategy mean ethical Brand strategy? Does having a good turnover a year make a brand strategy successful? Can Ethics be inculcated in a brand strategy in an effective way? In the recent years a new concern has developed for the industries worldwide, the Ethics of business. The London fashion week, 2008 states that the fashion Industry has been caught on the issue of ethical and environmental clothing. Though researches have been made widely on Ethics and Business in most of the fields and industries very few initiatives had been made for the same in terms of brand management ethics and in particular context of Fashion and Apparel Industry. This Proposal aims in studying this less frequented topic of research yet growing concern of ethical consumerism in fashion industry, the requirements and processes involved for a brand to identify itself as a Holistic and authentic ethical brand. Scope of the Study Research Objectives, Questions and Hypotheses Research Objectives To study the brand management strategy of successful and powerful brands To understand the importance of Ethics as a critical factor for any brand strategy To analyze the effects of integrating ethics into the brand strategy and the implications of the relationship Research Questions What is a Brand strategy management? What are the successful brand strategies? What is business ethics? What is the need of Ethical Brand strategy? What are the implications of integrating ethical business and brand strategic management? Research Hypotheses Hypotheses 1 Strategic management is significant for a successful Brand Hypotheses 2 Business ethics has become an essential factor for competitive advantage of a brand Hypotheses 3 The relationship between brand management and business ethics can form an authentic ethical brand Literature Review of the Project This chapter aims to analyze the theory of the research project which is basically categorized into three broader topics of the research, namely Fashion Industry Brand Management strategy Business Ethics FASHION INDUSTRY Definition and History While fashion can be defined as the style or custom prevalent at a particular period of time adopted by the vast population in terms of clothing or behavior, it has been around from the time when people begun clothing. From 10,000 BC when men discovered a needle and loom to cloth themselves, through the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilization where clothing got a religious meaning through the roman and Greek civilization where clothing was given an symbolization of beauty through the evolution of modern Elizabethan and Victorian era and finally to the era of influence of designers like Dior, Chanel to arrive at the Great Fashion era of today, Fashion has been ever evolving. Evolution But technically an industry for the same flourished only with the mark of Ready-to-wear invention around the beginning of 20th century. Till then tailors made cloths specific to a person, until when they found similarities of body forms of people they developed patterns which would fit more than one individual. Thus came in the Ready-to-wear garments. With the mark of 20th century the tailor shops were being turned into workshops to factories, where pattern drafting, bulk fabric cutting and sewing began. Industrial engineering and quality assurance were introduced as in other industries to yield greater quality and quantity of goods. During the era of industrial revolution the industry flourished. Thus evolved a billion dollar industry. With market being flooded with apparel products, the industry learnt the means of survival is differentiation. That is when the fashion industry started to adopt branding strategy for differentiation and creating particular identity of products that could be held in the minds of the consumers which would make them to buy the products repeatedly. Thus evolved fashion brand management strategy. Successful Fashion brands and brand philosophies Nike Just Do It The brand philosophy portrays grit, determination and passion. The products of Nike send the statement of a detached, determined, unsentimental attitude. Nike is synonymous with Cool LV Symbol of sophistication and style LV brand philosophy is tradition in combination with modernity LV products are Elegant, Practical, Prestige, Luxurious, Desirable, Stylish, Value-for-money, High-quality and Ever-lasting LV signifies Pride, Luxury and elegance Giorgio Armani Epitome of Luxury Fashion The brand founded and owned by the designer Giorgio Armani is a luxury line created by the designer catering top-notch clients with exemplary designs, style and materials that differentiates it from the regular luxury brands. The Brand Philosophy of Armani brands are based solely upon the founders personality and idea since the unique selling point of the brand is that it is Armanis! BRAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Brand Definition According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. But in a more generic definition it could be a means of differentiation a company has over their competitors who produce similar goods. For Example: Procter and Gamble produces dental tooth paste and so do Unilever. They both have to differentiate and offer some product for their customer base that would make them loyal to the company. Thus PG created Crest and Colgate brands of toothpaste and Unilever created the Pepsodent. The name is not the brand. But the logo, symbol, the product offering, the values on the whole is the brand a company creates. brands enable a buyer to easily identify the offerings of a particular company. Psychological perspective of brand From the psychological perspective a Brand is a perception held in the minds of the consumers. Perceptions are the psychological experience of humans. Hence a brand is actually the psychological experience or view a human has about what it has to offer to them. As Scott Bedbury, a leading branding consultant in his book titled, A Brand New World rightly states Brand has become psychological concepts held in the minds of the public, where they may stay forever Brand Strategic Management Strategic management in a Brand arena is the structured analysis, decisions and actions the brand takes in order to conjure the brand identity and value which gives the sustainable competitive advantage over its competitors. Decision Analysis Action Brand strategy is the foundation laid for the creation of the brand Identity which signifies the brand promise the customer expects. A brand strategy encompasses systematic planning at each stage of branding process. Right from Realizing the mission and vision of the company, Researching and defining the target customer segment, Zeroing on the Unique Selling Proposition of the company, Differentiating from competitors Giving a personality to the brand, developing brand values, Communicating the Brand values and brand promise to the customer Until Sustaining the Brand the strategic planning, decision making is termed as the brand strategy Management. The Zara Strategic Management Definition A firm to sustain in the current competitive market scenario should formulate and implement a value creating strategy, in order to achieve strategic competitiveness. Strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage. Strategic management process is the full set of commitments, decisions, and actions required for a firm to achieve strategic competitiveness and earn above-average returns. Zara has adopted what is termed as the integrated cost leadership and differentiation strategy. This strategy involves engaging in primary and support activities that allow a firm to simultaneous pursue low cost and differentiation. The Strategic Process Today a consumer has high expectations while purchasing a good or service. They demand low-priced yet differentiated products to suit their needs. To address these demands organizations engage in primary and support activities which will equip them to capitalize on both lower cost and differentiation. The objective of this strategy is to produce products of differentiated value efficiently. Efficient production provides cost leadership and the differentiation of products add unique value to it. The firms thus become strong in networking amongst the primary and secondary activities becoming competent. Zaras Strategic Process Zara has successfully adopted this strategy of cost leadership and differentiation to provide consumers with desirable fashion goods at relatively low prices. The sophisticated design team, effective managing of costs, flexible production system and total quality of management are the capabilities of Zara which gives it an strategic advantage over competitors ETHICS Definition While the world is facing the strength of business and commerce flourishing despite the economic slowdown, there is a silent movement amongst both the consumers and the organizations arousing concern for Ethical Business. Business ethics has now become the much debated topic not only because of its growing importance but also the complexity and difficulty in understanding and implementing them in a business. Human Beings have the power and ability to think and make a decision which other creations dont possess. This ability also comes with choices. And these choices require rational thinking. The humans thus should make the choice of which is right over wrong, using their knowledge, views and analytical skills. But the right and wrong are not explicit and requires tough decisions as the ethical decisions are not easy to make and demands more than what the individual or organization is ready to give. But such decisions are vital for the greater good of the organization, people and environment Evolution of Ethics Ethics is one of the few terms with no one fixed definition. It is an evolutionary concept. Its meaning and purpose is evolving as does the business. The following are the few views on ethics, The Initial definition for ethics was simple. Ethics was about doing right thing in context to morals, values and culture. This works for an individual who has personal instinct and acts according to that instinct. When it comes to an organizations perspective, defining what is the Right thing and whom or what should be the primary concern for ethical decisions the company, the shareholders, the stake holders or the whole society, ample questions arise. But inevitably men are greedy and as time progressed since 1960s various ethical issues arouse in business. From the Employee-employer relationship tensions, bribery, financial frauds and mis-management, human rights, transparency issues, environmental issues to the Intellectual property stealth and cyber crimes every issue has led onto a newer perspective and need for ethics in business. These needs were supported by various laws and codes passed on by the authoritative organizations. The developments include the earlier code of conduct and values established by companies, to the formation of ethics resource centre and corporate social responsibility movements and until the Sarbanes -Oxley Act of 2002 business ethics have fallen under strict scrutinization of these regulations. Need for Ethics Business ethics in text definition is The Principles, standards or rules that guide the organization and the organizers together in the business arena. The standards are the judging criterions for what is right or wrong and what is acceptable and unacceptable by the society at large. But various studies suggest that ethics is ever evolving phenomenon. From being Just doing the right thing to the standards and laws of judging the right thing now ethics has evolved to Business beyond profits and laws. Now Business ethics is about the Triple Bottom Line. Financial Social Environmental Ethics is now beyond just doing business without harming the society and environment. It is about doing business and also contributing to the society and environment from where they take resources for doing the business and also sell the end product or service. Thus the expectation is that while the business has growth there should also be the societal and environmental growth. This evolution of ethics gave rise to a new field in business namely the Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR is about an organization going beyond what is legal and makes most profit for the company to contributing and achieving societal benefits with interest of all stakeholders. ETHICAL BRAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY The New Concept While the business ethics is much debated and though complex organizations are trying to interpret and implement them in business. Research and studies are conducted in this field of business ethics. But unfortunately Brand management and integration of ethics into the foundation of branding still remains unobserved. The reason for the same could be many including the major misconception that branding is all about the powerful logo and name that enables organizations to sell products and rake profits. But that is only one part of the branding. The product branding is much regarded with importance that organization branding is overlooked. This study is to understand the importance of integrating ethics into organization branding and the strategic implementation of the same. Brands today have a powerful position in the minds of the consumer. The consumers associate themselves with the brand and studies claim that bran is a Personality in the minds of the consumer. This phenomenon leads to brand loyalty or in severe case to brand fanaticism. When brand has such importance amongst its consumers and has direct impact with its activities in society and environment, there is growing demand for Ethical brands. Case study: Apple Considering the Case of one of worlds powerful brand, Apple: Apple has a perceived personality of sophistication and uniqueness in the minds of its customers and the society. But a recently one of Apples supplier manufacturer have been found guilty for chemical poisoning of 49 employees and another supplier reported to have used child labor. Though Steve jobs of Apple claim that Apple is not responsible for the same, these reports highlight lack in ethical concerns in area of production of worlds popular devices. This might pose as a threat for the brand Image Apple has created over the years and its sustainability becomes questionable. Consumers have the access to information to realize Apples sophisticated product is an end result of unacceptable work environment and child labor. Then the Brand Personality in their minds might take a change. Thus to avoid such a situation it is not an option but a necessity for Ethical brand Management Strategies. The Ethical Approach Ethical brand is perceived as an oxymoronic term by business community at large. They are regarded as two contradictory terms put together. But the real sense in perceiving them is as two complementary words working in synchronization with each other. Both is of no use when the other is insignificant. While a typical Brand Strategy aims to Establish the brand values amongst customers Create Brand Identity and market position differentiating from competitors Create and sustain brand loyal customers To maximize profit by increased sales and expansion of brand These aims are basic and essential for any organization trying to establish and sustain a brand and make the organization profitable. But as the brand grows in size, power and financially, these aims are testified for their ethical commitments and that is when they flatter undoubtedly. The Ethical approach to the same brand strategy aims would possibly be, Establish the brand values amongst customers By not just stating the values but integrating those values at each and every stage of the organization. Brand values are promise made by the organization. Create Brand Identity and market position differentiating from competitors By competing fairly, without trying to override competition unethically at any means Create and sustain brand loyal customers Without fake promises, with transparency and sustainable brand practices. To maximize profit by increased sales and expansion of brand Without bringing about any harm to the environment, society and stake holders, and also contributing to the society and environment responsibly. The table does not follow any standard code of ethics but just a perspective in which the same aims can be redesigned for an ethical brand. ETHICAL FASHION BRANDS Fashion industry is undoubtedly ever flourishing industry not only because of its size and buzz but also since it produces one of the basic commodity for which there is a ever increasing demand: Clothing. Fashion Industry is characterized by Labor intensive, customer centric, fast changing trends, extensive raw material usage, and tedious manufacturing and marketing processes. Consumers of fashion brands are loyal followers of their brands. Be it high end fashion designer brands like Dior and Armani to the mass marketing fashion brand like Zara and MS, brand followers have very high expectation of their brands. From product quality to service these brands have to live upto their brand promise. With Globalization, a brands customers have access to informations of all forms. And the rising concern of the fashion consumer is not only about how cost efficient their clothes are but also how ethical are the clothes they wear? It has to be mentioned here that the same consumers who question about ethical status of the brands also demand lower costs of quality products. As discussed earlier in ethics there are always choices, whether to provide higher ethical products and the higher cost that accompanies it to make sustainable profits whether to give lower cost, lower ethical products and still make larger profit Unfortunately most fashion brands seem to have chosen the latter option which could be viewed as the immediate best solution for the brand and customers. But is the solution sustainable is the issue of the hour. Case of Ethical Brand Failure HM Originated in Sweden in the year 1947, HM now holds 2000 stores across the world. The brand has its own base of customers and promise them fashion and quality at the best price. The corporate social responsibility of HM as stated in their sustainability report which states style and substance encompasses most of the ethical issues of fashion industry. Their sustainability vision as stated is that they follow a strategy for the business operations which ensures financial, social and environmental sustainability. But recent reports claim otherwise, Financial Times has reported that HM clothings organic cotton claims are deceptive as a test conducted on these so called organic cotton fabrics reveal a outrageous amount of genetically modified cotton, (DNA modified cotton for better productivity and anti-pest properties). It is well known that there is worldwide outrage against genetically modified crops as their ill-effects surpass the benefits they possess. Many countries have banned the cultivation and use of genetically modified cotton as they possess unforeseen threats to the consumers health, environment and the society. Here is the case of HMs failed promise. Their sustainability vision has lost its application as they committed financial, social and environmental sustainability but the reports claim the opposite. GAP Gap, claiming to be the worlds largest specialty retailer, was founded by Doris and Don Fisher in the year 1969 with San Francisco as the base. They include array of brands namely Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. Gap now operates 3100 stores worldwide. Interestingly GAP has dedicated a separate website for the cause of the Brands social responsibility and ethical practices. The Statements and claims are powerful and brings a positive aura about the brand. Gap states that they believe not only in the basics of ethical business practices but also to embrace a broader, deeper responsibility to people and the planet. The statement states that the brand stands up to care for the stakeholders, society and the environment at large and they make choices which bring no harm to them. They also ensure the GAP customer that every time a Gap product is purchased the consumer acknowledges a Brand which cares about people and planet. But the true depth of these statements becomes questionable when GAP is now caught in the middle of quality of the work environment GAP suppliers are subjecting their workers to. The Telegraph reports about child-labor in factories in India sewing GAP garments. The Saipan Islands of the pacific, Officially under US has a legal system for setting their own immigration system which facilitated garment manufacturers to bring in cheap labor from china and use labels stating Made in USA. The large Chinese owned garment factories bring in young female workers from china and mostly south-east Asia with assurance of good salary and work environment but contrastingly with sweat shop work environment. A critical analysis of what GAP has stated as their ethical policy is strikingly in contrast with these reports. If the ethics is as integrated into Gaps vision as they claim what could be possibly be the cause of these situations in factories supplying GAP clothing? The Need for Authentic Ethical Brand The cases of GAP and HM are just examples of ethical failures in Fashion Brand management. There are many other big brands associated with ethics failure the list including Nike, Abercrombie Fitch, Calvin Klein, Wal-Mart and more. These cases plainly illustrates these companies didnt lack a vision for sustainability. They had well-structured vision and mission for sustainable ethical strategy, but what they lacked was the implementation and monitoring of the same. It is also essential to begin this process right from the basics. That is ethics and brand strategy should integrate from the fundamental and progress upwards through all processes of the brand development. Research Methods This research proposal aims in laying the foundation for the detailed dissertation to follow on developing an ethical brand strategy framework for the fashion industry. The proposal aims in locating the problems of existing ethical strategies and their implementation and monitoring systems. RESEARCH FRAMEWORK Trend Analysis Design process Sampling DESIGN MERCHANDISE Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected Scheduling resource allocation Supplier Analysis Raw material procurement Sampling PLAN SOURCE Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected Garment Sewing Management Fiber to fabric monitoring Marketing Ads Management Sampling PRODUCE AND MARKET Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected DISTRIBUTE Warehouse management Inventory Management Transportation to showrooms Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected Floor planning VM Sales feedback Sales Trend analysis SALES, ANALYSE AFTER SALES Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected Research Development Human Resource Management Administration SUPPORT ACTIVITIES Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected PRODUCT OF AN AUTHENTIC ETHICAL BRAND The idea of the research framework Fig is to ensure the brand can be known to be practicing an ethical strategy if and only if code of ethics is integrated at each level of process flow of product development. Description of the framework The framework is structured to highlight six vital process categories for a brand to produce the end product. The categories include Design merchandise The design and merchandising is the first stage in a fashion brand process flow, as this where the product is conceptualized and given form. The trend analysis, feasibility of design, material selection, sampling and all merchandising coordination processes takes place at this stage. This is the mind work part of the fashion product development. Plan source Planning includes the pre-production scheduling, resource allocation, backward planning and ensuring commitments. Sourcing includes procurement of raw materials for the production process. This stage requires large supplier and buyer co-ordination and resource planning. Produce and market The apparel manufacturing is the most labor intensive of all levels of product development. However automated, the actual cut, sew and pack requires ample workforce management. Marketing is where the brand transports its values to the customers and involves PR Distribute The distribution is the most important of the supply chain activities, inventory and warehouse management of finished goods, allocation planning and transportation to the showroom. Sales, analyze after sales This is where the product is made into revenue through sales. The showroom management, floor planning, visual merchandising all enable shoppers trafficking the showroom while the sales analysts analyze the sales patterns and suggest on replenishment. The after-sales services and waste management of the Brands products are areas of concern. Support Activities The support activities form the backbone of the brand process flow, which includes the essential human resource management generating, training and maintaining workforce, research development bringing about new innovations for the brands portfolio and the general administrative department taking care of the overall functioning of the brand from conceptualization to customer care. The Ethical Checkpoint The research aims in finding the feasibility of having an ethical checkpoint at every stage of product development of an apparel brand. The purpose and functionality of the ethical checkpoint could be Aim To ensure only ethically sustainable products pass through different levels of brands production process. Process Each brand should define their own ethical standards and code of ethics to be followed at each level of the Brands product development. This code of ethics should be in compliance with both global and local ethics standards in accordance to the brands demography. The function of the ethical checkpoint is to ensure that at each level of process flow the ethical standards are met and if any ethical issues arise the suitable ethical solutions are arrived at before the product pass on to the next level of the process flow. In this way the product at each level is ensured to be sustainable. Thus the brand self-monitors itself for ensuring the sustainability promise it has made to its consumers End Result The end product is not just name sake ethical but holistically ethical made by ethical standards from the scratch to the finished goods stage. Positive Impact By adopting this strategy the brand not only ensures it stays committed to the people, planet and product but also they promote positive consumerism amongst their consumers. This is one of the possible frameworks of authentic ethical brand management strategy for the fashion industry. A descriptive framework for the ethical check point could be Ethical check point Ethical issue Ethical Solution Approved Rejected