Soda Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soda Tax - Essay Example In fact, a ten- year research carried on individuals with a regular intake of diet soda revealed a 70% (Picca 35) increase on their waistline in comparison to individuals with a zero tolerance to soda intake. I that believe soda tax serves an effective measure of saving the ignorant American population, who turn a blind eye to dire health complications for continuous soda intake. A tax charge on soft beverages will have a profound reduction of illnesses such as diabetes associated with unhealthy lifestyle. Aside from obesity, public health officials also highlight additional health benefits of a potential soda tax such as improved dental hygiene. In the last 50 years, soft drink consumption has increased by whooping 500% (Brill 46). Interestingly soft drinks like soda consist of massive calories but with zero nutritional value. Even with such scary statistics soft drinks consumption make up 7% percent of energy consumption in adults and with a larger percentage reported in children and adolescents (Brill 47). A tax charge on soda would result into a consumption reduction. Public health officials note that a consumer reduction in soda intake would reduce obesity cases nationwide, hence significant step towards the fight against diseases such as diabetes. The rising cost of soda, would reduce consumer intake, and consequently reduce weight gain of approximately 90 % of the American population (Picca 36). A research carried out by the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey in 2010 revealed that indeed states with higher taxes on soda recorded the lowest consumer consumption on soft drinks (Picca 37). Individuals in such states turned to healthy drinks such as milk and natural juice for calories consumption. Following the success of taxation on tobacco and tobacco products, that led to a signification reduction of health complication associated with regular nicotine intake (Picca 37). Taxation on soda would have the same implications on health

Effectiveness of Loyalty Schemes for Supermarkets

Effectiveness of Loyalty Schemes for Supermarkets Chapter 1 Introduction It is necessary for organisations to carry out market research before they can come up with a good quality marketing strategy no matter how big or small the company is. Market research is when an organisation studies their customers buying habits and gathers information about the market. The information they find is then analysed to determine the expectations of customers. Market research is necessary because organisations should aim to be marketing orientated and meet the wants and needs of their customers. As well as meeting the wants and needs of customers marketing orientated companies welcome change. This means they can react to external factors and changes in the market like changes in consumer spending patterns. It is a lot easier for an organisation to put together a good marketing strategy if they are marketing orientated and have carried out the appropriate market research to identify the wants and needs of their target market. It is essential for an organisation to satisfy its customers. Meeting customer needs will improve the organisations reputation amongst its customers which will result in a higher profit and could make potentially make customers loyal to the brand. In 1995 Tesco introduced their Clubcard. This was the first customer loyalty card introduced in the UK and there are now 13 million Clubcard members. (MIS Quarterly Executive Vol.8 No.2/June 2009, Leveraging Multichannel retailing: the experience of Tesco.com) Loyalty programs are not just used by companies to offer benefits to regular shoppers and reward customers for their loyalty. Every time a customer uses their loyalty card in store organisations record what products that customer has purchased to find out their specific wants and needs. If the research shows that a product is more popular with customers in a certain area then an organisation could introduce offers to meet customer needs. Therefore loyalty programs are used as a form of market research. The majority of major retailers in the UK now offer loyalty programs. Therefore the purpose of this research is to examine the benefits and drawbacks of these programs to both organisations and customers to see weather actual loyalty can be obtained through one of these programs. There must be major benefits of Loyalty programs otherwise they would not be so popular. However not every organisation like Asda does offer a loyalty program so the purpose of this research is to determine whether they are worth investing in. If the majority of customers who shop in an organisations store own loyalty cards is the company able to process all of the information they have gathered. A loyalty card will also only show the retailer what a customer spends in their specific store and not their general buying habits. A customer may buy their weekly shopping in Tesco and use their Clubcard yet may buy meat from another supermarket or from a local butcher. If Tesco knew this they could introduce offers to encourage customers to buy meat in their store. The Clubcard however would not provide Tesco with this information. Despite this Tesco could use their Clubcard to identify changes in consumer buying patterns. A customer can however own as many loyalty cards as they want which means they can supply information to many different organisations. When customers sign up to a loyalty program they have to provide name, address, age group and often email address allowing the organisation to contact them regularly with offers. With this information the organisation offering the scheme can understand what kind of person is buying certain products. This helps them segment the market and identify the target market for any product. This research is important and of value because organisations will benefit from it if they are considering investing in a loyalty scheme. This research will also help companies understand the advantages and disadvantages of loyalty programs and identify ways they can make the most of the large amounts of data they gather from customers. This research will also be off interest to customers who have signed up to loyalty programs and people involved in business. There are many aims and objectives of this research. The first aim is to understand what loyalty actually is and the importance of loyal customers. Is it actually possible for an organisation to obtain loyalty with a customer? If so can this be achieved through one of these programmes? Also is it possible to measure just how loyal customers are? The second aim is to study the history of loyalty cards and programs and find out which organisations along with Tesco where first to introduce loyalty cards and gain an understanding of how rapidly the trend has grown since both in the UK and internationally. This information will help organisations understand how loyalty cards became so popular with retailers. The third aim of this research is to find examples of how the information gathered from customers using their loyalty card in store has benefited organisations when they determine their marketing strategy. This research will determine whether it is possible for a retailer to process all the information provided by loyalty programs considering how popular they are with customers. Is there any reason why a major retailer like Asda does not offer a loyalty program when a lot of its direct competitors do? This study will also help identify how organisations can benefit from loyalty kiosks. The fourth aim of this research to understand whether loyalty programs really benefit customers or whether its just organisations that get the main benefits. In a lot of cases customers have to spend a lot of money in the retailers store to gain loyalty points and money off products. Despite this organisations can use loyalty programs to determine which products are popular with customers and introduce offers. Therefore being part of a loyalty program could benefit the customer without them really realising it. This study will also help identify how customers can benefit from loyalty kiosks. The final aim is to investigate the different types of loyalty programmes organisations offer and the advantages and disadvantages of the various programmes. This information will hopefully help organisations determine which type of loyalty scheme is most appropriate for them to invest in. All the aims of this project will be achieved by gathering information obtained through secondary research. A large proportion of this research will be gathered from the academic journals. Research will also be gathered from relevant information found in books, articles, newspaper reports and case studies. Previous literature will be reviewed and critically analysed. After this the research methods will be described and results of this research will be discussed, analysed and related back to relevant theory shown in the literature review. The study will then be concluded showing any limitations. The main lessons learnt from this study will be described showing what future research should be conducted. Chapter 2 Literature Review What is loyalty? Can it be purchased? The word loyal is defined in the oxford English dictionary as being â€Å"true to obligations of duty and love† although it is hard to imagine the average consumer feels this way about the supermarket where they buy their groceries. (Uncles, Dowling and Hammond 2003) argue that it is not possible for a consumer to have an emotional attachment towards a brand of tomato soup. Even if customers are not loyal many retailers may have their personal information stored in their computer database. (Rowley 2000) understands that it is very difficult for supermarket to encourage actual loyalty and claims that â€Å"the very technology that supports innovations such as loyalty cards may serve to undermine the concept of loyalty.† Many people believe that true loyalty is not actually attainable through loyalty programs and that the main purpose of these programs is to provide management with information. (Jenkinson 1995) strongly believes this and claims that: â€Å"The customers loyalty is simply not for sale. It cannot be bought for ever by companys ordeals. Real brand loyalty results from an emotional bond created by trust, dialogue, frequency, ease of use and a sense of value and added satisfaction. Loyalty is the reflection of a customers subconscious emotional and psychological need to find a constant source of value, satisfaction and identity.† (Jenkinson 1995) does make a valid point but it is still possible to obtain loyalty through loyalty programs its just not very easy. (Stone et al 2004) believe that customers are unlucky to become loyal to an organisation just from being part of one of these schemes. However they understand that a scheme could produce information that could help an organisation find ways to offer suitable rewards to meet the needs of customers which is likely to lead to loyalty amongst customers. (OBrien and Jones 1995) extend this theory and understand that the only way an organisation can obtain loyalty through a loyalty programme is if the organisation offers rewards that are of value to the customer. They claim there are 5 elements that determine value. (see appendix) Even though loyalty can be obtained through loyalty programmes it is necessary that every employee at the organisation is fully committed to the program. Therefore as well as any initial financial investment there also needs to be an investment in staff training when an organisation introduces a loyalty card. (Omar 1999) understands this and believes that a loyalty program will not be successful unless everyone within the organisation is committed. This includes the cashier who simply smiles and asks a customer if they own a loyalty card. (OConner 1996) shares this opinion and understands that customers will come back to a store and become loyal customers if employees are friendly. As well as being fully committed to their loyalty program organizations need to be sure that customers are not just signing up to their loyalty program just for the sake of it. (Omar 1999) understands that some customers may sign up to a loyalty scheme just to get the discounts and may not be actually loyal to the organisation. It is important that Organisations are aware of this when starting up a loyalty program. Even though (OBrien and Jones 1995) have already shown that an organisation can obtain loyalty through a loyalty programme if they offer rewards that are of value to the customer there are also many other factors that can affect how loyal customers are. (Wright and Sparks 1999) have identified that it is possible to achieve customer loyalty through a number of means. This includes where the store is located and how easy it is to access. Also the loyalty of customers very much depends on the quality and price of the goods being sold. (Bellizi and Bristol 2004) understand that a consumer that is part of a lot of loyalty schemes is more likely to be affected by other factors and judge a supermarket on the speed of its checkout lines and its variety of fresh produce. (Gounaris and Stathakopoulos 2004) extend this theory and suggest that customer loyalty is something that can be influenced by a combination of 3 factors. These are the reputation of the brand and the amount of choice available in the market, social influences and recommendations from peers and the degree of risk aversion from the consumer themselves. According to them these influences can create four types of loyalty: No loyalty Covetous loyalty: This is when a consumer has a strong attachment to a brand possible due to social influences yet there is no purchase. Many customers may be interested in premium brand products but choose to buy a less expensive alternative to save money. Inertia loyalty: This is when a customer purchases a certain brand due to habit or convenience but has no emotional attachment to the brand itself. A customer may choose one supermarket over another simply because it is closer. Premium loyalty: This is what every organisation should aim for. It is when a customer regularly buys a companys products due to a high attachment to the brand. However customer loyalty is obtained it is important not to under estimate the value of having loyalty customers. Every organisation should be aiming to encourage loyalty. (Omar 1999) understands the importance of customer loyalty and points out that a store is likely to be unsuccessful without loyal customers because they are likely to buy more products and will be willing to pay more. They are also more likely to recommend the organisation to friends and family which will bring in new customers. Organisations usually have to spend a lot of money on promotions to try and attract new customers to a business. It costs a less money for an organisation to obtain customers then it does to attract new ones. Also once customers are loyal to an organization they are less likely to be interested in the promotions other companies are offering. (Christopher and McDonald 1995) therefore understand that by retaining customers an organization could stop new companies from wanting to enter the market. (Halowell 1996) has also found evidence to show that there is a definite connection between the loyalty of customers and the amount of profit an organisation makes. (Oliver 1997) correctly sums up customer loyalty by defining it as. â€Å"A deeply held commitment to re buy or re patronize a preferred product/service consistently in the future, thereby causing repetitive same-brand or same brand-set purchasing despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behaviour.† (Whyte 2004) suggests that loyalty programmers may just create customer loyalty for short amount of time that may not result in full commitment. This however isnt true because there are major differences between loyalty schemes and incentive schemes. (Hirshman and Goldstucker 1978) understand that loyalty programs are more long term and can help an organisation improve its reputation amongst customers and establish a relationship. This is definitely true as general incentive schemes are likely to be short term promotions or offers to make customers interested in a specific product or just to draw their attention to the brand. Loyalty programmes are therefore a lot more expensive to run then simple incentive schemes but a lot more beneficial at the same time. Loyalty schemes can even help organisations come up with appropriate short term offers and promotions which can be directly issued to the target market. (OConner 1996) has identified that incentive schemes are usually a final resort for organisations if their loyalty scheme fails. Even though (OBrien and Jones 1995) have already shown that an organisation can obtain loyalty through a loyalty programme if they offer rewards that are of value to the customer it is still very difficult for an organization to measure how loyal its customers are. (Omar 1999) identifies that Store loyalty is a function of customer satisfaction. This is definitely true as satisfied customers are more likely to keep coming back to the store and become loyal customers. However (Omar 1999) goes on to suggest that a number of variables can be used to determine how loyal a retailers customers are. (See appendix) The variables listed above could definitely be used to measure the satisfaction of customers. Despite this customers may appear to be satisfied and still decide to shop somewhere else if they are attracted by promotion. Therefore it is very difficult for an organisation to measure actual levels of loyalty. The History of Loyalty programs and Loyalty cards Organisations have been aiming to encourage customer loyalty for a long time and the introduction of loyalty cards has definitely helped them achieve this goal. Loyalty cards are now very popular both in the UK and internationally. (Sharp and Sharp 1997) have identified that since loyalty cards have been introduced, they have been used effectively by organisations to increase levels of satisfaction amongst customers. Further research will be conducted to show examples of this. Today the majority of retailers now offer loyalty schemes. (Rowley 2007) is aware of the popularity of Loyalty schemes and identified that they are now â€Å"an established feature of the retail and services landscape.† (Uncles, Dowling and Hammond 2003) suggested that competitors are likely to copy a loyalty scheme if it appears to be successful. This seems fairly understandable as organisations are often influenced by the activities of the competition. OMalley (1998) realises that there is a chance customers may begin to expect a reward every time they visit a store as loyalty cards have led to them being bombarded with promotions and money off vouchers for products they regularly buy. The above literature suggests that the introduction of loyalty cards is the only reason for organisations being so obsessed with obtaining the loyalty of customers. It is obviously a major factor but (Omar 1999) has identified that loyalty schemes have been growing in popularity for a lot longer than this and suggests that â€Å"such a remarkable shift to loyalty-building activity has been made possible because the cost of recruiting each consumer into a loyalty scheme has fallen substantially in real terms since the early 1970s.† (Omar 1999) also believes that the popularity of loyalty schemes may lead to their downfall by understanding that the majority of loyalty schemes are now run in pretty much the same way. He is therefore able to identify that the differentiation these schemes provided when they first became popular is slowly being lost. This could well be the reason why Asda have chosen not to invest in loyalty scheme even though the majority of their direct competitors have. (Omar 1999) even suggests that: â€Å"loyalty cards could start a more sophisticated round of mark-down wars which held the high street stores to ransom in the late 1980s and early 1990s.† However this seems unlikely. How loyalty programs benefit the organisation: (Walters and Hanrahan 2000) have been able to identify the numerous benefits for organisations that use loyalty programmes to store the purchasing details of their customers. Loyalty schemes can help an organisation decide where it places its products and how they allocate their space in store. They can also use the information they have stored in a database to introduce in store promotions and offers on products where they have identified interest from customers. Loyalty programmes can also more importantly help an organisation find out who its target market is. Tesco have had a lot of success since launching their very successful Clubcard scheme. (Uncles, Dowling and Hammond 2003) have identified that Tesco have been able to use their Clubcard to aid brand extension. Tesco have definitely shown that they understand the importance of customer loyalty. (Turner and Wilson 2006) were however able to identify Clubcard is not the only reason for Tescos loyal customers and major market growth. It is necessary for an organisation to know who its target market is and offer rewards to the right customers. (OBrien and Jones 1995) understand that it is important for organisations to consider the value of their customers. If they fail to do this an organisation may waste time and money satisfying the customers of less value whilst the greater value customers are not satisfied and loose loyalty as a result. An article by (Media Week 2009) suggested that loyalty schemes with the most members may not be the most successful ones. The article described how â€Å"todays loyalty efforts are more concerned with the quality of membership and not just the quality.† This makes sense as organisations are aiming to obtain loyalty and therefore dont just want customers to sign up for loyalty schemes just to get the discounts. It is still difficult to understand how a retailer is able to process all the information provided by loyalty cards considering how popular they are with customers. (Uncles, Dowling and Hammond 2003) identify that a popular loyalty scheme is likely to gather a lot of unnecessary data which is of no use to anyone. (Omar 1999) therefore suggests that â€Å"any loyalty scheme must be driven by a database to ensure that it adds a significant new element rather than being simply another promotional activity.† (Omar 1999) makes a very valid point although organisations are still dealing with a very large amount of information.. Loyalty cards have become increasingly popular within the last few years due to advances in technology like the growth in computer memory capacity (OConnor 1996) believes that it is therefore now possible for an organisation to track, identify and respond to the buying behaviour of customers. Also with this information a retailer can contact customers through direct mailing. (Passingham 1996) argues that not all customers who shop in a retailers store will sign up to a loyalty scheme so some of the data that is being stored may be inaccurate. Loyalty schemes also dont provide retailers with information about customer buying habits outside of that specific store. However a large proportion of regularly shoppers are likely to be part of the organisations loyalty scheme so this is unlikely to be a serious concern of organisations as they will still be able to get an overview of the buying habits of specific groups of customers. One of the main reasons that customers may refuse to sign up to a loyalty scheme is because they are worried that the organisation may give out their personal information to third parties. (Sarathy and Robertson 2003) have identified that customers may be concerned about their privacy when it comes to loyalty schemes due to recent corporate mismanagement scandals. However customers will be less likely to worry about this if they are attracted to the rewards being offered by the scheme. The following research by (Schriver 1997) which was carried out just as loyalty cards were becoming popular in the UK. He was able to identify 6 factors that surprisingly made consumers less loyal today than in the past. He also identified that the 6 factors can increase consumer doubt leading to more complaints and a lower level of loyalty as well as greater price sensitivity. How loyalty programs benefit customers (Potter 1998) identifies that customers deserve to be treated well by organisations. This is true as they are unlikely to come back and re visit a store if the experience they received was not a pleasurable one. It is clear that loyalty cards benefit organisations but how much do they benefit customers. (Schultz and Bailey, 2000) believe the rewards that customer receive are simply given to them as compensation for the information they provide. This section proves that this is not entirely correct and that loyalty programs can benefit customers. Despite this (Uncles, Dowling and Hammond 2003) have identified that the main reason organizations invest in loyalty schemes is because they expect the program to benefit them. This is because the main aim of any business is to make a profit and being marketing orientated and meeting the needs of customers is the main way of achieving this aim Rowley (2000) has identified that loyalty style kiosks are becoming an increasingly popular way for organisation to encourage loyalty amongst customers in the USA. She describes how the kiosks themselves are placed at the front of stores and she is able to identify that they offer a lot more benefits then simple promotional leaflets. By offering one of these kiosks organisations are therefore likely to increase the satisfaction of their customers. This is because they are likely to feel valued as they get to choose their rewards instead simply being given a voucher they could potentially discard. Omar (1999) has already identified that loyalty is function of customer satisfaction. Despite customers receiving points every time they use their card in store (Omar 1999) believes that a number of schemes are purely set up to provide retailers with a database so that they can advertise their products directly to customers via emails. This is definitely a valid opinion. Therefore research will be carried out to find examples of how organisations have used their schemes in order to contact target groups of customers directly. If customers dont benefit from an organisations loyalty scheme the business is unlikely to be successful (Dowling and Uncles 1997) point out that this may make customers frustrated resulting in them losing loyalty. Different types of Loyalty Programs: There are many different types of loyalty programmes which can be used by organisations offering a wide variety of products and services. There is no single type of loyalty programme that is guaranteed to be successful. A study from (Wanswink 2003) showed that brand managers believe that all loyalty programmes can have an impact on the buying behaviour of customers. The study also showed that the most cost-effective loyalty programmes were the low and moderate ones. However another study by (Gordan and Mckeage 1997) showed that loyalty programmes are more likely to be successful if the organisation is offering a product or service that the customer considers to be high involvement because of the financial, social and physical risk involved. American express also offer a club yet they charge a fee to join. Although this could prevent customers from joining the loyalty programme (Shiffman and Kanuk 2007) can see a benefit of this by suggesting that â€Å"this increases the customers investment in the relationship which may lead to greater commitment and increased usage loyalty† Some companies reward loyal customers by giving them points so they can gain more goods or services from the organisation. This kind of point system is very popular with hotel chains and airlines. (Shiffman and Kanuk 2007) believe that this could act as an exit barrier because customers would have to give up the points if they started a new relationship. Chapter 3 Methodology Now that the relevant literature has been reviewed further research has been conducted to examine the benefits and drawbacks of loyalty programs to both organisations and customers. The purpose of this research was too help organisations who offer loyalty cards identify ways in which they can make the most of the information they gather whilst benefiting organisations that dont currently offer a scheme by helping them identify if loyalty schemes are beneficial or not. Customers who are part of loyalty programs and people involved in business will also benefit from this research. Several aims and objectives of this research were established before the research was carried out. The first aim was to find out what loyalty actually is and whether actual loyalty can be obtained through a loyalty scheme. After this the history of loyalty cards and loyalty programs were researched to identify how rapidly the trend grew in the UK and internationally. This was followed by research into the benefits of loyalty programs for both organisations and customers and research into the different types of loyalty programs in which customers can sign up for. In the end all research that was conducted was secondary and not primary. This was partly due to insufficient funds as it would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time to arrange interviews with members of the major organisations that were studied. There were also plans to hand out questioners to people in supermarkets although these never went ahead due to ethical reasons. Despite there being some limitations of this study all the information found from the secondary research did relate to the aims and objectives and therefore will be of benefit to the reader. The research process consisted of examining several articles, various figures and company websites in order to achieve the aims and objectives. The majority of this research was taken from journals, newspaper articles and from The Grocer magazine. A number of case studies were also examined during the research process. An article in the Grocer from the 18th April 2008 entitled â€Å"Service with a smile† was examined because it described some of the various ways organisations could encourage loyalty amongst customers. However one of the main purposes of this research was to identify if loyalty can be obtained through loyalty schemes. Are loyalty schemes able to reach large groups of shoppers? Another article in The Grocer from the 6th February 2010 entitled â€Å"retailers need to work harder to increase loyalty card appeal† was examined in order to answer this question. Research was conducted to find out how many loyalty cards are currently in operation in the UK and internationally. This will help gain an understanding of how rapidly loyalty schemes have grown in popularity over the last 15 years. A number of sources where found which featured sections that showed exactly how popular loyalty schemes were on a national and global basis in different years and the relevant figures are shown and analysed in the results section. One of the sources used is an article from (University Of Minnesota 2009) entitled Leveraging Multichannel Retailing: The experience of Tesco.com which describes how Tesco have grown to dominate the UK market. Figures were also taken from a case study in a book by Omar (1999) entitled Retail Marketing. An article from Media Week entitled â€Å"the brave new world of loyalty marketing† featured results from a state by state analysis by the COLLOQUY Loyalty Census which describes the popularity of loyalty cards on a global scale and by how much this has increased since 2007. Several major organisations were researched to find out which loyalty schemes had been successful and the reasons for this. Most major organisations now offer a loyalty program. How do independent retailers encourage loyalty? An article in the Grocer from the 5th February 2010 entitled â€Å"Independent chains seek to win loyalty with card schemes† helped to answer this question. Organisations value the customers loyalty and their purchasing activity data. However a lot of money is spent on loyalty schemes and therefore research was carried to find out whether loyalty schemes are worth investing in. An article from the BBC written on the 17th February 2003 entitled â€Å"The cost of Nectar loyalty† explains why this may not be the case. Dispute this many organisations have benefit from loyalty schemes and Tesco is definitely an example of this. A lot of research was therefore based around Tesco as they currently dominate the UK market. Page 17 of the Walters D, Hanarahan J (2000) book entitled Retail Strategy described some of the major benefits loyalty club members at Tesco receive. The article by the (University of Minnesota 2009) was also examined again because it described why Tesco had been so successful. Page 94 of this article described how Tesco were able to manage customer relations and use their ClubCard to aid direct marketing. Why Asda do not offer a loyalty scheme? The answer to this question can be found in the results section. The answer was taken from an article in the Grocer from the 7th November 2009 entitled â€Å"Why Asda rejected launching its own loyalty card scheme† explains exactly why. However another article in the Grocer from the 20th February 2010 entitled â€Å"Is Asda paying the price for not joining the loyalty club? Suggests reasons why this decision made by Asda may have been a mistake Asda are owned by Wal-Mart which is a major American retailer who currently has the 2nd largest database in the US behind the US government. T

Analysis of The World of Wrestling by Roland Barthes Essay -- The Worl

Analysis of The World of Wrestling by Roland Barthes Roland Barthes's essay on "The World of Wrestling" draws analogically on the ancient theatre to contextualize wrestling as a cultural myth where the grandiloquence of the ancient is preserved and the spectacle of excess is displayed. Barthes's critique -- which is above all a rewriting of what was to understand what is -- is useful here insofar as it may be applied back to theatre as another open-air spectacle. But in this case, not the theatre of the ancients, but the Middle English pageant presents the locus for discussing the sport of presentation, or, if you prefer, the performance of the sport. More specifically, what we see by looking at the Harrowing of Hell -- the dramatic moment in the cycle plays that narratizes doctrinal redemption more graphically than any other play in the cycle -- as spectacle offers a matrix for the multiple relationships between performance and audience and the means of producing that performance which, in turn, necessarily produces the audience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of the spectacle could sensibly be applied to the complete texts of the cycle plays, and perhaps more appropriately to the full range of the pageant and its concomitant festivities. The direction of pseudo-historical criticism, especially of the Elizabethan stage, certainly provides a well-plowed ground for advancing the festive and carnivalesque inherently present in the establishment and event of theater. Nevertheless, my discussion here is both more limited and more expansive: its limits are constructed by the choice of an individual play recurrent through the four extant manuscripts of what has come to be called the Corpus Christi plays; its expansion is expressed through a delivery that aims to implicate the particular moment of this play in the operations of a dominant church-state apparatus, which is, ostensibly, a model of maintaining hegemony in Western culture. The Harrowing provides a singular instance in which the mechanisms of control of the apparatus appear to extend and exploit their relationship with the audience (i.e. congregation). The play is constructed beyond the canonized operations of the sacred, originating a narrative beyond (yet within) the authorized vulgate; it is constructed only through church authority yet maint... ...thorizing. It seems we are not merely to claim, as Hardin Craig does, that the plays are "a theological intelligence motivated by structural imagination that lasted from age to age in the development of a great cycle of mystery plays." Instead, we should interrogate the multiple dimensions of artistry and artificiality of the play; our task is to ask how these plays operate as a performative moment coming directly from the dominant arms of orthodoxy while still being influenced by the severely limited mass culture. We may find, then, at the center of the controlling mechanisms of the church-state apparatus, the necessitated desire for community that even Satan validates and proclaims:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nay, I pray the do not so;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vmthynke the better in thy mynde;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Or els let me with the go,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I pray the leyffe me not behynde! The desire, of course, extends past Satan's plea, for the homogenized desire of the congregation ultimately -- which is in history written and yet to be -- is directed toward a different answer from Jesus: one that affirms salvation and again confirms the church's orthodox pageantry of performance. Analysis of The World of Wrestling by Roland Barthes Essay -- The Worl Analysis of The World of Wrestling by Roland Barthes Roland Barthes's essay on "The World of Wrestling" draws analogically on the ancient theatre to contextualize wrestling as a cultural myth where the grandiloquence of the ancient is preserved and the spectacle of excess is displayed. Barthes's critique -- which is above all a rewriting of what was to understand what is -- is useful here insofar as it may be applied back to theatre as another open-air spectacle. But in this case, not the theatre of the ancients, but the Middle English pageant presents the locus for discussing the sport of presentation, or, if you prefer, the performance of the sport. More specifically, what we see by looking at the Harrowing of Hell -- the dramatic moment in the cycle plays that narratizes doctrinal redemption more graphically than any other play in the cycle -- as spectacle offers a matrix for the multiple relationships between performance and audience and the means of producing that performance which, in turn, necessarily produces the audience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of the spectacle could sensibly be applied to the complete texts of the cycle plays, and perhaps more appropriately to the full range of the pageant and its concomitant festivities. The direction of pseudo-historical criticism, especially of the Elizabethan stage, certainly provides a well-plowed ground for advancing the festive and carnivalesque inherently present in the establishment and event of theater. Nevertheless, my discussion here is both more limited and more expansive: its limits are constructed by the choice of an individual play recurrent through the four extant manuscripts of what has come to be called the Corpus Christi plays; its expansion is expressed through a delivery that aims to implicate the particular moment of this play in the operations of a dominant church-state apparatus, which is, ostensibly, a model of maintaining hegemony in Western culture. The Harrowing provides a singular instance in which the mechanisms of control of the apparatus appear to extend and exploit their relationship with the audience (i.e. congregation). The play is constructed beyond the canonized operations of the sacred, originating a narrative beyond (yet within) the authorized vulgate; it is constructed only through church authority yet maint... ...thorizing. It seems we are not merely to claim, as Hardin Craig does, that the plays are "a theological intelligence motivated by structural imagination that lasted from age to age in the development of a great cycle of mystery plays." Instead, we should interrogate the multiple dimensions of artistry and artificiality of the play; our task is to ask how these plays operate as a performative moment coming directly from the dominant arms of orthodoxy while still being influenced by the severely limited mass culture. We may find, then, at the center of the controlling mechanisms of the church-state apparatus, the necessitated desire for community that even Satan validates and proclaims:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nay, I pray the do not so;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vmthynke the better in thy mynde;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Or els let me with the go,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I pray the leyffe me not behynde! The desire, of course, extends past Satan's plea, for the homogenized desire of the congregation ultimately -- which is in history written and yet to be -- is directed toward a different answer from Jesus: one that affirms salvation and again confirms the church's orthodox pageantry of performance.

The Mad Scientist

A sharp wail cut through the silence of Woodbridge Mental Hospital. A nurse immediately rushed towards the far end of the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls of the hospital. As she approached the door of the patient’s ward, she heard equipment crashing to the floor and shattering. She fished out her cell phone and dialed a number.  Ten minutes later, a ravishing woman sashayed down the halls of the hospital, oblivious to the ear piercing shrieks of the woman at the far end of the hallway. â€Å"We weren’t able to calm her down, Miss Hale.† The guards nodded at her as she approached the entrance of the ward and let her in. The ward was a mess, shattered glass covered the ground and broken lab equipment lay haphazardly all over the room. And in the corner, hugging her knees, sat the scientist. â€Å"Danica, calm down.† At the sound of her sister’s voice, the woman stopped screaming and raised her head, her breath jagged. Her wild hair framed her face, nearly covering her bloodshot eyes, but not quite. In a cold, monotonous voice that chilled to the bone, she said, â€Å"This is all your fault.† I hadn’t meant to overhear them; I wasn’t even allowed to be in this wing of the hospital. â€Å"What are you doing here? Who are you?† A voice demanded. I straightened my back, quickly making up a story, but as soon as I saw her standing just inches from me, I froze. â€Å"I†¦. I†¦ I’m new here, I lost my way.† I stuttered, deciding to tell her the truth. Her eyes seemed to harden as she said, â€Å"Please leave. You are not authorized to be here.† I scurried away, my heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird. â€Å"Where were you? I waited for ages but you didn’t show up, so I just went ahead.†, said Natalie, a resident I’d befriended on my second day. I’d completely forgotten about meeting her for lunch that day and I was so intrigued by what had happened that I didn’t think before asking her, â€Å"Who lives in the Restricted Wing?† Natalie blinked at me blankly, and then asked accusingly, â€Å"Why?† I immediately realized my mistake and played dumb, shrugging my shoulders and saying, â€Å"Just wondering.† Natalie relaxed and looked around, â€Å"Okay, I’ll tell you.† Rumor had it that in the Restricted Wing lives a scientist by the name of Danica Hale, world-renowned for her substantial contributions to cancer research. She had laid the building blocks for hopes of eventually finding a cure for cancer. She was in the prime of her career, so close to finding that cure when she disappeared from the scientific world. The woman I had seen earlier was her younger sister, Emily Hale. She was a prolific fiction writer who had several international best sellers. Eight years ago, she had donated a large sum of money to build an entire new wing in the hospital. Natalie wouldn’t tell me any more than that, but I was determined to find out the story behind how Danica had ended up as a patient in Woodbridge Mental Hospital – a mental breakdown perhaps? Over the next few days I peppered her with questions, hoping to wear down her reluctance at telling me the entire story. After a week, she said in exasperation, â€Å"I honestly don’t know the whole story! You’ll have to ask Emily or Danica yourself, they’re the only ones who know what really happened!† I had been observing Emily Hale from a distance and managed to find out from the head nurse that she came at least once every two days. Emily must have noticed me watching her because a few days later, she confronted me. â€Å"Are you some kind of stalker? I can see you, you know.† â€Å"Sorry, I’ve heard a lot about you that’s all.† I said, pulling out a copy of her latest book, ‘Heartbeats’. She looked shocked for a moment. â€Å"I had no idea doctors read fiction.† She said smiling. â€Å"It’s my way of escaping from reality. Do you mind signing it?† I said, holding out my copy. I walked away thoroughly pleased with myself, not because I had gotten her autograph, but because I had managed to uncover a new addition to the story. We had been talking about cancer and I had gushed about the recovery of my aunt, thanks to a new drug in a clinical trial that was still ongoing. Emily then told me about the rare form of cancer that had struck her ten years ago, when she was just twenty-five. Later on, it dawned on me that ten years ago was exactly when Danica had vanished from the research scene. It can’t have been a coincidence that at that point in time; Danica Hale had sent a sample of a cure for the same cancer her sister was suffering from to the Health Ministry for approval for human trials. The next time I saw Emily, I was eager to get more information. I asked her seemingly innocent questions, and to my delight, she answered every single one of them. I think by then, she was just happy to have someone she could talk to. Between her constant visits to the hospital and the busy life of an internationally acclaimed author, she probably did not have much of a social life. Eventually, I was able to piece together the whole story. Ten years ago, Emily Hale had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. There was no known cure, but her sister, Danica, was inches away from finding one. After successfully testing her drug on mice, all Danica needed was to get the drug approved for human tests. Meanwhile, her sister’s condition was worsening and with her sister’s life on the line, she couldn’t possibly have waited 6 months for the Health Ministry to respond. It would have been too late for her sister. Throwing caution to the wind, she decided to test the drug on herself. She monitored herself closely and after 2 months, without noting any adverse effects, she decided it was safe for her sister to take it. After six doses over a period of three months, a scan showed that Emily’s tumor had shrunk to the size of a bean. At six months, there was no sign of it anymore. In a sick twist of fate to what would have been a happy ending, Danica began to behave strangely and often did not seem like her usual self. At first, she was simply suspected to be developing symptoms of bi-polar disorder. Emily, however, was filled with a sense of foreboding that this could be related to the drug. Gradually, Danica’s mental state worsened and her mood swings became more violent and difficult to handle. Emily thought it best to remove her from the research institute. After making a fortune from her first two best-selling novels, Emily decided that a more permanent home at Woodbridge Mental Hospital would be best for Danica. She then donated a huge sum of money to the hospital for them to build a new wing, which was to include a fully equipped laboratory for her sister. The cure that Danica had discovered was found to cure cancer patients, but had the unfortunate effect of mental instability in a healthy person. Although Danica was mentally unstable, she was able to continue her research work with these facilities. Eventually, the drug was released after some modifications to eliminate the side effects and thousands of lives were saved because of it. Books and movies portray mad scientists as deranged people set on world domination. After hearing the story of the Hale sisters, I now have a rather endearing image of a mad scientist in the person of Danica Hale, a tragic figure gone mad after saving the life of her beloved sister. Today, despite her mental condition, she still continues to serve humanity with whatever sanity she has left. Truly, a genius gone mad for the sake of love.

Rene Descartes six meditations Distinction of Self from the Body Essay

Rene Descartes was a French Mathematician and a modern Philosopher who developed an original philosophy based on sciences aimed at being stable and likely to last. His method was based upon premises of senses, reason, doubt and belief. Like most philosophers his quest was for Truth and knowledge. However the nature of Truth and knowledge remains debatable among philosophers to this day. It is worth noting that a contemporary modern philosopher said at the beginning of the 21st century, the beginning of ‘ Information Age ‘ , â€Å" Study of philosophy is now reduced to the study of language. We are distinct from our bodies ! Since the advent of human civilization many men have preoccupied themselves with philosophical thoughts of the distinction of self from the body. These metaphysical ideas , sometimes ontological, lie on the borderline of religious theology and philosophy. With discoveries in the field of physical sciences like Einstein’s ‘ Relativity ‘ the human conception of space, matter, time and forces has become clearer. This has further fuelled interest in the field of philosophical investigation of the relationships between mind, matter and the supernatural. This activity is a commonplace past time of the educated and curious. The scientific and methodological study of any branch of knowledge involves the formulation of – Thesis, Hypothesis and Anti – Thesis. Every Thesis has an Anti–Thesis. Is the self distinct from the body ? The senses are deceptive! What we see is spurious. Our memory deceives us. Hence a Truth that can be established is that nothing is certain. Hence it can be assumed for the time being that our senses and bodies are not true. We are probably distinct from our bodies. Rationality is questionable ! Man is known as a ‘ rational animal’. But the idea of rationality and the distinction between a man and an animal are debatable. Man certainly has to face an obvious ‘ identity crisis’ if material knowledge is to be trusted. The idea of a soul distinguishes self from the body ! All phenomena can’t be explained by sense-perception, thinking and physical bodies. They have to be attributed to a super-natural phenomena , ‘ the soul’. If the self is to be distinct from the body it could be in the form of the soul. The power of self-movement, sensation and thought as according to the judgment of Rene Descartes are foreign to the nature of body. These conclusions are based on Descartes philosophical experiments with himself using the faculty of his mind. He uses his mind to probe the co-relation between subjectivity, objectivity and their distinctness from body. This method has been Descartes most powerful tool and which makes him unique in the family of modern philosophers. The awakening during sleep is an experiment. Descartes argues that when asleep he has perceived through senses many things he can’t perceive through senses while awake. These are once again Descartes experiments with himself. Descartes is careful nough to recollect his thoughts and experiences for the object of philosophical study. ‘Thinking’ is separate from ‘being’. Descartes uses his imagination to conclude that he might exist separate from his body as a source of ‘thinking’. In his legendary famous statement he once declared , â€Å" I think therefore I am. â€Å" Human mind and judgment are prone to error . Hence the truth has to be away from the Human mind and body. Descartes reached a conclusion that there does exist a God. God is perfect in his judgment because his mind is infinite. This is obviously not true with human beings. Hence their judgment is subject to errors and faults. There is also a philosophical method of reaching the Truth by elimination of errors. Considering the belief that their does exist a Universal Truth away from the limitations of the human body it is reasonable concluding that we are distinct from our bodies. The existence of God is an irrefutable evidence ! Thesis that there does exist a God strengthens the concept of distinction of self from the body. It would be contradictory associating God to a body; God, Descartes assumed is infinite. Also, the idea of life after death in the form of soul which is the belief of literally every religious heology strengthens the belief that we are distinct from our body. Rene Descartes experimented with the mind ! Descartes claims in ‘ The Fourth Meditation’ that he has trained his mind to separate from his senses and dwell only in the intellect. The result were observations and conclusions that he was totally separate from matter. Descartes uses his ability at philosophical meditations, the popular method of study and research by a philosopher. The Human Will Descartes concludes extends beyond the bodies. With the human will, many philosophers believe it is possible to meditate and separate the consciousness rom the body. Modern Science refutes distinction of body from mind thesis. Descartes himself was once a scientist before he took to philosophical pursuits. A scientist, for example a Doctor would immediately rubbish the claims of the separation of self from the body citing encyclopedias of scientific evidence. Carl Jung’s Experiment nulls the idea of a soul. This famous Psychologist conducted an experiment and concluded that there is no soul ! The distinction between self and body is not recognized by modern psychology books. Philosophical methods might be fallacious. Philosophers employ methods based n speculations and subjectivity. These might be inaccurate and also subject to a difference of opinion even amongst philosophers. Whereas science is based on empirical experiments which no one can challenge once accepted and established. There is a self – concept in the science of Psychology. The self concept has an aura of mysticism associated with it. No one can see, feel or touch the self concept. It is reduced to ‘I’ and ‘me ‘ from the common sense point of view by nearly all domains of knowledge. Popularly the psychologists associate the self concept , the I – Self, with the ndividual and his states of mind – Conscious, subconscious and the unconscious. Body- Ego concept can be an evidence of self and body singularity. The genesis of mental structure advocated by Hartmann, Kris and Loewenstein advocate an ego state known as the Body Ego. They suggest with impressive arguments that the ego and the id should be conceived the result of an undifferentiated state. Conclusion : The embodied self – concept generates a tension. The stream of consciousness can be believed to be located within the boundaries of a creature. The self ( its memories, eliefs and traits ) might not located within the boundaries of the creature. Our intuition equates ourselves with our consciousness. A point to be noted is that there is a dualism not only between mind and body but also between consciousness and mind ! The ancient scholarly philosophical debate ‘ Self is distinct from the body ’ is a challenging interdisciplinary study. However, the philosophy student is best equipped to handle it. The debate seems to have no end. That is what makes a debate an interesting academic field of study. Philosophers and philosophy students have to be cautious that in their xuberance they do not unwittingly clash with scientific evidence or infringe with cherished religious and theological beliefs. The society punished Galileo because he was ahead in time than the people. The times have changed remarkably. These days society is more tolerant to new ideas. Even blasphemy against Jesus doesn’t shock the West anymore. Recent headlines of a popular newspaper says that the church has forgiven Beatles for claiming they were more popular than Jesus. Philosophers and philosophy students can play a timely role in all ages. The clear message is that they need not ostracize themselves from the society.

Comparative Academic Review The WritePass Journal

Comparative Academic Review Introduction Comparative Academic Review IntroductionReference list: Related Introduction The aspects of psychiatric treatment of patients have been widely discussed in the academic literature on the subject in the last several decades. In two separate studies, Christina Katsakou et el. (2010) and Jelena Jankovic et. al (2011) trace the practical implications of treatment satisfaction and caregivers’ experiences respectively. Both studies cover specific aspects of psychiatric treatment in the UK. The first study focuses on the coercion and treatment satisfaction among patients, who have been admitted for psychiatric treatment involuntarily. The research, conducted in 2010, reveals the impact of coercion on the satisfaction of treatment among patients, as well as the psychological aspects of coercion. The study has been conducted as an observation in 22 hospitals in England, where a total of 778 patients were recruited (Katsakou et. al, 2010). Their satisfaction with the treatment they received has been measured at different stages: one week, one month, three months and one year after the admission. In order to measure the levels of satisfaction, the authors have used factors such as clinical improvement and clinical characteristics. The results from this study were obtained using standard statistical analysis, and indicated an increase in the satisfaction among involuntarily admitted patients between their first admission and the different follow ups. The second study, conduc ted in 2011, focuses on the experiences of family caregivers during involuntary hospital admissions of their relatives. It is a qualitative study, which used as a research method semi-structured interviews, conducted with 29 caregivers whose relatives have been admitted involuntary in 12 hospitals across England (Jankovic et.al., 2011). Throughout the study, major themes have been identified, such as relief and conflicting emotions, frustration with the delay of getting help, etc. The results of the second survey have concluded that the role of the family caregivers can be enhanced if their duties are valued enough, without turning into a burden. The purpose of this brief academic review is to critically compare both studies, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses and possible contributions to the literature on the subject. Both studies provide valuable insight on the subject of treatment of patients with mental illnesses, and reveal the interactive nature of the clinical process as a dynamic interaction between different elements – institutions, caregivers, and patients. Both studies manage to reveal the intricacy of the connection, which exists between coercion and satisfaction in the first case, and family caregivers as active elements in the process of involuntary admission in the second case. The first study uses a quantitative research method and statistical analysis, based on an observational study. The study has been conducted in 22 hospitals in England. The advantage of the choice of this method for the purposes of study is its accuracy and straightforwardness. Results obtained through observation are easier to analyse, and presented in a comprehensible and consistent manner. In terms of the design of the research, the use of timeline base is a feasible option, which meets the research aims of the study and unfolds different aspects of satisfaction among patients. The fact that the patients have been examined at three different periods following their first admission provides the researchers with the possibility to explore how satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) develops gradually. This is an important feature of the research design deployed, because here satisfaction is discussed in relation to memory and emotions, which change over time. This changeability has been ca ptured with the choice of the design. Also, it is a good way to operationalize and thus measure the main variable – patients’ satisfaction. Despite the fact that the operationalization of satisfaction was enhanced through the use of specific research design, the study could have also benefited from a bigger emphasis on open interviews, conducted with a certain (perhaps smaller) portion of the patients. This is because interviews allow for more abstract and personal issues to be uncovered in the research and these are issues which are usually unquantifiable and difficult to detect in observational studies and semi-structured interviews. As far as data collection is concerned, the authors of the first study have used two different models, designed to measure satisfaction   one concentrating on potential base lines predictions combining satisfaction scores from all time points (baselines, one month and three months) and another one concentrating on the results from the follow ups only. The data was analysed using a three step model, and applying standard linear statistical analysis (Katskakou et.al, 2010:287-288). This comprehensive choice of methods and models for data collection has enhanced linear results, which allow readers to obtain an extensive view of satisfaction not only as an isolated variable, but also as a process, which is happening over time. However, one of the weaknesses of this study in the methodological part is the sampling. The researchers have attempted to obtain a representative sample, covering hospitals from different geographic areas and patients of different ethnic and social backgrounds. Little, if anything is mentioned however on how the eligibility of the patients has been identified (eligibility criteria). Another weakness in the methodology part is related to the decreasing number of patients interviewed at the baseline, the first month and the third month and one year. For the baseline, the patients are 778, and for the one year follow up their number has decreased almost in double – 396 (Katskakou et.al., 2010: 289).   This might pose some problems related with the generalizability of the results obtained and the consistency of observations. Although it would be a formidable task to keep the number of patients at each point exactly the same, at least proximity in the numbers of interviewees could have been targeted. Another possible weakness of the study is related with the lack of causality between coercion and satisfaction. In other words, the study does not necessarily reveal a cause-effect relationship between the two, because coercion in this ob servation has been explored as an individual projection. However, this can also be looked at as an advantage, because a cause-effect relationship between two abstract concepts can oversimplify their existence in a particular setting. To compare, the second study uses a very different methodology. It is a qualitative study, and the variables measured here are even more abstract compared to the first study. The psychological aspects of personal experiences relating to care are difficult to capture and quantify, and this is important to mention in the methodological review of the second study. In terms of choice of methods, the authors have used semi-structured interviews, conducted among family caregivers of 29 patients admitted involuntary against 12 hospitals in England (Jankovic et.al., 2011: 1). Compared to the first study, here the sample is much smaller. It is arguable whether such a small sample can provide results, which are generalizable. Perhaps the authors have decided to choose smaller number of participants in order to observe the matter more closely. Here it is important to note that the issue of carers’ experiences is sensitive and often a stressful one. Therefore a smaller sample would give t he chance to conduct more detailed interviews, and thus capturing nuances of the matter, which remain unexamined in studies involving larger samples, due to time constraints. Another problem with the sample, just like in the first study, is its ability to represent the population. A closer look at the participant’s characteristics in the second study reveals that in more than 50 percent of the cases, the relationship of the carer to the patient is â€Å"parent† (Jankovic et.al., 2011: 3). This fact could have influenced the results, since parents tend to be much more concerned for their children. They are concerned first as patients, and then as carers therefore a more representative selection of the carers could have taken place (for example equal number of carers who are patients, partners, siblings or children). Yet, the study manages to make good use of thematic analysis, clustering answers of the patients and identifying four important themes – relief and conflicting emotions in response to the admission, frustration with the delay in getting help, being given the burden of care by services and difficulties with confidentiality (Jankovic et.al, 2011:3-4). Just like the first study, the methodology is well-implemented in terms of coding. In the second study, two independent researchers have been selected to code the interviews, and the results have been finalized through a joint discussion (Jankovic et.al, 2011:3). In both studies, the methods chosen have met the research criteria, and have been meticulously implemented to produce comprehensive and well-themed results. Also, the proposed hypotheses have been well tested. Here it is important to note that both studies tackle issues, which are not easily quantifiable or measurable. The first study concentrates on satisfaction among patients which have been involuntary admitted for treatment, while the other one focuses on an even more sensitive and abstract issue, related with personal experiences among family caregivers in the cases when patients have been admitted for treatment. Therefore the authors of both studies have made significant effort in the planning of the research, its design and implementation in order to make the themes of their research measurable. As a result both studies have managed to create consistent results. The first makes coercion and satisfaction measurable, with the implementation of a 0 to 5 scale of coercion and inco rporating the results in a separate model. Critics would suggest that the method implemented in the first study is too rigid for the investigation of issues, which are deeply psychological and reflect the personal perceptions of patients on the way they have been treated. Although the study could have benefited from a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, its reliance on quantitative techniques only does not affect the overall validity of the results. Perhaps one of the biggest strengths of this study is that through the interpretation of the results, the authors manage to reveal the connection between patients’ satisfaction and coercion as an individual perception. As already mentioned, the second study relies solely on a qualitative technique. They authors capture the nuances in the experiences of the caregivers, and interpret the results closely adhering to the themes, identified by them during the data analysis stage. Both studies deal with aspects of psychiatric treatment, which are challenging due to their specificity. Therefore they both make significant contribution to the literature and theory on the subject. The first study sheds light upon the complexity of coercion as an individual perception, and its results resonate with those obtained in earlier studies (Lidz et.al, 1998; Sorgard, 2004). Observing coercion as an individual perception, projected by patients as a result of hospital surroundings and treatment, shows a major transition in clinical psychology, and a shift towards a more constructive approach for understanding patients’ reactions. In this sense, this study can be classified as a constructivist study, because it measures how perceptions are formed and exemplified by particular patients in particular environments. It deviates from earlier studies on the subject, like the ones conducted by Svensson et al. (1994) and Spenseley (1980), which observe patients’ satisfa ction with treatment in their entirely empirical dimensions, ignoring individual projections. Similarly, the findings and conclusions from the second study (Jankovic et.al, 2011) resonate with conclusions from previous research on the subject (Simson et. al, 2002; Jones et.al, 2009). Therefore this study belongs to a particular body of literature in clinical psychology, which explores the psychological and social impact on families of care for people with mental disorders. Both studies contribute to their relative subjects, and might have important implications in terms of policy reform in health care services for people with mental illnesses in the UK. Recommendations for policy-makers in this sector, stemming from Jankovic’s study include an improved service, which would ensure that carers obtain proper assistance and cooperation from hospitals prior to the admission of mentally unwell relatives. This would have positive implications to the quality of treatment of mentally unwell patients, by enhancing cooperation between carers and institutions, which would inevitably lead to a better distribution of responsibilities. Katsakou’s study might have policy implications as well, because it reveals the necessity for interventions, which would reduce patients’ perceived coercion. In conclusion, both studies discussed in this review present specific aspects of treatment of mentally unwell patients. Despite some weaknesses in sampling, and some minor limitations, both studies make significant contributions in their relative fields, and offer new, and well-supported angles of interpretation on the themes they cover. Both studies make good use of research methods, despite the differences in the number of participants for the first and the second study. Some issues related to generalizability of the results have arisen, such as the decreasing number of observed patients in the first study and the small sample in the second study. Still, the data analysis and the interpretation of the results obtained have been meticulously carried out and well situated in the context of existing literature. In addition, both studies might serve as a basis for policy-reform in the UK healthcare system, ultimately leading to improvement of the latter. In sum, the studies present coh esive and well-researched conclusions and can be a useful reading for students and professionals, occupied in the field of Clinical Psychiatry, Health Services and Public Policy.   Reference list: Jankovic J, Yeeles K, Katsakou C, Amos T, Morriss R, Rose D, Nichol P, McCabe R, Priebe S (2011) ‘Family caregivers experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions of their relatives a qualitative study’, PLoS ONE 6(10): e25425. Jones IR, Nilufar A, Catty J, McLaren S, Rose D, Wykes T, et al. (2009) Illness careers and continuity of care in mental health services: A qualitative study of service users and carers. Soc Sci Med 69: 632–639. Katsakou C, Bowers L, Amos T, Morriss R, Rose D, Wykes T, Priebe S (2010) ‘Coercion and Treatment Satisfaction Among Involuntary Patients’, Psychiatric Services 61: 286-292 Lidz C, Mulvey EP, Hoge SK (1998)   et al: Factual sources of psychiatric patients’ perceptions of coercion in the hospital admission process. American Journal of Psychiatry 155:1254–1260 Simpson EL, House AO (2002) Involving users in the delivery and evaluation of mental health services: systematic review. BMJ 325: 1265–1268 Sorgaard K (2004): Patients’ perception of coercion in acute psychiatric wards: an intervention study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 58:299–304 Spensley J, Edwards DW, White E (1980): Patient satisfaction and involuntary treatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 50:725–729 Svensson B, Hansson L (1994) : Patient satisfaction with inpatient psychiatric care. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 90:379–384

University of Illinois at Springfield Admissions Data

University of Illinois at Springfield Admissions Data University of Illinois at Springfield Description: The University of Illinois at Springfield is a public, four-year institution located near Lake Springfield on the southern edge of Springfield, Illinois. St. Louis, Missouri, is about 90 miles to the south. A medium sized university, UIS has about 5,000 students, a student/faculty ratio of 12 to 1, and an average class size of 15. U.S. News World Reports Americas Best Colleges 2013 ranked UIS second among public Regional Universities in the Midwest Region, and the university takes pride in being large enough to offer a broad range of academic fields, but small enough to provide students with personalized attention. UIS is part of the University of Illinois system along with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago. UIS offers a wide range of graduate and undergraduate majors, and the most popular fields span the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and professional fields. The university also offers online courses, with some undergra duate and graduate degrees offered entirely online. UIS has more than 85 student clubs and organizations on campus, as well as a range of intramural sports. For intercollegiate athletics, the UIS Prairie Stars compete in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference. The university fields six mens and eight womens intercollegiate sports.   Admissions Data (2016): University of Illinois - Springfield Acceptance Rate: 65%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 423  / 598SAT Math: 463  / 548SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 20 / 26ACT English: 20 / 27ACT Math: 18 / 26ACT Writing: - / -What these ACT numbers mean Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 5,428 (2,959 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 49% Male / 51% Female65% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $11,413  (in-state); $20,938 (out-of-state)Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,600Other Expenses: $2,700Total Cost: $24,913  (in-state); $34,438 (out-of-state) University of Illinois at Springfield Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 95%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 92%Loans: 55%Average Amount of AidGrants: $12,449Loans: $5,449 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business Administration, Communication, Computer Science, English, Psychology, Social Work Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 73%4-Year Graduation Rate: 37%6-Year Graduation Rate: 50% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Basketball, BaseballWomens Sports:  Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Golf Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like UIS, You May Like These Schools as Well: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Illinois at Chicago:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphIllinois State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphEastern Illinois University:  Profile  Southern Illinois University-Carbondale:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBradley University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDePaul University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNorthern Illinois University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphLoyola University Chicago:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of Illinois at Springfield Mission Statement: complete mission statement can be found at  uis.edu/strategicplan/plan/sectionone/mission/ The University of Illinois at Springfield provides an intellectually rich, collaborative, and intimate learning environment for students, faculty, and staff, while serving local, regional, state, national, and international communities.

The Lapsus Calami of Principle for Principal

The Lapsus Calami of Principle for Principal The Lapsus Calami of Principle for Principal The Lapsus Calami of Principle for Principal By Maeve Maddox The third time I let the erroneous â€Å"principle parts† slip into a published post instead of the correct â€Å"principal parts,† I began to worry. Why would I continue to make this mistake even though I know perfectly well that the word spelled principle is used only as a noun and never as an adjective? Principal, on the other hand, is usually an adjective, although it may also be used as a noun: principle (noun): a fundamental truth; a rule adopted as a guide to action. The desire to help the helpless is a basic principle of morality. She lives according to the principle that it is always possible to be kind. principal (adjective): most important; highest in rank or order. Dr. Singh is the principal author of the study. It’s necessary to memorize the principal parts of irregular verbs. principal (noun): a person occupying the most important position in an organization or activity. Mr. McCarthy has been named the principal in the lawsuit. Ms. Washington is the principal at Jones School. According to Sigmund Freud, when we make an error in speech (â€Å"a slip of the tongue†) or an error in writing (lapsus calami), we are being guided by â€Å"a subdued wish, conflict, or train of thought guided by the ego and the rules of correct behavior.† Cognitive psychologists, on the other hand, say that such slips can be caused by mere inattention or lack of knowledge. Knowing that my errors with principal/principle weren’t the result of lack of knowledge or inattention (I proof these posts at least six times before submitting them), I read further. I think I’ve found my answer in this explanation quoted in the Wikipedia article â€Å"Freudian Slip†: [these errors may be caused by] the existence of some locally appropriate response pattern that is strongly primed by its prior usage, recent activation or emotional change or by the situation calling conditions. My slip with principal/principle always occurs in the context of writing about the principal parts of the verb. And what are these parts? They are: present, past, past participle, and present participle. I think my brain anticipates the -le of the word participle. That may explain why I write the term incorrectly, but why don’t I catch the error when I proofread? Tom Stafford, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Sheffield in England, says that it’s difficult to catch errors because the brain generalizes the simple components of sentences so it can focus on complex tasks, like combining sentences into ideas. We don’t catch errors because we don’t see them. Writing about typographical errors, Freud cites a case in which an article had been carefully proofed by the author and the editor-in-chief of the paper in which it was to be published; both men were satisfied that everything was correct. The printer’s reader caught the mistake that the other men missed: Our readers will bear witness to the fact that we have always acted in a  selfish  manner for the good of the community. The intended word was unselfish. Stafford suggests that one way to catch errors to which we’ve become blind is to change the font and colors of the proof copy; changing the visual form makes it easier to see details we would otherwise miss. It’s also probably a good idea to acquaint yourself with your own particular bà ªtes noires and be on the lookout for them. Things like mixing up principal and principle. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Peace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindHow to Write a Proposal

Compre and contrast education of a coach and quiet strength Essay

Compre and contrast education of a coach and quiet strength - Essay Example From the book, the author also highlighted coaching skills which mainly focused on character creation and considering the influence of God as a leader and a source of direction. The novel bases its creation of coaching skills in three main points: No excuses, No explanations Coach Dungy always wanted his players to take responsibility of all the actions they take up. In his argument this would make them great men not just great players. Taking responsibility of their actions created a perception in them to be responsible in life not just as players. In this coaching tactic, he encourages them to live by the word of Lord; the truth shall set you free (Dundy & Whitaker 114). He teaches his players to stop blaming others and from this is the only way they could be free and happy with their actions (Dundy & Whitaker 114). The Lord always gives us direction if we just have enough faith Dungy recognizes the influence and importance of God throughout his life and he wanted to replicate this success by enlightening his players on the importance of believing in the grace of God (Dungy & Whitaker 40). When he was sacked as the coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he viewed this as a direction God has planned for him (Dungy & Whitaker 40). ... In Quiet Strength leadership tactics are also connected to those bearing characteristics of being able to retain a good relationship with God as well as people in the community. Dungy does not view his leadership and coaching responsibility for not only being able to win trophies and league games by the views his post as one supposed to be helpful to the society(Dungy & Whitaker 8). He practices social responsibility by ensuring he addresses issue in the community and enabling community members realize their importance in life. For instance, after the death of his son he realized the community had a deficiency in empowering its young population (Dungy & Whitaker 8). He empowered young people and enabled them to face life challenges in a more responsible way. He also enables parents who face the same challenges as him in regards to loosing a son face the situation in a more positive way (Dungy & Whitaker 8). â€Å"The education of a coach† David Halberstam was also an exception al coach and leader as his influence in the NFL remain significant to date in regards of his success story and relationship with his players. The coach however, focused more on building tactics based on the game rather than focusing on creation of great personality of his players. He believed that success in the game would replicate success in every other aspect of life. Since he was a child, he had the passion to be football sportsman and help from his father made this dream a reality (Halberstam 50). He grew up analyzing the game and analyzing the tactics from each and every game he watched. In most cases he was referred to s the chalk man, this was in regard to his tactful prowess and his drawing and writing character when he explained to his players what they had to do (Halberstam 40).

Teacher and Student Mindsets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teacher and Student Mindsets - Essay Example since I had more knowledge about the African people and their culture since my parents and I had made several trips to Africa thus I was more phased about this topic and found it more interesting to share my knowledge with the rest of the students. However, I also encountered my negative experience a certain time when we were learning some mathematical concepts. It was quite disheartening since the rest of the class had some prior knowledge concerning the topic, and I was the only one who was struggling to comprehend but in vain. It was a discouraging moment since I felt inferior before my classmates for having little knowledge of the concepts that we were being taught since I would not comprehend them with ease (Cash, 2011). Given the experiences that I have undergone in life in pursuit of education I will be keen to create an enabling environment that will encourage students to learn freely without fear or ridicule. This will be implemented through the establishment of a free system of learning whereby no students is discouraged or made to feel inferior to the rest. All students will be motivated to participate in the learning process freely irrespective of the weaknesses that some will possess. This will encourage a spirit where everyone is appreciated and the input of every student counts whether it is relevant or not just to encourage the weak students to feel path of the group and to prevent them from feeling inferior. Some students may tend to feel more intellectually superior that the rest and develop a tendency of bullying the rest knowledge wise. I will initiate a system that enhances equality among the students which will be aimed at levelling the ground for each and every student to ensure no one feels intimidated by the rest in terms of the level of knowledge or the skills they possess (Ricci,

Scientific method of colors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific method of colors - Essay Example It is interesting to know that the human mind is closely associated to colors. In fact colors have an effect on human behavior as well which is termed as color psychology. Colors have negative effects Studies have confirmed that certain color such as red is highly distractive and arousal in nature and can cause avoidance behavior is people whereas people tend to feel drowsy and sleepy when associated with the color blue (Jalil et al, 2012, p59). It is not only the emotional mind which is affected by colors but color also affect ones memory as well. Studies have shown that both consistency of colors and the right color combination helps in enhancing memory (Dzulkifli and Mustafar, 2013, p.3) Color is also associated with the mood of a person. An angry person would show more preference to colors such as orange or red while a calm person would prefer blue or green. Thus color coding for products or advertisements is often used by marketing strategists to allure consumers. Procedia-Social and Behavorial sciences, 2012,35:54-62. Retrieved from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877042812003746/1-s2.0-S1877042812003746-main.pdf?_tid=3b696f3e-582e-11e4-8f22-00000aacb35e&acdnat=1413791811_90d18bbb7bf2382abfcd1578c3788340 on 19 October,

Starwood Part Five Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starwood Part Five - Research Paper Example Using bed linens and terrycloth as the commodity on study, the paper looks at some of the procedures that will be required to procure only the best of the bed linen and terrycloth, citing cases where it is possible to change the suppliers dealing with a particular commodity or product. This paper furthermore explores Starwood evaluation method of the suppliers’ performance in relation to contract metrics that the company will use against the suppliers. Starwood- Supply Strategy Starwood is a multinational company with operations in North America and the Caribbean. It mainly concentrates its businesses in the hospitality industry with many hotels in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. With such a huge presence in the hospitality industry, it presents a huge challenge especially when handling issues of procurement as all operations have to be coordinated. The procurement gets more challenging when it comes to the supply chain section as the process is continuous with th e suppliers providing goods and services to the company. The president of strategic sourcing will mostly be the one in charge of ensuring everything runs smoothly when it comes to procurement. Some factors that might trigger the supply chain includes when sections of Starwood’s hotels might need to change products and get new ones , when the contracts with the suppliers expire and in some cases when the group in charge of the hotel designs come up with new ideas that need to be implemented. Cases where a specific hotel or resort requiring local contract will also call for the involvement of the supply chain department. According to Wieland and Wallenburg (2011), the supply chain is a very intricate and dynamic supply and demand channel. Usually supply chain is made up of various systems of business, people, expertise and machinery, information and also funds for the purpose of transferring a product or service from one party that provides it that is the supplier to another th at needs it- the customer. During the supply chain, the end product delivered to the customer can vary from the raw natural resources and materials to machinery. Sourcing Strategy of Starwood When a product needs to be sourced to the hotel, it will have gone into consideration from the specification effected by factors like the customers, maintenance and even the chefs in the hotels restaurant or the housekeeping department in the hotel. If the said product or service is not available or does not exist, it implies that the sourcing will be done from both the domestic and international suppliers. In cases where the product is available then, only the renewal of the contract with the supplier will be viable but in some cases a new supplier might be procured for the supply (Anna 2006). A paper or electronic form will be sent to the potential suppliers requesting information of their services or products and the price quote and all the responses received by Starwood will be kept in a da tabase to help in vetting the suppliers in future too. Thereafter, only the suppliers matching the company’s minimum requirement will be shortlisted. However this will not be necessarily based on the finance of the shortlisted company. Other factors will be considered like quality of the product and service, the area of operation, and also the legalities of the supplying

Gender Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender Paper - Essay Example Other differences can also occur in their attitudes and behaviors, as formed in their interactive settings and perceived psychologically; these however vary even among each gender. Much has been elaborated on the similarities and differences of the males and females in their sexual response during an arousal, biological functioning of the body, and the physical, structural formation of the sex. Keywords: Gender, Sex, Reproductive System, Male, Female, Electoral Tissues, Hyperventilation, Sexual Response, Sperms, Muscular, Blood Vessels, Sex Flux, Erection Introduction Humans have special abilities, which are determined by numerous factors right from birth, to development, till they form their own identities as mature people. When each person is born, the first features that define their physical identity are their sexual organs, which depict as to whether one is male or female. From that point, humans are brought up and socialized in particular ways that instill certain characters an d model their behavior. Based on the sexuality and gender aspects, humans experience various situations, either differently or similarly to their opposite sexes. These factors can be realized by examining the broad range of both sexes’ behaviors, physical responses, and attitudes. Peoples sexuality and gender behaviors can therefore be studied, and allow people to know what to expect when dealing with the different genders and their reactions. However, some of the similarities and differences put across in the social setting remain to be a stereotype, because no evidence can prove their claims. Physical Structures Males have different physical sexual organs from the females. Based on the biological sex, which addresses the sexual and reproductive anatomy, males have external sexual organs (penis and testicles), while the females virginas are internally connected to the inner body of their lower abdomen. According to Sloan, external features on the male are the penis and the s crotum, while the clitoris and labia are for the females (2002). The differences in the reproductive system also occur from female ovulation and males’ ability to provide sperms. Females have the capacity to hold pregnancy after fertilization of ovum in the uterus, which lacks among the males. With age, as the human females develop, their mammary glands enlarge, and produce breast milk to feed the child when born. Unlike males, females receive monthly cycles (menstruation), where the lining of the uterus is shed and expelled from the body when a fertilized egg, fails to be implanted into the uterus (â€Å"The female,† n.d). Basically, the female reproductive system allows male penetration through the vagina to release the sperms, female production of the ova, and development of the fetus. On the general body formation, males have distinct features from the females. Although both have breasts, the males lack the capacity to function like for the females. Similarly, the male genitals have a single function in reproduction, which is to release the sperms; this makes females the only child bearers. According to Heidi, men have more body hair (especially on their chests), are considered to be taller on average, muscular, and heavier (more on the upper body) than the females, which makes them

Small Scales Industries in Developing Nations Essay

Small Scales Industries in Developing Nations - Essay Example The United States, and many other countries developed so far, have explored all channels in ensuring that their nations depends solely not on foreign goods entirely, but created many avenues for since many years have developed in all sector of the economy and thus have less dependence on other nation in terms of importing large items, but their Industries of different calibers were put into rapid development. This nation's that developed in terms of Industrialization have begun since many years through establishing Small Scales Industries, and thereafter the transformed these Industries to modern and highly advanced ones with modern innovations and technicalities. These positive approached they attached to Small Scales Industries has made their nations economically advanced indeed. Japan is yet another country which in many years back was among countries that were having Small Scales Industries. However, in recent years, the country has achieved very significantly toward the transformations of its Industrial sector from Small Scales, to developed industrialized nation. But what is the historical concept of Small Scale Industri... Why for many years Small Scale Industries in developing nations could not yield positive results What are their constraints Why Small Scale Industries in developing nations instead of having being increasing in numbers but always reducing in numbers as a result of closures Who is to blame, the government of these countries, experts, or elites How the problems facing Small Scale Industries in developing nations can be solved And how can these Industries be transformed to developed ones These and other questions will be answered in this research. Methodology: This will include a collection of theories, concepts and ideas on how the Small Scale Industries are established in developing nations, with compares with those in developed nations. These include scholarly written in books, articles, journals and many other related field which can bring out the authentic facts on the subject matter. Most of the research materials will be found in search machine, where books, journals, interviews, articles and features can also be found. ABOUT SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY IN DEVELOPING NATION Definition: (Sarbajeet K. Sen) "A small-scale industry has been defined as those units that have investment in plant and machinery of up to" (Sarbajeet K. Sen) "Under the medium-scale sector would enable the Government and other authorities to work out definite plans for funding and promoting the industries falling under the category and nurturing them to grow into stronger and larger entities in the long run". "Developing Country Entrepreneurs need small scale industries to drive their development. The USA, the greatest industrial nation in the world, began its development with horse power, water power and low tech equipment, often made within the

Gender Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender Paper - Essay Example Other differences can also occur in their attitudes and behaviors, as formed in their interactive settings and perceived psychologically; these however vary even among each gender. Much has been elaborated on the similarities and differences of the males and females in their sexual response during an arousal, biological functioning of the body, and the physical, structural formation of the sex. Keywords: Gender, Sex, Reproductive System, Male, Female, Electoral Tissues, Hyperventilation, Sexual Response, Sperms, Muscular, Blood Vessels, Sex Flux, Erection Introduction Humans have special abilities, which are determined by numerous factors right from birth, to development, till they form their own identities as mature people. When each person is born, the first features that define their physical identity are their sexual organs, which depict as to whether one is male or female. From that point, humans are brought up and socialized in particular ways that instill certain characters an d model their behavior. Based on the sexuality and gender aspects, humans experience various situations, either differently or similarly to their opposite sexes. These factors can be realized by examining the broad range of both sexes’ behaviors, physical responses, and attitudes. Peoples sexuality and gender behaviors can therefore be studied, and allow people to know what to expect when dealing with the different genders and their reactions. However, some of the similarities and differences put across in the social setting remain to be a stereotype, because no evidence can prove their claims. Physical Structures Males have different physical sexual organs from the females. Based on the biological sex, which addresses the sexual and reproductive anatomy, males have external sexual organs (penis and testicles), while the females virginas are internally connected to the inner body of their lower abdomen. According to Sloan, external features on the male are the penis and the s crotum, while the clitoris and labia are for the females (2002). The differences in the reproductive system also occur from female ovulation and males’ ability to provide sperms. Females have the capacity to hold pregnancy after fertilization of ovum in the uterus, which lacks among the males. With age, as the human females develop, their mammary glands enlarge, and produce breast milk to feed the child when born. Unlike males, females receive monthly cycles (menstruation), where the lining of the uterus is shed and expelled from the body when a fertilized egg, fails to be implanted into the uterus (â€Å"The female,† n.d). Basically, the female reproductive system allows male penetration through the vagina to release the sperms, female production of the ova, and development of the fetus. On the general body formation, males have distinct features from the females. Although both have breasts, the males lack the capacity to function like for the females. Similarly, the male genitals have a single function in reproduction, which is to release the sperms; this makes females the only child bearers. According to Heidi, men have more body hair (especially on their chests), are considered to be taller on average, muscular, and heavier (more on the upper body) than the females, which makes them