Ib Business Steeple Analysis –

Every country has its own legislations however in the course of achieving their aims and objectives, businesses face challenges from both within and outside of their organizations. Those internal and external opportunities and risks will effect a firm’s gradual performance, therefore to analyze these factors and understand them to carry out effective decisions we use something called the STEEPLE analysis. STEEPLE analyses and examines the context in which the authority operates.Identifies key issues that exists (or are emerging) in the internal and external environment, by suggests how these will or may impact on the future strategy and resources. The factors are identified in these 7 areas: Social: Factors that include cultural aspects and include health consciousness that represents opportunities and threats to a business. They include aspects like income distribution, demographics, labor/social mobility, poverty levels e. t. c. For example Multiculturalism has led to a majo r boom in the trade of exports from different cultural backgrounds.Starbucks is known as a respectable employer and a business that values the workforce. They were even mentioned in the ‘Fortune Top 100 companies to work for’ in 2005. Technology: The efficiency of spending on technological advancements that may benefit or become a problem to the company. For example the new technological advancements can hinder the development of the business because of the high costs that are put into advancing the technology can interfere with the performance of the business.Hong Kong consumers are mostly capable in using computer based platforms because of highly technologically savvy population the consumers tend to look at the factor of convenience to their advantage. Therefore Starbucks has an opportunity to start a platform that will essentially provide to this need of consuming the wide public. Economic: The economic state of where the business operates is defined by inflation, unemployment, economic growth and international trade.Not only are there these four variables that determines the state of the economy but the consumer and business confidence level also determines the state of the economy that they are operating in. For example the actions of rival firms can alter performances of businesses. Hong Kong has faced a considerable flow of traffic involving tourist and travelers present in Hong Kong. A lot of mainlanders and travelers from neighboring regions have started swarming in Hong Kong due to the opening of Disneyland in 2002.The large rise of the number of consumers available in Hong Kong, whom are mostly very well off have therefore raise the consumer confidence overall. External environment: The factors that may effect any business activity and issues that should be addressed in any business strategy carried out. They include business strategies like the potential cost and benefits of a joint venture, marketing planning (like threats from othe r rival businesses), business propositions (whether to further expand the business internationally or not). Starbucks company has the opportunity to expand its global operations.Starbucks has already created branches located all globally. There are just as many Starbucks available in Hong Kong have opened over 60 new shops by the end of 2005. New markets for coffee such as India and the around the Pacific rims are beginning to emerge. Political: Government legislations like employment law, consumer protection rights, copyrights and trademark and regulations used as boundaries for the business to operate within. For example the Hong Kong government’s minimum wage policy that sets a boundary for all businesses to operate within.As Hong Kong (HKSAR) has been under the rule of mainland China for several years after the handover by the British government. Nevertheless it has business friendly laws in the land. These liberties allow Starbuck Coffee Company to be capable of operatin g internationally in Hong Kong. However it has to follow the general legislations and regulations imposed by the HK government. Legal: The government imposes various rules and regulations to ensure the protection of the general public from the negative aspects of businesses. These legislations are normally to protect consumers, competing firms, employees, the social environment e. . c. Ethics: The moral principle that should be considered during decision making in a business. For example, what is the right thing to do and what is the wrong thing to do. Minimum wage is morally right because there are people that work for the least amount of wage possible where you can not even afford a meal for a day. For those that are in need, minimum wage is morally right. Starbucks as an organization has strong ethical view and an ethical mission statement with strong ethical values as follows, ‘Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facts of our businessâ€℠¢.

Compare the characters and beliefs of Lenin and Stalin Essay

1: Compare the characters and beliefs of Lenin and Stalin. Both Lenin and Stalin had similar characters, they were very ambitious in terms of politician as they always aimed to achive more and more, they would do everything whatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s in their power to be much more powerful than they were already, this power would give them pore strengh within their posts. This ambition could be determined. Along their lives they had always someone hanging around them to take advantage of any possible opportunity to get nearer and nearer of becoming their most dilligent and efficient workers. Lenin and Stalin had colleagues and followers rather than friends. A clear example which justifies this fact is that Stalin itself was always beside Lenin in order to become his successor. We can argue that both of them gave entirely to politics no matter for what they were fighting for, if it was beneficial or not to Russia, but at the same time it is to say that if someone who suggested their capability or qualities as a leader they would have serious problems. Overall they were both very humourless. Evidence which proves my idea is that almost everyone did whay ever they wanted them to do, their supporters were committed to do what both Lenin and Stalin told them to do, if they didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t obey their orders they could be involved in serious problems with them. Not only they could be punished severely but they also used the terror, especially Stalin. No one could even disagree with them, everyone had to demonstrate that they were doing the correct things at all times. They stopped others to express themselves and their personal opinions. Generally people who opposed them were arrested, and perhaps send to prison. Lenin and Stalin, have demonstrated that they were intolerant, evident information to support this fact is the stubborn mind they were constructed of, and all was to be done immediately and whenever they wished to, not only they were possed by an intolerant character they were also very ruthless, especially Stalin who changed radically and became a ruthless politician. Despite the fact that Stalin reveal and developed much more this à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ quality,à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ we can prove this statement as reliable information due to their ruthless methods and terror to stay in power. However they did not lack ability or at least thatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s what they showed us. One of the key points which allowed them to stay in power apart from having clear ideas since they were the leaders was their excellent leadership qualities. The strong leadership helped the Soviet Union to win the Second world War. Despite all these similarities they obviously had clear differences. Stalin showed to be personally ambitious, whereas Lenin didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t reach up to that extend, Lenin was modest and not personally ambitious. Stalin was both. Evidence which proves that Stalin was in fact too ambitious, is when he aimed to have the entire control over everything and everyone, he wanted to control peopleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s minds. The power was one thing with which Stalin gave his most to achieve it. We can also spot out, Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s rudeness, I can back up this information from the fact that Stalin in a state of anger had the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ bravenessà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of insulting Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s wife, or at least thatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s what Lenin said. Although Lenin could also insult someone in a state of anger he had demonstrated to be a little less rude. Lenin was regarded as having excellent qualities as a speaker. Stalin sometimes showed to obey this quality, but at the same time he was not an intellectual or an inspiring speaker such as Lenin. The difference is that Lenin did reflect this quality fully, he showed more co-ordination. A nother difference to add to this list is that Lenin proved to be a very good speaker, evidence for this is when he made that speech demanding for various conditions, later it became known as the April Theses. Lenin argued that there should be a second revolution ( socialist revolution ), but obviously determined. Stalin lacked of patience, loyalty, politness and he wasnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t consirate towards anyone except himself, although Lenin did obey some of this points he wasnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t rude and demonstrated in various ways that he had some manners, or at least he didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t go insulting other peopleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s wifes and he also was a loyal man. As part of Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s character we may say that he was a modest man, although Stalin didinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t lack this à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½qualityà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ he was in less proportions a modest man. It was Stalin more than Lenin who had organised and expanded the Communist Party so that it could rule this empire. The result was a cruel distatorship which moulded the careers of all the future leaders of the Soviet Union. In terms of beliefs, this section could divide in two parts. In first place the common beliefs they had and in second place in what they disagreed. The similarities these two figures had were in first place the use of terror that Stalin and Lenin employed as a political weapon in different circumstances: Lenin resorted to terror when the Bolshevik regime was fighting for survival, but at the same time of Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s purges there was no major internal thereat to the regime. Both of them believed in Communism, Socialism and in Revolution. Evidence which proves this believe of revolution was when for example Lenin argued that there should be a second revolution due to that demanding speech he made, known as the April Theses. Stalin and Lenin seemed to have not much confident in the Russians because thay unbelieved that the russians could build a Communist State in the USSR without the help of the people from outside. Another clear similarity between Lenin and Stalin is that they only believed in themselfs, they didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t put up with oppositon and refused to work with the people. Generally, they knew how to support opposition.Adding to this that they were prepared to see people die in order to stay in power, I can back up this information from the fact that Stalin introduced the collectivisation policy, without taking in account what people thought about this idea. The differences these two figures had were: At all time Lenin showed that his actions and principles were the principles of the people, totally different from Stalin who in most times showed that he only aimed to obtain his own benefits. I can back up this information from the fact that he had no consideration at the time of introducing the collectivisation policy which ended with thousands of peopleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s lives, and this was not all, he knew from the start that many peasants opposed the idea, but he didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t care. Another clear difference is that Lenin was committed to one-party rule, but, unlike Stalin, he did not ( and did not seek to ) exercise a personal dictatorship. Lenin had good political judgement, whereas Stalin couldnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t see much further from his ambitious aim of becoming more powerful without caring about the Russians, he did everything which was in his power to meet his proposals. Lenin had ideals which he never fully abandned, Stalin could change his mind very quickly. Lenin strongly believed that the revolutionaries had to be rock hard. Lenin believed strongly in the NEP, whereas Stalin only said to outmanoevre his opponents. Afterwards, Stalin later abandoned the NEP. 2: Assess the impact that Lenin had on Russia and the Russian people. For the Russian people we must say that Lenin took the right path when he decided to introduce the NEP. He introduced the NEP in order to improve the economic situation in Russia. Otherwise the Communists would not be able to survive. Lenin said that the NEP would give the Soviet Union a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ breathing spaceà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ to get back on his feet. The Nepmen set up restaurants and made enormous amounts of money. The majority realised that these measures were needed to revive industry and get more food production, therefore the shortages of food would be temporaly stopped until they would recover completely, so food would be no more rationed. The NEP brought: Grain requisitioning was stopped and no longer would grain be taken from the peasants by force, which was excellent. Information which proves the grain increase is that in 1913 the cattle production was os 58.9 millions and in 1925 it was recordered of 62.1 millions, taking in account that in 1922 it was of 45.8 million. From 1925 the Kulaks could hire people to work for them. Also, private trde and traders were allowed (NEP men.)Lenin called the heavy industry and transport the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½commanding heights of the economyà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. Businessmen could take advantage of the situation because they could set up small, privetely own factories and workshops. Furtheremore, a new currency was introduced backed by gold. The NEP lasted until 1928 and Russia generally became more prosperous. Undoubtedly the NEP played a big role in improving the general economic situation. Living conditions in Russia had enormously improved in the past two years. Evidenci which proves the success of the Nep because it was estimated that upward of 250,000 private traders have migrated to Moscow since the NEP was introduced. The NEP leaded to an increase of harvests and food production, foreign trade did also see an increase. In general the workers were happier because bonuses and wages increase therefore they were becoming richer. reduced inflation and working conditons were better off. Due to the NEP the relationship between the government and the peasants improved. Adding to this the improvement in transport because it was helped by the import of a thousand locomotives from Sweden and Germany. The population in general felt more prosperous. Another positive aspect Lenin did during his rule was the Labour Law he introduced. This entitled eight-hour day this meant that workers had much more freedon in concentrating in their personal lives and they were able to spent more time with their families. Workers could have two weeks paid holiday each year. They also had insurance benefits such as sich pay, unemployment was also paid in order to allow workers continue feeding their respectives families, furthermore there was old age pensions. This Law did in fact benefit all the workers who some of them saw this as a motivation, and all carried out their taks efficiently and obediently. Without this Law workers would have had to suffer much more than some of them did,before this Law was introduced workers had a lot of economic problems and many workers and their respectives families died because they had no money to pay for food. This Law was a firmly evidence that demonstrated that Lenin did also thought about the workers future. Despite all these good things Lenin did also brought pain for the Russian people. Action which proves this information is the War Communism which later lead to the Civil War. The real question is why? Lenin was to run the government and to organise food and industrial production in the Red – area. It was mainly introduced because it was crucial to keep the Red Army supplied, so to keep this, Lenin adopted the policy of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½War Communism.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ We could consider a few aspects of War Communism. In first place, all factories with more tham ten workers were nationalised – government controlled it, furtheremore the Vesenkha decided what each industry produced. The government imposed his authority and had all the workres under his control. In factories there was military discipline including the death penalty for strikers. Another important aspect is that the unemployed people joined the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Labour Armies.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Peasants had to give their surplus food to the government and they could not sell a profit, and private trading was banned. The government allowed money to lose its value through inflation, abolished rents, railway fares, postal charges and many other payments. It is to say that the peopleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s response was quite negative. Inside the Communist Party, a group called the Workerà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s Opposition called for the trade unions to be given back the freedom they had lost under War Communism. The sailors who had always been the stongest supporters of the revolution, so their discontent with the Communists rule that they put forward a series of demands. War Communism lead to: Civil War. The 30 May 1918,the Communists found themselves under attack. They only controlled a small part of Russia and their enemies were determined that they should not remain in power for long. This was the beginning of a vicious civil war which was to tear Russia apart. The struggle was between the Reds (Bolsheviks or Communists)and the Whites(opponents of the Bolsheviks – nobles, democrats, Mensheviks and Socialist.) The reds only aim was to stay in power so that they could build the new Socialist Society. Th whites aim was to defeat the Bolsheviks. The Whites had the advantage of support from foreign powers suh as Britain, France, Japan and the USA, along with several other countries. Their governments did not want to see Bolshevism spread out in Europe. By the end of 1918 the Civil War was not going well for the Reds, they suffered a series of defeats.It was in the middle of 1919 that the real test came, by this time the Reds began to succeed. 1919 was decisive. Despite the fact that the Reds were not going well since the Civil War started they won it. Partly because they controlled Moscow, Petrograd and other major industrial cities. People saw them as defending Russiaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s national interest against the foreign powers which were supporting the Whites AND the Whites ha no single leader nor a set unified aims other than the defeat of the Bolsheviks. In general both sides were in guilty of atrocities. With both War Communism and the Civil War,brought loads of pain to the Russians. War Communism lead to many major problems. In the towns Lenin put in his own managers, and strict discipline was imposed on the workers. Trade Unions were not allowed, and workers were prevented from leaving the cities. Furtheremore, food was rationed and people could only get a ration card if they were working. The only other possible way of getting food was through the illegal Black Market.In the countryside there was adesperate need of getting food for the workers, since the peasants were unwilling to sell their grain for money which had no value. Many peasants decided to produce less grain, because they thought it would simply be taken away. So the situation got worse. Overall this was a shedow of thr Red terror. People opposing the government were arrested and shot withour trial or sent to labour camps. Many workers and peasants began to think that the workerà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s state was worse than the government of the Tsar which they had been so pleased to get rid of. Despite the fact that Russia had been affected with both negative and positive actions which Lenin did, we have to analyse the consequences (bad and good) Lenin provoked to Russia. In first place, I will analyse the bad things he brought for Russia. War Communism lead to a disatrous results. By 1921, the economy of Russia was in ruins. In dustrial production had fallen disastrously under War Communism. The cities were in chaos. Adding to this that agirculture also collapsed. Grain requestioning had led to low harvests which at the same time led to famine. Evidence which proves that industrial output felled was that in 1913 there was 29 millions of tons of coal and by 1921 it had fallen to 9 million tons or even electicity which by 1913 there was 2039 million kWH and by 1921 therewas just 520 million kWH. Even more a massive international aid corporation was mounted. Lenin had promised to end the War. And he did. But at what cost? Yes, Lenin got his peace but his poor judgement and obsession with ending the War lead to a very harsh treaty, the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s theory was to obtain peace at any price, this was an idea which Lenin took too far. Lenin sent Trotsky to meet the Germans to negotiate a peace treaty. Trotsky walked out of the talks because the Germans demanded too much territory. He said there would be à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½no peace, no war.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ However,Lenin sent him back, because he was sure that the Bolsheviks would stay in power only if the war could be ended quickly. The result was a harsh Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918.Lenin would do everuthing whatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s in his power to achieve his proposals. Russia suffered a lot since the treaty was signed because due to this treaty Russia lost: 62 million people, which meant one-sixth of the population,which at the same time meant a loss in general production which would then lead to famine. Russia also lost 27% of farm land, some of the best in Russia. It also meant a 26% of railways and a 74% of iron ore and coal. This treaty only brought more pain to the russian country, so thins went even worse. This reflects Lenin political ambition to aim more amd more in order to meet his proposals. Things went so wrong that Lenin now had the sailors who had been their supporters at all times were now going against them. This was mainly because Lenin established a dictatorship therefore the sailors were now opposing them. They said that à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½life under the yoke of the Communists dictatorship has become more terrible than death.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ As we all know the Red Kronatadters had been strong supporters of the Bolsheviks during the 1917 Revolution. By 1921 things changed, these were not the same men. After anlaysing the negative side that Lenin adopted towards the country, we have to say the positive aspects he toook in order to make Russia a developed country in all terms. We have to say that the NEP was one thing he did correctly. With the NEP Russia generally became more prosperous, the NEP played a very important role in improving the general economic situation. Apart from all the industrial, agricultural benefits this lead to, one of the main important things was electrification. Electrification was one step forward. Lenin was enthusiastic with the idea of technological innovation and saw electric power as the key to modernising the Soviet Union. He gave a great network of power station which would provide the power for modern large-scale industry. Lenin believed electric power would change things so much that he said that.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Soviet power plus electrification equals Communism.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Another very important aspect of the NEP was the foreign trade, the NEP encouraged foreign countries, which had refused to trade with Soviet Russia before 1921. Western countries hoped that the move back to private trade and profit – capitalism – meant the failure of Communists ideas. An Anglo – Soviet trade agreement in 1921 marked the beginning of increased trade with the West which gave a great boost to the Soviet economy. There were exchanges of Western industrial goods for the Russians oil and similar products. Thse were some examples which back up the idea that the NEP had been successful. Lenin demonstrated with the April Theses that he would sopport the Bolsheviks for ever. Lenin changed the whole course of the revolution. The Germans were pleased to see him, hoping that he could cause trouble for the Russian government. They gave him money and put him in a special sealed train which the destinaton was Petrograd. The Germans were right. Lenin did cause a stir and he did make trouble. The first thing Lenin did when he arrived was a speech demanding four main issues. He said that there should be no co – operation with the Provisional Government. Lenin demanded that war should be ended immediately. Furtheremore the land should be given to the peasants, and the final point, Lenin had been clear enough to understand his demands, that the Soviets should take power. These points in Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s speech were later written up as the April Theses, in which Lenin argued there should be a second revolution. Lenin died in January 1924, aged 53. Lenin had been in poor health since an assasination attempt in 1918. In 1922 Lenin suffered the first of a series of strokes and from that time onwards it was clear that he was dying. He could work but his role became less and less influential. After Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s death, a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Lenincultà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ developed in Soviet Russia. His image was everywhere, in statues, plaques and posters. Petrograd was renamed Leningrad in his honour. Some loyal Communists in the 1920à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s even christened their newborn daughters à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Ninelà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½- Lenin spelt backwards. Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s body was not buried but was put on a display in a specially built MAUSOLEUM. The à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Lenin cultà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ survived for as long as Soviet Russia itself. Later in the 1940à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s a biography of Lenin called him à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½the greatest genious of all times and of all nations, master of all the treasures of human knowledge.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ This acts revealed the complete love and admiration the Russians felt towards him. Despite all the bad things he did he was considered as a superior human being. 3: Assess the impact that Stalin had on Russia and the Russian people. For the country, Stalin introduced the collectivisation policy, which was a great disater. Agriculture was still backwars. Most farms were small, because of the way land had been shared out after the Revolution. The idea was that they worked together and share everything, including what the farm produced. Some of the produce would be sold to the state at a lowprice and , in return, the state would provide agricultural machinery such as tractors, and help the peasants to farm more efficiently. Most of the peasants opposed the ideas because thay werenà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t sure of having enough bread to eat. With they other system they were sure that they wonà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t starve because they kept all what they prodUced and they didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t had to share with anyone. Peasants like the feeling of independance. Knowing all this Stalin didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t even bother to analyse the situation before taking a decision. He knew from the strart that many peasants oppose the idea of collectivisation, but he didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t care. The evidence that shows this error are the disastrous results. Factories were making very few goods for sale in the shops. Things were expensive an had to be rationed. There was a lot of discontent within the Russian inhabitants. Furtheremore there was a strict code of labour discipline and tough punishments. Central planning was not very efficient, some of the goods produced were almost unusable because they had been turned out so quickly by untrained workers. In general collectivisation was a huge mistake. In order to prove that Stalin was too selfish and ambtitious, it is to say that he used force, terror and persuassion to achieve his proposals. One sign of terror were the purges, the omly aim of this purges was to get rid of all the people who might oppose him, particularly the Bolsheviks who had been important in the past. Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s method was to accuse them for the murders of the people, such as Kirivà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s deathe who Stalin accused Kamenev and Ziniviev. Afterwards they were put on a trial, in view of the world, which were called the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½show trials,à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½which were broadcast on radio. Getting confessions was imporatant. Confessions showed that the state and Stalin were right – a conspiracy did exist. Denouncing was a good way of accusing people. Denounciations usually led to arrest nd torture. Under torture, people often made confessions implicating others, who would then be arrested in their return. Once more the purges were a symbol of Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s cruelty and evilness with what he was characterised. This symbol represents the panic and terror he introduced in the russians and that he would obtain the whole control of eveything and everyone no matter at what cost, or who had to die in response. Stalin was prepared to see people die. The purges tooj away thousands of deaths. Evenmore, Stalin got rid of some of the Soviet Unionà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s best brains, such as Bukharin, who Stalin considered as a threat. He also got rid of the best thinkers, writers, artists who could have produced brilliant work in many fields. If all these deaths wouldnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t have been carried out, probably Russia hadnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t had to confront so many problems. We can know focus on the some of the positive things Stalin gave Russia. First of all, Stalin managed to turn Russia into a powerful nation, modern industrial in 30 years. Despite all the problems there had been with the collectivisation policy, Stalin was able to recover Russia from economic, industrial and agricultural dilemmas. Stalin also gave Russia some hopes, with the industrial policy. Stalin ended the NEP and began a series of Five Year Plans. These plans were highly ambitious. Since the aim was to make Russia powerful, the Plans concentrated on heavy industry, like in iron and steel, hydroelectricity and coal – mining. The second Plan was to develop transport. Thousands of dirty traks were turned into metaled rocks. New waterawys and airports, these airports allowed to travel the length and Breadth of the country. This second Plan gave industry top priority. It is to mention that communications became important to link cities and industrial centres. The third Plan ran 3 years, when Russia entered the Second World War,at the same time ended with the German invasion in 1941. Stalin reintroduced single managers to run the state enterprises and factories. The ides of work was left behind. Managers which did well were highly rewarded. Magnitogorsk built in the Urals and Western Siberis, were rich in minerals. To encourage people, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Stakhanovitesà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ gave honours and extra rations. This policy of industrialisation saved Russia in the Second World War. For the Russians we have also to analyse both negative and positive things Stalin brought. In terms of bad points, he introduced the terror and fear within the Russiaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s inhabitants. One way of making the russians suffer was through the workers therefore their respective families would also suffer their problems. Stalin kept wages low, and were usually used as incentives. Wages were usually paid according to how much was produced. Skilled workers could get up four times the wages of their unskilled comrades, which was an unfair thing to do. Stain also punished the workers. Not all people responded to propaganda campaigns, and measures were introduced to deal with slackers. The fear of being accused of sabotage and sent to labour camps encouraged workers to carry out their tasks obediently. There was also a strict code of discipline with tough punishments such as absenteeism. Another important aspect to consider was the idea Stalin had in case that things werenà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t wrong, he would in return blame the workers.The labour camps knwn as Gulags, were at the centre of Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s programme of terror. People feared being sent to them almost as much as being shot. Few survived the harsh conditions there which meant distroyed families. The conditions were severe in extreme. The Gulags took the peasants accused of being kulaks or who resisted collectivisation and the workers accused of sabotage and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½wrecking,à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ which was common by those days. These people were often used as forced labour to clear ground for industrial towns or for big projects. Things werenà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t so wrong that after the purges began, the labour camps were filled up with political prisioners. There were also womanà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s and childrenà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s camps. Education laws one problem the Russians had to suffer. Education was strictly controlled. Old forms of discipline and examinations had been abolished. This created unruly, poorly educated puplis. One way it had been reflected Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s importance was through education. As history was particularly important, as the 1930à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s went on, it was rewritten to suit Stalin. Whatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s more significant is the simple issue that Stalin had a book. Due to the strict control some of the childrens remaind unskilled and without too much knowledge, thismeant that in a future those children would find it dificult to find a job. Employment was a very important matter, and if you were unemplyed you would hardly find one which suited to their ability. In the positive aspects there was two main issues, the industrial policy and the living standards began to rise. The government put a lot of resources into building and health service. This favoured the peole and even les people were left without shelter. Housing was not a problem any more, and in general the population was happy of having somewhere to live. The industrial policy was what Russia needed to recover well from the collectivisation policy. This was in general a great success and brought hopes within the Russians. Weà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve also got to spot out that there were advances in medicine, which meant that heakth care was being supervised in detail and therefore the death rate decreased due to those advances, which also led to a general happiness so it was a good way of keeping people healthy. A field in which Stalin seemed a bit interested was in the leisure activity. Sport and fitness were encouraged to improve the general health of men and women. Trade unions and collective farms played a big role in providing clubs,sports facilities, film shows, festivals and general entertainment. If we sum all these aspects we may see that ,although, Stalin didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t worry about the Russian, we must admit that he showed to be worried about them, and introduced many leisure innovations, this would keep the Russians happy, and for a while they wouldnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t protest. Coming from Stalin this was a great success and improvement. 4: Who do you think was the more important figure in Russian history, Lenin or Stalin? Explain your answer. Before judging who had the better impact, if that means the most important, we have to make an overall view and see who gave Russia the best facilities and needs and who caused the less impact for both Russia and the Russian people. I canà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t make a precise overview of who was the most important because I didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t lived in those days, and I think that you can never make a judgement of a person reliying your opinion in some information. The information we have nowadays about these two figures isnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t enogh to determine who was the most important of the two, but having the information we have previously seen, I will try to create a fair judgement of both Lenin and Stalin. So we canà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t be at all harsh at the time of analysing each of them. We only have to be a bit realistic and give your sincere opinion of both of them, and come to a fair conclusion with the information provided. In a way we have enough information of who and what things they separat ely did wrong along their lives, as politicians and leaders of Russia. If more important means who had the better impact, it is to say that both Lenin and Stalin were prepared to see millions of Russians suffer and die for their ideals. Basing my opinion on the facts, the information provides, we can come to the conclusion that Stalin was a violent man and his policy of solving problems was through terror, fear and violence. If the suspicions of the people who thought that Stalin was the intellectual murderer of the people who opposed him, and sometimes the direct murderer, is true, I would personally think that Stalin had a twisted mind. In terms of good things, I think that both Lenin and Stalin did more or less the same for their country, although, the industrial policy of Stalin had been one of the most important issue. Historians have given different interpretations of Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s rule of Russia between 1917 and 1924. Often, these are connected with the political views of the historians. Soviet and Marxists historians have praised Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s achievements as the founder of the Soviet state; for them, he could do no wrong. Historians in the West have mixed views. Some have seen him as a tyrant who seized power for his own ends and inflicted terrible suffering on th Russian people. A clear evidence that may show to who did the Russians adore and appreciate most, is just the one issue that after Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s death Petrograd was remaned Leningrad. So, despite the fact that Lenin also did things wrong, the people had demonstrated the opposite thing. Whereas the historians only have one opinion of Stalin, they believe he carried with the work of Lenin, and that he took things further. I personally think that Lenin brought more hopes to the Russians but at the same time they were very close together of doing the same things, it was balanced. Or if the most important means the who had the negative impact, I seriously think that they were very similar in a way. But when we look and compare these two figures I have to say that Stalin got rid of opponents and some of the bests brains at the time, such as Bukharin, who was a clear opponent of Stalin. In the negative side of Stalin it reflects that he used more violent methods. If we look at the negative side of Lenin, it shows that he did also used terror and fear policies in order to meet their proposals. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Every ingredient of what has become known as Stalinism save one – murdering fellow Communists – he (Stalin) had learned from Lenin, and that includes the two actions for which he is most severely condemned: Collectivisation and mass terror. Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s megalomania†¦ and his other odious personal qualities should not obscure the fact that his ideology and modus operandi were Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. A man of meagre education, he had no other source of ideas.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Leninà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s theoretical views on the role of the Communist Party opened the way to Stalinism. The views in question arose out of Marxà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s assumption that between the overthrow of Capitalism by the revolution and the emergence of a socialist society, there would have to be a transitional period characterised by the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½dictatorship of the proletariat.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Lenin adapted Marxà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s teaching, and said that during this transitional period, dictatorial power would not be exercised by the proletariat as such but rather by an elite or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½vanguardà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ party – the Bolshevik – acting on behalf of the proletariat. Lenin not only preached violence, but as Soviet Russiaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s head of government practised it as well – in its most extreme forms. Colleagues who were squeamish about the use of terror were mocked. Lenin, argues Pipes, set a personal example of cruelty, and thus bears responsability for the culture of brutality which grew up within the Communist ranks. He points out that the machinery of repression used by Stalin in the 1930s – the secret police, concentration camps and so on – had been put into place by Lenin before 1924. He dismisses the claim of Khrushchev and others that circumstances left Lenin with no alternative but to adopt repressive methods, pointing out, among other things, that the Cheka was formed before, not after, the emergence of organised opposition to the Bolsheviks. Lenin, he maintains, created an apparatus of terror not because he was forced to, but because he was a totalitarian dictator who believed that the Communist Party had the right à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½to subject to itself all the organised life without exception.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Generally both of them were more or less the same. Overall Lenin caused a major impact in Russia because he changed from Capitalism to Socialism, which was a very big change. I donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t think that Stalin was the one who impact in a greater proportions Russiaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life because he basically harmed a lot more the image of Russia, and was hated much more than Lenin. So I can conclude this assigment by saying that although Lenin caused the major impact, in my opinion, Stalin did also contribute in leaving the country of Russia in one contry marked by the events and cicumstances this leadership left behind, adding to this the unsolving problems both Lenin and Stalin left behind after they finished with such a big responsability. STALIN:MAN OR MONSTER? 1: Study sources A, B and C. Do these sources give a similar or different impressions of Stalin? Explain your answer. Source A gives the real image of what Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s results had been due to his policies. This source reflects how ambitious and cruel Stalin had reached to be, in order to achieve his proposed aims. Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s main aim was to have control of everyone and everything, no matter how many lives heà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ sacrified if the final result was beneficial for him. This source is a clear example of what Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s feelings were after his policies had finished.My impression is that Stalin was proud of what he had achieved, he was a man who didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t mind what problems he had caused to Russia with his policies. Stalin brought to the Russian people a lot of disaster as aconsequence of his unconsciencious thoughts and his selfishness. This source shows Stalin as evil, cruel and like a murderer proud of what he has done, so therefore a monster. Stalin is shown as an arrogant man really proud of his masterpiece and what he had achieved so far. Stalin killed millions of people and he considers it a wonder compared with the pyramid of Egypt. I also deduce from this source that he had blood thirsty and that heà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s evilness and cruelty didinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t let him see what was really happening in Russia. It also reflects that he doesnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t feel guilty for all those deaths, who in many cases could have been avoided if Stalin had opened his eyes. Evidence which proves this cruelty with what Stalin was characterised, with the purges he intriduced in 1934. I think that Source A as we may see, shows Stalinà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s policies of terror. The two methods Stalin used to encourage people to do what he wanted were the force and persuassion. Sources B and and C are what we call false propaganda. 2: Study source D Does this source provide any useful information about Stalin? Explain your answer.

Nature Strongly Influences Early Human Development Essay

Since biology was determined as a science there have always been argues about the question of whether nature or nurture influence is more important to early human development. Early human development includes the period between conceiving the fetus and till the first steps of infancy. Each arguing side has many supporting arguments and evidences, which bring a new â€Å"fuel† to this ever-burning flame. Although nurture’s influence on the newborns could not be underestimated, nature’s influence is stronger and more important to the early human development because of genes and some inevitable processes in development. As it is known, at the moment of conception a remarkable amount of personal characteristics are already determined by the genes. They decide sex, the color of eyes and human characteristics. These genetic determinants are expressed in development through the process of maturation. This evidence shows the role of nature is much higher than the role of nurture. Despite this view, many still consider nurture to be more influential to early human development due to conditions in uterine environment. However, such an argument could not deny the fact that early human development innately determined sequences of growth and change that a relatively independent on environmental events. The process of human’s fetus development within the mother’s body is strictly fixed by genetically programmed time schedule, and fetal behavior, such as kicking, also follows an orderly sequences that depends on the stage of growth. The process of maturation is also fixed by this schedule. One of the best examples of inevitability of these processes in development is disappearance of the reflexive head-turning response to the direction of the source of sound. The temporary disappearance of this reflex probably represents a maturational transition from a reflexive response controlled by sub cortical areas of the brain to a voluntary attempt to locate the sound source. (Hiller, Hewitt & Morrongiello, 1992; Ashmead et al. , 1991; Field, 1987). By four months, infants will reach the correct direction toward the source of sound in the dark; by six months, they show a marked increase in their responsiveness to sounds that accompanied by interesting sights and are able to pinpoint the location of sound more precisely, an ability that continues to improve into their second year (Hiller, Hewitt & Morrongiello, 1992; Ashmead et al., 1991; Field, 1987). Opponents argue that this genetically programmed schedule is depends on environmental influence and nurture. Study carried out by McGraw indicates that practice or extra stimulation can accelerate the appearance of motor behaviors to some extent, especially in a stepping reflex. However, this five-seven weeks difference on start of walking between stimulated and does not stimulated newborns just highlights the inevitability of development processes. In conclusion, it should be evident that the arguments which was given to support that nurture is more strongly influences early human development is not valid. On the contrary, many people involved to studying this issue say that genes contribute to strengthen of nature’s influence on early human development by inevitability of natural processes. Furthermore, extra stimulation is not so significantly important for development because the children may develop without it. Therefore, Nature strongly influences early human development than nurture.

Identify and discuss one emerging ethical issue in health care Essay

Identify and discuss one emerging ethical issue in health care - Essay Example Thus they have the chance to clear all their doubts in regard to the complete procedure of treatment. In case of developing countries in particular, it has been observed that obtaining this informed consent is difficult. This is primarily because the forms for consent are mostly prepared for the benefits of researchers and their sponsors. Thus the patient or the families are not always allowed to know clearly about the disease or the procedure of the treatment that would be followed. Illiteracy is also a major reason that hinders such understanding. Often, use of different languages creates problems and the subject does not understand the process of informed consent, nor understands the treatment methods (Igoumenidis & Zyga, 2011, p.247). From the above study it may be concluded that informed consent is one of the major ethical concerns in healthcare and needs to be given sincere concern particularly in developing countries where individuals lack knowledge and understanding of medical factors. Igoumenidis, M. & S. Zyga (2011) Healthcare Research in Developing Countries: Ethical Issues, Health Science Journal, 5(4), pp.243-250, Retrieved on February 23, 2013 from:

History and Background of Fluoride Varnish Article

History and Background of Fluoride Varnish - Article Example One common factor in the data gathered is the sample population which is composed mostly children on the basis of the fact that the application of fluoride-containing products or treatment can be considered effective in the said age group. Fluoride varnish is a substance most specifically referred to as lacquer that is composed of 5% sodium fluoride that combined in a colophony or resin base which is used and applied on teeth to provide an immediate need for fluoride on the tooth surface. Compared to other fluoride-containing products the said substance is more effective but is needed to be applied by professionals (Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors Fluorides Committee, 2007). There are different issues that can be considered essentially related to the application and use of fluoride varnishes such as the components, the mechanism of action and the efficacy of the use. These concepts can be considered associated with the objective of the review undertaken which is the presentation of the history and background of the use of fluoride varnish. To be able to present the use of fluoride varnish in the dental field, an assimilation of empirical studies of the different functions from the onset of application and recognition of the treatment is included. This is to be able to view the inquiry specifically regarding the efficacy and effect of the application of fluoride varnish in the dental field. The applications of fluoride varnish for different ages with varying dental problems and ailments are included in the review undertaken. Included in the said dental problems being targeted by the application of fluoride varnish are caries, demineralization etc. One of the recognized uses of fluoride is presented in the study regarding the application of fluoride varnish as a public health measure against caries.

Research report assisting a client in a career choice Essay

Research report assisting a client in a career choice - Essay Example Even though the job market is promising for both accountants and real estate agents the ability, taste and preference of the candidates are the factors that determine the job that should be provided to them. Only then right persons can be placed on right job. In this report at first the various factors that are to be considered before selecting the job are studied in detail on the countries perspective. After that an analysis of the interview conducted with the you is done to help us determine which job suits you the most. Human Resource Management or HRM is playing a prominent role in the modern economy for taking an appropriate organizational or personal decision in a most significant manner. As far as an organization is taken in to consideration, human resources or the people belonging to an entity are the most valued asset. Personal management is quiet important, because the selection of right person for the right job is necessary to accomplish the goals and perform the work in a better manner. In this particular report, it is necessary to take a most appropriate decision about the career selection in the present scenario. At present, due to the modernization and change in values and living style, the standard of living of the society or people got changed a lot. As a result of which, the level of education also got improved. As far as an individual is taken in to consideration, employment is one of the key concepts in the present scenario. Identification of proper career choice is a key concept during the life time of humans. For the selection of a best suited career, requires a combination of knowledge, skill, experience, interests, and resources. Proper and effective utilization of theoretical knowledge and skills in to practical life is essential in this regard. In case of humans, it is important to set personal goals, which will accomplish during the life time through the proper career selection. While making recommendations about the better career selection, it is necessary to taken in to consideration certain areas like nature of the work, salary, working conditions, qualification, experience and Personality. All these factors can be studied in detail on the country's perspective at first. Nature of work: Nature of the work is the core factor that is to be considered at first. Nature of the work refers to the activity or work the employee should do when he is placed on a job. This is what an employee considers at first. While considering the post of accountant it can be seen that the accountant is left with the job of maintaining the day book and preparing the final accounts. But nowadays the scope of the job has been extended towards analyzing the financial data too. Real estate agents are those who act as middle man between the customer and real estate broker. The nature of job of a real estate agent is to find persons who are in need of apartments or any other property and to make them purchase the apartments or properties from the real estate broker whom he is contracted with. In simple words his duty would be to boost up the sales of real estate broker. "Real estate agent in America helps seller by marketing their properties and selling it for the highest possible price and on the other hand helps buyer in finding a real estate according to their needs and helps them in purchasing a property for the lowest possible price" (US Real

Sources for the Design of the Taj Mahal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sources for the Design of the Taj Mahal - Essay Example The Emperor and his court mourned Mumtaz Mahal for two years and he decided to commemorate his beloved wife with a building that which had no equal in the world. Mumtaz Mahal was laid to rest on the banks of the Jamuna river and a council of the best architects were assembled to prepare the designs for the memorial. Some experts attribute the design to Geronimo Veronneo, an Italian in the service of the Mughal emperors. However, others credit Ustad Isa Khan Effendi, a Persian, and his pupil Ustad Ahmad who did the detailed work. Ismail Khan designed the famous dome. It took 22 years to build the more than 20-storey edifice which required a total of 20,000 workers to finish. Craftsmen from as far as Turkey were engaged to contribute their talents. Precious stones were imported from foreign lands. The marble was quarried at Makrana, close to Jodhpur. A ramp stretching two miles was built to reach the level of the dome. According to local lore, Shah Jahan ordered the right hand of the chief mason to be cut off upon the building's completion so that his work cannot be recreated. Another legend relates that the Shah wanted to build another Taj across the river, this one made entirely of black marble. The symmetrically designed Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform and is surrounded by four minarets. Built during the height of the Mughal empire with its unparalleled riches, the best materials and adornments were utilized to furnish and decorate the Taj Mahal. There were rich Persian carpets, gold lamps and candlesticks. Beautiful mosaic works and precious stones were also used to decorate the building's interior. Two great silver doors were said to have been melted down by Suraj Mal in 1764. A sheet of pearls covering Mumtaz Mahal's sarcophagus was carried away by Amir Hussein Ali Khan in 1720. The surroundings of the Taj Mahal have been restored in accordance with the original designs of Ali Mardan, a nobleman in Shah Jahan's court. A red sandstone channel set between two rows of cypress trees dominates the main vista. The main entrance is located at the west side of the building but there are two other entrances from the west and east. The main gateway is a sandstone structure standing three storeys high. It has an octagonal central chamber with smaller rooms on each side. The walls are filled with inscriptions of verses from the Quran. The white marble which was quarried from Makrana varies in its tint and tone, changing with the light at various times of the day. Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom wrote in The Art and Architecture of Islam (1994) that the edifice stands on a large garden of quadripartite chahar bagh which measures 1,900 feet by 1,000 feet. Being at the north end of the garden and along the riverbank, a large gateway at the south end provides balance to the tomb. The tomb's plan and massing is a refinement of Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The large bulbous dome of the mausoleum is more logically connected to its octagonal rooms compared to those of Humayun's tomb, and is framed by four minarets. The white marble is delicately polished and the details of its carvings are intricate that they render a carefully balanced image on the channel. The symmetrical design is further balanced by a

Economic and financial markets Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic and financial markets - Case Study Example In 1992 Starbucks became a public limited company (www.mhhe.com) through an IPO. The coffee is supplied mainly through its own and franchised coffee-shop chains as well as through supermarkets. Starbucks’ main competitors in the speciality coffee-shop business are Costa Coffee, Barista and Coffee Bean. Though its mainstay remains its coffee brewing business, Starbucks also offers other hot and cold drinks, hot and cold sandwiches, ice cream, pastries and snacks. Many people have bought its mugs and tumblers to express their appreciation for the Starbucks brand. A more recently created Starbucks Entertainment Division and its Hear Music label also offers books, music and films. Clearly Starbucks has expanded from just a coffee label to a much larger enterprise (www.starbucks.com). Comments on Starbucks’ Pricing Strategy In the given assignment, we are asked to comment on the pricing strategy of Starbucks chain. We are told that at a local Starbucks, customers are offered a variety of alternatives with the following price list: Freshly brewed coffee ?1.55 Cafe Latte ?1.99 Capuccino ?1.99 Vanilla Latte ?2.29 Caramel Machiato ?2.65 Cafe Americano ?1.70 Expresso ?1.35 Cafe Mocha ?2.25 White Cafe Mocha ?2.65 The above prices are for the ‘tall’ size of the above beverages. ... tte, Cappuccino and Cafe Americano come in the price range ?1.70 to ?1.99, and the last or uppermost tier is for its fancier offerings such as Vanilla Latte, Cafe Mocha and White Cafe Mocha, costing between ?2.25 and ?2.65 respectively. It is also possible that the people ordering these beverages form different classes of customers for Starbucks. Quite possibly the cost of making these beverages and the additional labour and ingredients that are put in have also affected the final price charged by Starbucks. So we can see that there are three tiers of prices possibly indicating low, medium and high class customer preferences. Anyway as far as a cup of coffee goes, there is not much overall variation between the lowest price of ?1.35 and the highest price of ?2.65 a cup at Starbucks- indeed it is very reasonable and such a price difference will readily be accepted by a consumer (Kotler, 1990). Product pricing theory advises us that when setting the price of a product, we should take i nto account the price elasticity of demand for a product (McConnell & Brue, 2005). However one must regard a cup of coffee as a basic necessity especially in the winter season, so its price elasticity is relatively low. Its only real substitute is tea, but even that loses favour in the winter season. For avowed coffee fanatics, no other beverage will do. Starbucks’ pricing strategy will most likely also be impacted by the price charged by its competitors, whether it is entering into a new marketplace and is willing to offer price discounts in the beginning period, or whether it wants to place itself at the higher end of the market and charge higher prices, focusing only on a select group of high end customers having purchasing power. Obviously it is aided in this by its international

Commodities Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commodities Marketing - Essay Example Commodity products such as metals, fuel, and agricultural products have a much higher risk in this regard (Damodaran 2008). This is why any manager running an agricultural business should be able to manage these risk in order to help he business to navigate all the seasons in a year without being brought done by the changing prices. Nature of risks for an agriculture business The kind of risk that an agribusiness faces is not just tied to the prices of the commodity it sells. It is also related to the price changes in the farm inputs (Damodaran 2008). If the farm inputs increase in price in a dramatically short time, the business will have to receive this shock and may not be able to sell its products at a price that will return its costs of production and give the business a profit margin. One thing that is most necessary to understand about agriculture products is that they have at least two main characteristic that expose them to the risk of price change. These are as follows; Aff ected by weather and seasons The seasonal nature of agricultural commodities is something that affects the way the products navigate through the market during the calendar year. For instance, during the time when there are too many tomatoes in the market, prices of the tomatoes will go down and this can affect the farmer because the famer (agribusiness man) may not be able to recover their cost of production. ... If the farmer is farming vegetables and fruits, the farmer can use green houses and be able to deliver the goods to the market during the time those particular goods are out of the season and thus be able to have an upper hand in demand and supply equation. There are on the other hand various issues in regard to this. To begin with, not all the agribusiness products can be cushioned from risk in this way. Secondly, even for those products which can be headed in this way, they would still need more hedging because this does not guarantee that the markets will be stable. This therefore means that the farmer may still need to hedge their business farther using more formidable means of risk management tools. Perishable goods Most agricultural goods are perishable and therefore have no long shelf life in which to wait for the products to wait for the price shock to pass. For instance, once vegetables reach their time to be harvested, they have to be harvested as soon as possible, or they will go bad. At the same time, once they are harvested, they have to be moved immediately before they expire. This leaves the farmer at a disadvantage and may make them to be vulnerable to the forces of demand and supply. Substitute products To add to the risk of the perish-ability, most of the agricultural goods have substitute products in the market and agricultural products can be replaced by so many other products. This leaves the consumers with a choice to choose the substitute product with the lowest price tag on it. From the side of the farmer, though this is not ideal because it leaves the farmer in a position where they are not able to negotiate for a better price. This makes

Recycling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Recycling - Research Paper Example An understanding of the term recycling is essential, as it is the base of our argument (Goldsmith, 2010). Recycling refers to the conversion of waste products into new materials. It is the separation, collection and subsequent transformation or manufacturing of waste products into usable products. The transformed usable products are of market value. The materials are converted into, either a secondary product or the same product. The recycled material replaces the virgin material during the usage or manufacturing process. Recycling is essential to industries and society in meeting their goals of efficient management of the limited resources, the cost reduction, and reduced landfill utilization (Donald, 2001). Therefore, recycling is the process of converting wastes or useless products into useful products for humans. The process will help reduce consumption of raw materials, reduce energy consumption, and reduce greenhouse gas emission of global warming pollution (Isayev & Khait, 2005). The process is a cycle made up of three main stages. Collecting and sorting is the first stage. Here, there is the collection, then processing and sorting of waste materials to the type for the use. The second stage is the manufacturing stage. At this stage, the collected and the sorted materials pass through manufacturing. Lastly, we have the selling or providing the recycled products to the consumers. The purchase of the materials ends the cycle (Bertolini, Delalande & Hubesch, 2009). Recycling is important in environmental protection. It helps in waste reduction and reusing of materials. The process reduces the need for extraction, refining, and the need for processing the raw materials that causes a substantial water and air pollution. An importance of such processes helps to reduce the level of pollution from the waste. For instance, it prevents the greenhouse gasses and the harmful chemicals

The Effects of the African Slave Trade Term Paper

The Effects of the African Slave Trade - Term Paper Example The slave trade did not start with the intention of selling human beings. Rather, it was a product of a vicious cycle that spiraled into its final form of trading humans. It was not certain if the Arab slave trade was the precursor to the West slave trade. Initially, the Arabs had the slave trade only as a supplement to their more lucrative commerce in Africa with Sudanese gold and other rare and exotic woods. The Arab slave trade however was not geared towards a full scale buying and selling of humans but rather only as a means to satisfy their domestic needs. The Europeans (later the Americans) found the slave trade to be profitable followed suit and made a full scale business out of it whose numbers of the slaves traded accounted to millions (historians dispute the actual numbers but they agreed that it accounted to millions). The slave trading was intensified especially when the plantations on the islands off the coast of Africa (Sao Tome, Principe, Cap Verde) were successfully e stablished. Also, when the New World (America) embarked on its plantation and mines of gold, copper, cocoa, sugar, corn, tobacco and coffee, the slave trade became a convenient source of forced labor. Suffice to say that the international trade during the 15th to 19th century was driven by the slave trade. The commodities that were traded were not only grown and attended by slaves, but the slaves themselves were also part of the commodities that were traded internationally. These centuries of trade slave, ten centuries of slave trade from the Muslim countries that spanned between ninth to ninenteenth century, four centuries of slave trade from Western countries that eclipsed the ten centuries of trade of the Muslim countries, had a widespread implication among the African countries. African countries bled from the forced raid and stripping of its human resource whose trade passed through all her possible routes from the Sahara, through the Red Sea, from the Indian Ocean ports and ac ross the Atlantic (Bokolo). â€Å"The figures, even where hotly disputed, make your head spin. Four million slaves exported via the Red Sea, another four million through the Swahili ports of the Indian Ocean, perhaps as many as nine million along the trans-Saharan caravan route, and eleven to twenty million (depending on the author) across the Atlantic Ocean† (Bokolo). The most obvious effect of slave trade among these African countries is non-development. The African countries being robbed of its able bodied human resource were not able to embark on the development of its agriculture which was a pre requisite towards industrialization (people has to eat first before they can industrialize). Instead, its human resource and best able bodied men and women were used to till the lands of their European and American counterparts and also manned the factories and mines that became the engine of growth in the Western world. While Europe and America prospered, the African source of l abor languished in poverty. The underdevelopment of African countries even lingered until today even if the slave trade already ended more than a century past. The slave trade was so prevalent that the magnitude and depth of the damage brought by the trade that literally stripped these African

Human Resources and Organizational Behavior for Health Care Leadership in Health Care Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resources and Organizational Behavior for Health Care Leadership in Health Care Management Essay There are people that need a strong leader in order to thrive in their job. There are also people that dont need a strong leader because they have the drive to be successful but may need a push every now and then. When it comes to an organization and the dynamics of it, managers be charismatic because of dealing with so many different personalities in the group. Being a charismatic leader requires self-confidence and trust in his/her subordinates. Showing trust in huge as it instills confidence in that employee and tells them they dont have to look over their shoulders. They can do their jobs freely which can lead to more production in the organization. Conflicts are a natural part of human interaction and its inevitable. Part of being a good leader is having effective conflict management skills. When conflicts arise, managers must know how to manage them so that bigger problems dont grow. There are so many aspects of being a manager and leading. Employees in the organization depend on good leadership and if that need is not met, it can lead to workplace disfunction. Keywords: Charismatic, Conflict, Leadership, Dynamics, Management When the management job is talked about, leadership often comes to mind. It takes a strong minded, organized, and determined individual to do this job. Over seeing a number of different employees can at times not be the easiest job. Leaders must be willing to accept and meet challenges that come for the betterment of patient healthcare. Not everyone can lead a group of people in an organization. It takes the type of person that has people skills as well as the knowledge of his/her job to lead effectively. Leading Creatively Usually when healthcare leaders have a question they take a rational approach until the right or wrong answer has made it up the chain of command. This approach can be effective in some cases but in healthcare thing are always changing. A regular leader loves to avoid mistakes which all mistakes are not avoidable. Someone who is creative loves to learn from mistakes as it can give them more ideas to choose from. Today, the healthcare environment is even more complex as reform and market forces transform the way healthcare is delivered and managed. Belief systems, values and attitudes are shifting. Creative thinking and agile, adaptive leadership will be required to make hospitals, health systems and networks sustainable as the healthcare delivery landscape transforms (http://www. ccl. org/leadership/landing/healthcare/index. aspx). As a leader in healthcare, managers must show their employees that they are willing to be innovative and let their ego go as group collaboration becomes the norm. By modeling this, the employees will be more willing to work together for the good of the organization and the patients. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has developed a model that health systems can use to adapt and thrive in uncertain times by creating direction, alignment and commitment. There are six essential organizational capabilities that are a prerequisite for success: Collaborative Patient Care Teams- The team will extend to include clinicians outside the hospital environment which will place a much greater emphasis on higher-order collaboration skills. Resource Stewardship- Requires individual ownership and accountability for the decisions that will ultimately allow the system to thrive and manage its resources judiciously. Talent Transformation- Leaders will need to hire and develop talented individuals who can see the next wave of plausible solutions and innovations and lead transformational change. Boundary Spanning- Leaders draw on networks and relationships as they work systemwide to meet the mission of healthcare. Capacity for Complexity, Innovation and Change- Effective leaders move populations from old established processes to new models of effectiveness and understand the underlying emotional impact of change and how it varies by individual. Employee Engagement and Well-being- Employees are most productive and committed to their organization when they are engaged emotionally, mentally and physically. (http://www. ccl. org/leadership/landing/healthcare/index. aspx). These organizational methods are the essential keys for managers to not only lead their workplace to the way of the future but also helping to lead other organizations. The collaboration aspect is key as it will require everyone to be cohesive and understanding. Power and Influence Power is a defined as having behavioral or fate control over the behavior of another. It exists only when there is an unequal relationship between two people and where one of the two is dependent upon the other (Borkowski, 2011). Power can be a trap for some managers which can lead to abusing it. When employees see and experience this happening they pull away and lose respect for that manager. This can be the downfall of an organization as it can cause employees to lose motivation, commitment, and creativity. There are five bases of social power: reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent power, and expert power. An individual is not limited to just one source of power. Reward power is the ability to give rewards, something that holds value to another individual. Coercive power is the ability to punish either by administering a punishment or by withholding something that an individual needs or wants. Legitimate power is given to an individual on the basis of a given role or position. Referent power stems from Ps affective regard for, or identification with, O. The greater the attraction, the greater the identification. Expert power exists when P awards power to O on the basis of Ps perception of Os knowledge within a given area (Borkowski, 2011). In class discussion the general consensus was managers that had the trust and respect of their employees, had the most power. A manager is an expert of the knowledge he/she has over a subordinate. When managers use that expert power in the right way, which is to teach his/her subordinates, they will feel that the manager is wanting them to expand their knowledge for their success as well as the organization. This in turn continues to build trust and deep respect for the manager. As an educator, this is modeled for us by our administration. Our superintendent and principal have both been teachers in the classroom but have since moved into the roles that they have now so they are the experts when it comes to some of the issues that come up. They attend countless meetings of changes that may happen either with our district or state so that then they can inform us. Once we have a good grasp of what is going to take place we can then inform our students. The expert power that our administration had has been passed to the teaching staff so that then we can pass that knowledge to the students. Decision Making Decision making is an everyday part of our lives whether we realize what type of decision we make or not. Sometimes we make decisions rationally and sometimes intuitively. The fact is, we want to make the right decision but that is not always going to be the case because we can never see what the outcome of that decision will be and we have to live with that. As in any decision model we use, there are pros and cons of each. In the rational decision making model it brings logic and order to decision making. This approach also can help ensure discipline and consistency. Here are the sequence of steps used to rationally develop a solution: Identifying a problem or opportunity, gathering information, analyzing the situation, developing options, evaluating options, selecting a preferred alternative, and acting on the decision. A strength of this model is that it provides structure and discipline to the decision making process. A weakness of this model is the time that is needed to go through this process (http://www. the-happy-manager. com/articles/rational-decision-making-model/). Another decision making model that is used often is intuition. Intuition can make you a much more effective decision maker, especially when you deal with non-standard situations or in expedient decision making. However there are points that need to be considered for instance, when you need to use intuition, can it be effective, and how this decision model ranks versus rational analysis (http://www. time-management-guide. com/intuition-decision-making. html). In class discussion, classmates used a few different models most notably the two mentioned above. There were a few that used both or weighed heavily on just one. I was one that used both rational and intuitive. There are times in coaching when I use the rational approach to make a decision concerning practice. For example, if I need to set up teams that are equal in talent as opposed to starting five and bench, I have to think about who matches up better with who, or what drills are going to be the most beneficial and productive on a given day. My intuitive approach is used during game situations. For example, when to utilize timeouts, when to substitute players, what play to run, or when to switch defenses. Either way, decisions ometimes dont work out the way you envision but you learn to live with it and move on. Conflict-Conflict Management Another aspect of being a leader in management is conflict and conflict management. Some situations are easier to handle than others but a manager that has effective conflict management skills can diffuse a bad situation before it gets worse. Interpersonal conflict is a natural outcome of human interaction that involves two or more individuals who believe that their attitudes, behaviors, or preferred goals are in opposition (Borkowski, 2011). This type of conflict is probably one the most common in the workplace simply because there are personal characteristics and issues, interactional difficulties and perspective and perceptive differences. As a result of the diversity of todays workplace, an extensive range of differences exists between personal and cultures. When dealing with groups of people, many interpersonal conflicts involve role confusion. If a person doesnt understand their expectations it can intensify the conflict leading to unhealthy relationships. As a result, reactions such as aggression and hostility can take place. There are many strategies we can use in conflict situations whether we use some more often than others or not. Its important that the strategy we do use is appropriate for that particular situation even if its not the strategy we habitually use (Williams, n. d. ). Some strategies we can use for conflict management are; Forcing, Accommodating, Avoiding, Compromising, and Collaborating. When forcing, the manager is using formal authority or other power that he/she possesses to satisfy their concerns without regard to the concerns of the party they are in conflict with. Accommodating is allowing the other party to satisfy their concerns while neglecting your own. Avoiding is not paying attention to the conflict and not taking any action to resolve it. Compromising or attempting to resolve a conflict by identifying a solution that is partially satisfactory to both parties, but completely satisfactory to neither. Lastly, there is collaborating or cooperating with the other party to understand their concerns and expressing your own concerns in an effort to find a mutually and completely satisfactory solution (Williams, n. . ). When leading an organization, understanding how conflict arises is helpful for anticipating situations that may become conflictual. This was something that was talked about in our class discussion. Another idea that was mentioned was that seeing all sides of a situation makes a good manager because it helps the employees develop trust. A situation that stands out to me is looking up from speaking with another student and witnessi ng a student get hit with a ball by another student. We will call the student that got hit (A) and the student that threw the ball (B). Obviously student (A) was not happy about getting hit so the first thing he does is run to confront student (B). Some pushing was done by both and then I intervened. Not seeing student (B) throw the ball just the outcome, I calmed them both down and I asked student (B) why he hit student (A) with the ball. He said he was trying to throw it to someone else but that student (A) stepped in at the wrong time and got hit so it was a just an accident. After student (A) heard the story he understood and apologized for pushing student (B) and student (B) also apologized. The strategy I used was collaborating as we all came to an understanding to what happened. Conclusion Not everyone can lead a group of people in an organization. It takes the type of person that has people skills as well as the knowledge of his/her job to lead effectively. Managers are pulled in so many different directions and they must be able to adapt. Being a leader in an organization is not easy, however being a leader period is not easy. A manager must be aware of what is happening in their organization to lead effectively. Not everyone has the same expectations but part of being a charismatic leader is showing that trust and confidence in his/her employees shows them that even though you are the manager, you trust what they are bringing something positive to the organization. Managers relationship with his/her employees is important as the day to day operations depend on the behaviors of everyone. The relationship connectedness between subordinates and managers is key to productivity in the workplace.

Juvenile Delinquency And Gangs Criminology Essay

Juvenile Delinquency And Gangs Criminology Essay A juvenile gang is an anti-social or any criminal act that is evident among children or adolescents. Juvenile delinquency is a legal term referring to how the children and adolescents behave and is viewed by the adults as a crime that needs to be judged under law (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2010). Its meaning and age limit differs in different countries, with some setting the juveniles maximum age limit to be fourteen years while others may be as high as twenty one years. In many countries, those people that fall between the ages of sixteen to twenty years are considered as adults, and it is within this age group that the high crime incidence rate is evident. Some major factors that are attributed to development of bad behaviors are psychological, social and economic factors. Juvenile crime and delinquency are serious problems in the whole world. Extend of effects depends mostly on the social, economic and cultural conditions in every country. Due to difficult times in economy of a country evident by less trade and unemployment, there has been an increase in juvenile criminality. Poor socio-economic environment that is shaped by poverty and destitution have contributed to poor social background involving violence (Gordon, 2006). The likelihood of becoming a victim of violence is much higher for gang members than it is for members of other peer groups (Gordon, 2006). Most of the criminal cases that are evident among the adults are usually based on their bad behaviors when they were young. A criminal offense that is frequently committed by the children is theft and other bad behaviors like rape and more serious property destruction is usual ly evident at later age. There are differential offending patterns among the minority (black) and the white youths. According to Charish, Sebastian Kelly (2004), the minority youths were much more likely to have prior and chronic histories for delinquency. The Africa American youths were arrested with serious violent crimes than the whites, the report also concluded. The homosexuality have led high incidence of gay and lesbian youths to attempt suicide and involvement in juvenile delinquencies that can eventually lead to self destruction. Religion is believed to exist to give people a false hope for the future and to keep people motivated during the present. According to Jensen and Rojek (2003), they stated that social order could be maintained only if people had common beliefs in something greater than themselves. In addition, religion has made people to be less involved in criminal and fully engage in their social roles and ignoring oppressions of their economic systems. One of the ways through which religion can improve societys ethical well being is through reducing crime rates. However, this statement will only be justifiable if analysts truly prove that there is significant relationship between religion and crime. The disorganization in families that can lead to emotional maladjustments plays an important role in arising of many delinquents (Gordon, 2006). In many cities adolescents usually forms a gang in which many young people are involved by acquiring these bad behaviors. After the development of juvenile court, there was an effective judgment among the youthful offenders and the adults. These systems have been campaigning for informal procedure and corrections, a duty that is assigned to psychiatric clinicians, rather than punishment. In early nineteenth century, the juvenile correction centers shave been separated from prisons. Even though these centers are not adequate, they have immensely participated in the development of rehabilitation programs, provision of vocational training and psychiatric treatment. The parole systems, foster homes, child guidance clinics and public juvenile protective agencies have played a great role in correction of delinquent and maladjusted children (Gordon , 2006). Multicultural Issues and Ethnical Implications Race or Ethnicity Various multicultural issues have become of major concern in many of the juvenile delinquencies. Race or ethnicity has proven to be of hindrance to equal justice for all in western countries especially in America. A report showing that the number of imprisoned minority youth was gradually increasing even when the number of their arrests declined clearly proves that there was no fairness in the juvenile courts, (Charish, Sebastian Kelly, 2004). The inappropriate representation of the minority youth is attributed to greater involvement of the minority youth in crime and also unequal treatment of minority youth in juvenile courts. There is an evidential great difference in the offending pattern basing on the racial and ethnic groups. The American government perceived the fact that the high number of black youths in the juvenile courts revealed their greater involvement in criminal activities. The greater involvement of the minority youth in crimes than the whites is largely contributed to their social status in the surrounding environment. There is a high degree of injustices that are evident in the authority systems. The research have shown that race and gender effects are of great significance for juveniles of which those from rich white families receives government assistance while the poor blacks faces harsher juvenile justice decisions, (Charish, Sebastian Kelly, 2004). The African American juvenile delinquents were more likely than the white youths to be detained, have their petitions filed and were less likely to be placed on probation at fist intake. The gender effects were also evident in the juvenile system process. It was shown that the females had low chances of being detained, have their petitions filed, transferred to adult courts, high chances of having their petitions filed and were more likely to be placed in custody if they were adjudicated by the juvenile courts. According to Charish, Sebastian Kelly (2004), in the American rural cities, the African American youth had greater chances of having their cases being dismissed than among the whites. The Hispanic youths had low chances to have petitions filed on their cases compared to the whites. However, if they were adjudicated they would be more preferably placed in custody than the white youths. African American and Hispanic juvenile delinquents caught with the first offence received greater preference to have their cases dismissed than the whites with their first criminal judges. Those Hispanic youths that were first time criminal offenders and had been adjudicated had high degree to be placed in custody than the whites with same offence. Homosexuality Violence against gay males and lesbians, of which many of them are young people, has emerged as a significant social problem (Gordon, 2006). Juvenile delinquency holds negative, ambivalent and defensiveness towards homosexuals. Homosexuality is perceived to be a very common moral behavior and it has been known to exist in about fifty percent of the male population. The problems of sexual abuse experienced by these people have led them to engage in violent acts in society. Some other young children runs out of their families to the streets when they are discovered as lesbians or gays and thus ending up as street robbers or gets involved in other criminal acts. Some males involved in homosexuality may go against the society bearing hatred in their hearts and these may lead to development of delinquency with the likelihood of these young people joining youth gang and be incarcerated during their adolescent age (Action Committee against Violence, 2003). It has been evident that most of the male rapes in our society take place in prison (Gordon, 2006). The existences of homophobia among the homosexuals have resulted in many problems, including high rates of suicidal behavior. A conclusion is based on the fact that, when a society imposes a sense of self-hatred to minority group, they are forced to adapt high rates of suicide, substance abuse, violence and creation of individuals characterized with difficulties in having love relationships. Homosexuals are not criminals and incarceration is not the best way to solve the problems brought by homosexuality. They should be pursued to change through the psychiatric treatment rather than imprisonment. The homosexuals are known to suffer from torture, ill-treatment and violence at the hands of fellow inmates and also prison officials (Gordon, 2006). Religion The power and influence of religion on delinquency is much more perplexing than the media or acts of community (Jensen Rojek 2003). Religion being such a controversial, sensitive issue and being viewed from different levels has proved to be difficult to understand its impacts on juvenile delinquency. But in other hand, religion is known to play an important role in influencing the behavior of people, sets values for society and correlates with delinquencies in several ways. Crime and religion have for years going through different studies that seek to explore their relationship. Religion is said to bring social order in society since people would have a common belief on something greater than themselves. Religious involvement throughout adolescents significantly lessens the risk of later adult criminality. In addition religion leads to development of empathy within the youths and this helps to prevent high risk of urban youths from delinquent behavior (Jensen Rojek 2003). Despite a ll these, it is evident that there are negative values associated with religion and crime. Religious groups have participated in violent acts in the name of their religious causes. Religious crimes such as the bombing of abortion clinics and the trashing of adult bookstores were all done in regard of strong faith, (Jensen Rojek 2003). Difference in religious backgrounds between the parent and the child can lead to argumentative issues that increase the risk of delinquencies. Socioeconomics One of the most common factors that contribute to the occurrence of delinquent behaviors among the juveniles is poverty (Jensen Rojek 2003). Those children that are brought up in poor families are likely to face more economic strain and in trying to obtain their daily needs. The juveniles in jurisdiction who are wealthier are treated less severely by juvenile justice decision makers compared to the poor juveniles. According to Gordon (2006), the studies that were carried out showed that juvenile punishment not only responds to crime, but also to specific community conditions. The development of numerous programs that are meant to lower delinquency rates have led to economic drain since most of them are established of which many do not function effectively. The more efficient programs are those established before occurrence of delinquent behaviors and aims at preventing that behavior. This means that the childrens behavior at early age is detected and any precaution can be taken. More severe antisocial outcomes are related to early adoption of eloquent behaviors. Children with low intelligent capacity who have poor performance in school face physical abuse from the parents which in turn leads to delinquent outcomes (Alina, 2009). Besides the socioeconomic status, the effects of child rearing practices play a great role in determining the childs behavior. Those children that are raised by distressed and unsupportive families had higher possibility of developing delinquent behaviors than those from supportive families. The difference in the social status between the urban and rural areas youth have resulted to varied crime rates. Crime rates in urban are higher than in rural because of the occurrence of slums, overcrowded settlements and lack of basic services. Delinquency rates are high in the more economically and technologically advanced countries (Alina, 2009). Conclusion Juvenile delinquency is a serious problem all over the world that not only affects the victim of the crime but also juvenile delinquents family, their future and society at large. Juvenile delinquency covers a wide range of violations of legal and social norms ranging from smaller to severe crimes committed by minors. Young people living in harsh situations like poverty, dysfunctional families, substance abuse and death of family members are at a risk of becoming delinquent. The occurrence of juvenile delinquency is roundly attributed to both biological and social effects. The Childs behavior is based on existence of more abstract context of socialization. The major prominent forces that are sources of delinquency are the media, community and religion. The minority youth group are highly involved in crime and receives harsher juvenile justice system treatment than white youths. Racial disparity exists in the absence of differential treatment. More studies have shown occurrence of dis crepancies in law enforcements treatment of minority group. In order to get rid of delinquent children in the society, the community should actively involve themselves in providing essential services for the well being of their children.

Traditional malaysian music

Traditional malaysian music INTRODUCTION: A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL MALAYSIAN MUSIC The history of Malaysian music needs to be viewed from the perspective of the old Malay world which covered Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia, along with parts of Thailand. Within this cultural entity, one can find numerous similarities of musical instruments and musical structures which are the result of a common cultural heritage moulded by musical elements from the West Asia, India and China In addition to the Indian and Islamic factors, Malaysian art forms have also been influenced by the countrys neighbours, particularly Indonesia and Thailand. Indonesia immigrants, especially Javanese and Bugis, along with Minangkabau, Achinese and other Sumaterans who are traditionally concentrated in the south-western part of the Malay Peninsula (ex: Johore, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor) brought with them several of the performing arts which are now considered Malaysian (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). Among them are the Javanese wayang purwa, a form of shadow play which is different from those of Kelantan and Kedah; the ketoprak, a dance drama; kuda kepang, another traditional dance; and the angklung, a musical ensemble consisting of bamboo chime instruments. In addition, the Bugis brought to Terengganu the joget gamelan from the Riau Archipelago, and also the rodat from Acheh in Sumatera via Sambas in Borneo. The Malaysian performing arts in the northern part of the Peninsula have been greatly affected by Thais cultural influences. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) In the wake of the decline of Majapahit during the course of the 14th century, the Thais started their move southwards and tried to assert their claim to over lordship of all the Malay Peninsula and forcing Malay Rulers to send ‘tribute to Ayuthia, and then later to Bangkok. Nevertheless, the rise of Malacca checked this southward expansion, and even after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511, Thai influence was successfully confined to the three northern Peninsular Malay states of Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu. The British helped in containing Thai influence to theses states as their own power and influence grew in the Peninsula. Finally in 1909 sovereignty over these four northern states (which now included Perlis) was formally handed over to the British by the Treaty of Bangkok. Nevertheless, for over 500 years these for northern states of the Peninsula Malaysia had been periodically subjected to Thai political and cultural influences. It is, therefore, not surprising to find elements of the Thai performing arts such as the Wayang Kulit Siam of Kelantan, the Wayang KulitGedek of Kedah and Perlis, and the menora dance drama within these states. ). (Terry E, Miller, Sean W 2008) The more recent major influence on the performing arts of Malaysia, was effected by the Portuguese are credited with the introduction of the violin and the guitar, while British cultural influence in Malaysia has been much more generalized. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In addition to popularizing western music, dance, and theatre, the Europeans have also directly influenced the development of semi-modern syncretic musical forms such as the asli, keroncong, ghazal and bangsawan, which combine both western and traditional musical elements. As a consequence of these influences, traditional Malaysian music exhibits multi-faceted musical styles which combine regional as well western and West Asian elements. For example, the musical styles and instruments of northern Peninsula Malaysia resemble those of the Thais, while those in the southern part of the Peninsula have incorporated Indonesian musical elements. Furthermore, all over Malaysia western musical influences are glaringly evident. Shadow puppet theatre The shadow puppet play (wayang kulit) is an ancient form of traditional theatre in Malaysia. The stories are told by a puppet master (dalang) who manipulates the puppets (called wayang) which are seen in shadows projected on a screen. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In this very old form of theatre a small ensemble plays the music to accompany the movement of puppets and events in the stories. In Malaysia there are four types of shadow puppet play, each with a specific name and distinctive style. These are Wayang Kulit Jawa (Javanese shadow puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Gedek (mixture of Thai and Malay folk styles of shadow puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Melayu (Malay court form of shadow puppet play) and Wayang Kulit Kelantan (Kelantanese shadow puppet play) The presence of foreign influences in puppets, repertoire or music does not in itself prove that the technique originates from the same source as these influences. Wayang Kulit Jawa The Wayang Kulit Jawa, Javanese influenced and originated in Indonesia and is performed today by the descendants of Javanese immigrants who settled in the southern state of Johor many decades ago. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In Malaysia, this form of shadow play still maintains the basic features of the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia, including the use of the stories, characters from the Mahabharata epic and the musical accompaniment of the Javanese Gamelan. The gamelan in this shadow play includes singers as well as xylophones, metallophones, and knobbed gongs just as in Indonesia. Malaysia maintains the basic feature of Wayang Kulit Purwa which consist the characteristic of Mahabharata epics and gamelan ensemble accompaniment. Wayang Kulit Jawa Wayang Kulit Gedek This Wayang Kulit Gedek, performed in the northern peninsular states of Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan, is called Nang Talung in Thailand. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). This type of shadow puppet play originated in Southern Thailand and features small-sized, flat leather puppets. In Malaysia Wayang Kulit Gedek is performed by Thai and Malay peoples using a mixture of Thai and Malay language or just the southern Thai dialect, depending upon the audience. The stories feature local tales and episodes from the Ramayana epic (called the Ramakien in Thailand). The style of performance, music and puppet design show a distinct mixture of southern Thai and Malay traits including the small orchestra of drums, knobbed gongs, cymbals and bowed stringed instruments. In former times the wind instrument called pi or pi Jawa (a quadruple reed shawm) was included in this ensemble, and it is still often featured in the Wayang Kulit Gedek orchestra in Malaysia. However, today in southern Thailand the bow lutes called saw oo and saw duang (originating from the huqin family of Chinese bowed flutes) are preferred in place of the pi. The drums in this ensemble include klong khat, thon and klong khaek, similar to the Malay geduk, gedumbak and gendang,(Figure 1-3), respectively, a small pair of finger cymbals and the gong-chime called mong (2 knobbed gongs placed horizontally in a wooden box) are also used. WAYANG KULIT GEDEK Wayang Kulit Melayu Wayang Kulit Melayu, also named as Wayang Kulit Jawa, is strongly influenced by the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this type of shadow play developed under the patronage of the sultan and existed as entertainment mainly for the aristocrats connected to the palaces of Kelantan and Kedah. In earlier times it was also performed in the Malay Sultanate of Patani. Today this Sultanate is no longer exists, but the location of the former kingdom is still located at southern Thailand. The stories of the Wayang Kulit Melayu focus on episodes of the Mahabharata epic, and the form and design of the puppets are nearly identical to the style of puppets from Java and Indonesia. During World War II this type of shadow puppet theatre was not performed; after the war years it was revived as entertainment for villagers without the patronage of the sultans. By the 1980s experienced puppet masters were difficult to find ant the Wayang Kulit Melayu. Today in Malaysia, this shadow play is rarely performed. The orchestra consists of several bronze gongs including a pair of large, hanging gongs called tetawak(Plate 1), a single knobbed horizontal gong called the mong, and a set of six or more small horizontal gongs called the canang(Plate 2). In addition, a pair of kesi cymbals (Plate 3), a pair of elongated barrel, double-headed drums called gendang (Plate 6) and one 2-stringed rebab is used. The rebab exhibits a mixture of Malay and Javanese features using only two strings in Javanese form, but with the body construction of the Malay rebab. A specific musical repertory existed for this type of shadow play, but today only a few pieces are still known. Wayang Kulit Melayu WAYANG KULIT KELANTAN The Wayang Kulit Kelantan is a folk theatre and is to be referred as Wayang Kulit Siam. This shadow puppets originally from and play around states in Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and formerly in Perak and Pahang. This is the most famous traditional puppet theatre among all in Malaysia. The former time, this performance is for ritual purpose, but today it been revived and to be performed as an entertainment. The Ramayana epic is the main focus for the trunk and stories for Kelantanese shadow play. The shadow play is one of the oldest theatrical art-forms in Asia and is found as far north as China and as far west as India and Turkey. Each country has its own form and style of shadow play, and there are variations within each of these forms. The home of the shadow play still has not been identified with certainty, as an evident from the controversies regarding its origin. According to Otto Spies, Sabri East Siyavusgil and William Ridgeway, it originated in India. Berthold Laufer, citing China as its home, tells of a legend about the later Han Emperor Kuang Wu Ti (25-57 A.D.) who instructed the court shaman to cast shadows on a screen in an effort to recall the spirit of his departed wife. Hazeu, on the other hand, credits Java as its place of origin because of the Javanese terminology in the Wayang Kulit Purwa. There are scholars who support the India origin of the shadow theatre because of the repertoire of the South-East Asian shadow plays which mainly portray episodes from the two Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. But as noted by Alessio Bombaci, the shadow play could have emerged on its own in all these places – India, China and West Asia, and from these separate areas spread to other countries throug h economic, political and cultural interaction. However whatever its genesis, the shadow play doubt began as an animistic ritual. Even since its inception, the shadow play has been influenced by the religious beliefs prevalent in those countries where it has become established, to the extent that each variety reflects in microsm the religious history of its land of domicile. This is particularly true of the Malaysian shadow play whose rituals combine elements of animism, Hinduism and Islam. As we have already seen, through the ages Malaysia has been influenced by strong Indian, Chinese, Thai and Javanese cultural influences, with the result that her shadow plays bear striking resemblances to the Thai nang talung, the Khmer nang trolung, and the Javanese Wayang Kulit Purwa. The four types of Malaysia shadow play adapted from Javanese Wayang Kulit purwa, Wayang Kulit Melayu and Wayang Kulit Melayu both display similarities in structure, technique and performance with their Javanese counterpart. What differentiate is the one from the other of the configuration of the puppets and the nature of their musical ensembles. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, the puppets of the Wayang KulitMelayu, which are highly stylized, have two moveable arms, while those of the less stylized Wayang Kulit Melayu have only one moveable arm. While a gamelan ensemble accompanies the Wayang KulitMelayu, the Wayang Kulit Melayu uses an indigenous musical ensemble. The repertoire of both the shadow plays consist of episodes from the Javanese and Malay versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, tales from the Panji cycles, the Islamic tales of Amir Hamzah, and local lore and legend. (Endon S 1999) Wayang Kulit Kelantanuses the technique of the Javanese Wayang Kulit Jawa to perform the Thai version of the Ramayana, as well as containing elements of local lore and legend. It differs from the Wayang Kulit Gedek, in the configuration of its puppets and in the nature of the accompanying musical ensemble. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) The puppets of Wayang Kulit Kelantan are only seen in profile, puppets of Wayang Kulit Gedek uses combination of full-faced and profiled. Furthermore, the Wayang Kulit Kelantan musical ensemble is larger than that of Wayang Kulit Gedek. Wayang Kulit Kelantan Shadow Play Music There are seventeen repertoires in Kelantan shadow theatre and to be divided into four categories Ritualistic, emotional, designate individual character, and variety of occasions and designate action. Two examples are show below: Bertabuh and Tuk Maha Siku Mak Yong pieces are included in some of the repertoire in shadow play, for instance Lagu Yong Bertabuh, Sang Gendang, Pakyung Muda, and Lagu Barat. Younger troupe insert several modern pieces such as Lagu Joget Kelantan and Lagu Berlari Yong Muda, This is innovation of shadow play but was not appreciate by the older troupes to adulterate the music of shadow play; they only stick to their principle by performing traditionally pieces. For my opinion, innovation of shadow play is a significant issue for the sake of entertainment effect and also self satisfaction to make an improvement of music element aspect. Lagu Perang (war music) is the most common piece to be play Kelantan shadow theatre. It is show in the opening continuation as Lagu Bertabuh, combat in between two Dewa Panah (mystical warriors); the whole repertoire is all about fighting and battle in the play. A few pieces were often to be played in the shadow play are Lagu Hulubalang which indicates all warriors; it accompanies Sri Rama when he is ready for war, Hanuman, lesser princes, and all warriors. On my opinion, within the play proper of the shadow play performance, dramatic action is essential to be played in the music piece, but the structural format is remain a definite ritualistic opening of the actual play performance. Before the proper performance start, Dalang Tua (elder Dalang) will manipulate the puppets, sing and speaks every characters part and conduct the orchestra. The buka ponggang( opening ceremony) emerged in Mak Yong repertoire to portrayed his acts of connecting the real and nether worlds. Lagu Bertabuh is a start of informing the villagers that the play is to begin; in another way is also a conclusion of the ritualistic ceremony. Shadow play ensembles or orchestras and instruments The musical ensembles of the shadow play are percussion-dominated with either a solitary aerophone (wind) or a chordophone (string) instrument. An example for Wayang Kulit Kelantan ensemble has the following instruments: Idiophonic (Brass) Orotund material is to make to Idiophones instruments. Tetawak, kesi and canang occurs as a pairs in idiophone structure. The pair of tetawak (Plate 1) are knobbed gongs which hung between wooden racks, and padded beater is to hit the knob. The larger tetawak played lower pitch which calledâ€Å"tawak ibu† (mother tawak), tawak anak (child tawak) played the high pitch. Major third or perfect fifth is the tuning in between one set to another. The standardization of the tuning of tetawak so as canang is not the main important issue in music. Canang(Plate 2) is made of iron or metal, and it consists of two knobbed gongs, which hung horizontally on the wooden rack. The two gongs are hit by a pair of peddar beater, both gongs (anak canang and ibu canang ) played in different pitches( high and low pitch). Both gongs tuning interval may range from majors second to sixth. Kesi Cymbals (Plate 3) have a cup-like protruding with a small hole to enable to two cymbals to be connected. It is made of booze or iron. Resonant, ringing sound occurs when striking by player on the pair of cymbals. Unison are played in two pieces of timbres with canang, canang anak (high pitch) played ringing timbre whilst canang ibu (low pitch) played damped timbre. Kesi is similar to the western cymbal. Aerophonic (Wind) The serunai(Plate 4) is a double reed instrument which falls into the shawm category, varying in length from 12 to 18 inches and constructed from variation of woods such as batang lada, lebam and nangka. It is divided into three sections, namely kepala (head), batang (stem) and pipit (mouth-piece) .Daun lunta, a type of fern leaf, is used for the reed. Altogether there are eight sound holes on the serunai, seven on top and one below. It is adorned with intricate carvings and painted with various shades of colour. Membranophone (Percussion) Three types of drum constitute the membranophone category. The first is a pair of mother and son cylindrical-shaped geduk (Plate 7), with the mother being the larger of the two. Its dimension varies from 12 to 20 inches in length, with a front circumference between 30 to 37 inches and a back circumference of between 27 to 33 inches. The body of the geduk is mostly made from kayu nangka, but kayu sena or kayu merbau is sometimes used. Both sides are covered with cow or buffalo hide. The two legs located at one end of the geduk serve to tilt it towards the drummer to facilitate his playing, which is done with a pair of drum sticks. The pair of gendang (Plate 6), mother and son, are both barrel-shaped, with the mother being the larger of the two. The mother drum measures from 20 to 22 inches in length, and has a front circumference which varies between 24 to 33 inches and a back circumference of between 24 to 29 inches. The length of the gendang anak (son drum) varies from 19 to 22 inches with a front circumference of between 22 to 25 inches and a back circumference of between 19 to 22 inches. More often than not, the body of the gendang is made from kayu nangka rather than from kayu merbau. Both the front and back faces of the drum are covered with animal skins, cow hide for the mother drum and goatskin for the son drum. Rattan strands are coiled around one end of the body as an anchor to stretch the skin and vary the tension of its surface. The drums are played with both hands, one for striking each face. Texture and Form The texture of shadow theatre can be categories into melodic line played by serunai, variety of drum rhythmic pattern and bronze instruments play the element of gong. The form and structure in each piece of shadow play is determined and defined by colotomic structure or gong unit in the music. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) .The gong unit is a time unit marked at its end by lowest pitches gong is the tetawak ibu, which is stuck at the last beat of gong unit. Gong unit is to be served as a basis element to be play in shadow plays and Mak Yong, multiples of two beats are based on the total number of colotomic structure. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Hence, in the gong unit, there are no 2- beat but continuously with 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- and so on. The gong unit is to be identifying by particular gong tone to played specific beat, as a result binary form is occurs in gong unit as the subdivision of internal gong to be played. Division of half occurs in first gong unit, for example gong tones occurs in beat 8 and 16 in a 16- beats gong unit. Another significant trait in 2-beat stress in the gong unit, firstly it( pulse weakly on the first beat and continue with a strong stress on the second beat. Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Repetition of the weak and strong stress in the repertoire is to gain the appropriate number of beat at variety gong unit. Canang gong chime play the 2-beat stress gong unit in shadow play, sometime ding-dong vocalized syllabus will be use as ding to be the first weak beat by canang anak (high pitch); whereas dong is to be played on the second strong beat by canang ibu ( low pitch). At the meantime, kesi cymbals are played to mark a resounding timbre in the weak beat and damped timbre in the strong beat. In the piece of Pak Dogol, the gedumbak and gendang anak produce specific 4-beat rhythmic patterns that combine to give a complete resultant rhythmic pattern for piece. Because the piece Pak Dogol based on 8-beat unit gong unit, the 4-beat resultant drum pattern is played twice in the time one complete gong unit. (Example 1) Scale Pentatonic, hexatonic and heptatonic are the main three scales in shadow play pieces. These three scales type are established in the repertory, hexatonic and heptatonic scales accent on five specific pitches which may contemplate a pentatonic core within the larger scale system. Semitone or whole tone are contains at all level of intervals. For example, third interval include in some scales. Sampling to be shown below: (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) DALANG Dalang can be found at padi harvest, the wayang season thus beginning of the rainy season. A popular dalang may expect to receive invitation to perform which will keep him occupied throughout the season, extending from about March to October. Dalang incomes (Amin.S 1972) entirely from the wayang and those that attempt to do so have a meager existence during the rainy season when they are forced to live on what has been saved during the wayang season which is seldom much. The dalang have a secondary occupation, and where the dalang does not enjoy much success, the wayang will be his secondary occupation. The performance definitely entertainment for humans not spirits. These rituals are performed for various purposes, propitiation of spirits, releasing a person from a vow, and initiating a pupil, but their form is basically the same and consists of a synthesis of Javanesse wayang ritual and local spirit medium ship. The importance of these rituals is that performed to ward off the threat of cholera by placating the local spirits. The dalang learn their art from a teacher, the few exceptions to this merely imitating the performances of others. The teacher is rarely the dalangs father and the art is not hereditary. (Amin.S 1972). Comparison of the repertoire, performance and ritual of a dalang with those of his teacher reveals, almost without exception, considerable differences. There are several reasons for this: It is rare that a dalang learns everything from one source and it is not unsual to have had more than one teacher, though this may not be admitted. A dalang may further learn pieces of repertoire from persons who are not even dalang and information are also gleaned by observing the performances of other dalang. It is clear, therefore, that every dalangs knowledge is to a greater or lesser extent a pot pourri gathered from several sources. (Amin.S 1972) Several reasons for becoming a dalang but the primary motive is nearly always that he experiences intense pleasure from observing the wayang and that he has the urge and desire to perform himself. Dance Theatre – Mak Yong Human characters but not puppet play performed the traditional theatres known as Mak Yong. Mak Yong is forms by three integral- dance, dialogue and music with the legend story from local place. While there are common denominators in dramatic, musical, and dance structure, there are, however, marked difference among them in dance and music styles. The Mak Yong has been noted as an ancient Malay form of theatre as witnessed in legends, myths and by its close ties to the traditional healing ceremony called the main puteri. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) Besides that, Common feature are shared in these various traditional theatres. The performances are usually to anticipated and down mainly from stories and legend known to the community. Generally, plots are episode and long enough to allow audience members to drift in and out during the performance. Mak Yong is a traditional form of dance originated in Southern Thailand, it appears in Kelantan since last two hundred years, and is one of the popular traditional dances in Terengganu and spread to Kedah. In the early 20th century, Mak Yong was given royal patronage by the court of Kelantan which established a â€Å"theatrical village† known as the â€Å"Kampung Temenggung† in the town of Kota Bahru. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) This form of theatre was supported and patronized by His Highness Temengung Ghaffar from the Kelantan palace at that time. But the patronage did not last long until the death of Sultan Mohamad IV at 1920, although Mak Yong was originally about rural regions as a folk tradition, through its years of royal patronage the music, dance, costumes and other theatrical aspects were refined because of the constant opportunities for practice and performance in Kampung Temengung. In between the changes; Mak Yong became popular as an entertainment in the public and lost its artistic quality which is normally connected with a court oriented performance. When time goes by, the court dance eventually turn to a normal performance to the public and created new audience, portraying the folk life. Mak Yong performs at many occasions, but emphasize specifically on padi harvest, that is a thanksgiving ceremony for bounteous crop. Wedding, kings birthday and national holiday were the occasions Mak Yong to be performed. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, Mak Yong traditional performances have a connection with ritual and the world of spirits. Mak Yong served as healing rituals. Main Puteri is the healing person and the healing section involves soporific dance and spirit possession. In some traditional cities, the healing rituals are still pursuing but they are mainly frowned nowadays. It reflects the inner, the significant and mysterious of stories. High ritual performance sometimes occurs in Mak Yong. A good example: sembah guru (paying homage to ones teacher) ceremony and performance in which a student, who is ready to go on stage as a principal, performs certain rites within connection of a performance itself. The main puteri healing ceremony for the intention of healing a sick people will sometime found in the main structure element of Mak Yong. Shaman (bomoh) take the lead to communicate with the spirit world to discover the root of an illness and the main actress (the Pak Yong character), a lthough main puteri ceremonial elements become dominant in the performance, the music used is still that of the Mak Yong. Troupe of women performed the main role whilst men played the clown roles. This form of dance was established as a court form (C.1875) that became well known to villages. The women sing, dance and perform improvise dialogue especially in the clown and contemporary section. The action takes place in the round, with all nonnative cast members sitting casually around the outside of the circle. (Anonymous n.d) Performers are considered to be off-stage or members of the chorus when not in the central acting space. Performers work towards the creation and identification character types, stylized motion, poetic language and rhythmic language. Along with dialogue and notated passage, music, song and dance is also incorporated into traditional performance. Serious or tragic events are intermingling with comedy. The original story in the Mak Yong dramatic repertory is called the Dewa Muda, which is a Malay folk tale. The stories Dewa Muda come along with about twelve other tales consist the dramatic repertory. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Several of these stories are also performed in other local theater forms such as the wayang kulit, menorah and the bangsawan. The stories focus on folk heroes, heroines, their fantastic adventures, and are told using dialogue, singing and dance by the characters along with the accompaniment of vocal and instrumental music. Some of the especially important roles are the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda (the king and prince), the queen or Makyung and the princess or Puteri Makyung, the old and young clown-servants known respectively, as the Peran Tua and Peran Muda, and the astrologer or expert of some kind called Tok Wak. In the 20th century, and still today, all principal roles are taken by women who dress according to the role played. However, before the 1020s m en played the roles of the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda and not women. Performance practice The Makyung performance begins with an opening ceremony called the Buka Panggung (opening of the stage) with prayers, offerings of food and the consecration of the musical instruments and other items. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Immediately following the official opening is the performance of several pieces before the story itself actually begins. These pieces each have a special function and serve to introduce the characters or carry out some other special purpose. For example, the actors and actresses come onto the stage with the accompaniment of the piece called Pakyung Turun (The king descends), an instrumental piece. This piece is followed by a ritual song and dance called the Menghadap Rebab (paying homage to the rebab), which salutes the musical instrument called the rebab. The opening section of the performance continues with the pieces entitled Sedayung Mak yong and Sedayung Pak yong. These two pieces are performed to introduce the Mak Yong and Pak Yong characters. Another piece entitled Ela is performed by the Pak Yong character to introduce the character he will play in the story for the evening. All of these pieces (except the Pak Yong Turun) also involved specific dances, which are performed by the main singer along with the members of the chorus (the jong dondang). This group of sung and danced pieces comprises a fixed opening, which is performed each time a Mak Yong performance takes place. A given story takes several nights to complete and, before its continuation from night to night, the fixed opening of sung and d