Energy drink Essay

Introduction The marketing mix (tool largely used by marketers) is composed of the tactics being developed by a company in the 4 P’s areas: product, price, place and promotion, to assist them in pursuing their objectives. These variables have to be carefully managed by the organisation to meet the need of the defined target group. In this essay, we are going to focus on the â€Å"product† variable of the marketing mix. Phillip Kotler has defined the product as: â€Å"anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy a want or need† (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000). The product, but also its name and packaging, have a major impact on the brand positioning. They are fundamental tools in helping the company to induce trial and repeat purchase; they are also invaluable to achieve the desired awareness levels and to form positive attitudes among both customers and perspective customers. Highly profitable and attractive (giving the trend that consumers are increasingly looking for convenient drinks that boost their energy levels), the energy drinks market is highly competitive. A Mintel’s research (Market Trends category analysis, June 2004, www.PreparedFoods. com), found little brand loyalty among consumers of energy drinks, and a willingness to try a new product if the brand of choice is not available. This suggest the possibility that consumer could be swayed by the appeal of an intriguing package for instance. In this context, we will try to analyse, with the help of the example of the energy drinks, the importance of the naming and packaging tactics employed by the brands to differentiate their offer from the competition (given that the generic attributes of the energy drinks, in terms of composition, are quite similar). 1 Naming and Packaging: marketing mix tools of the product 1. 1 The products levels Philip Kotler, in â€Å"Principles of Marketing†, suggested that a product should be viewed in three levels (a division between five products levels has also been identified by the author but in our case, we are going to keep the simpler scheme of three levels). (source : www. learnmarketing. net/product. htm, 14/09/2004) The core product (level one) represents the core function of the product, a generic attribute that will be identical to all products on a specific market. For example, the main attribute a customer is willing to find when buying an energy drink is a liquid which composition will comprise ingredients that boost his or her energy levels (caffeine, guarana, taurine†¦ ) The actual product (level two) involves the brand, the packaging and the possible added features (benefits) that are provided to differentiate the company’s product from its competitors’. In the case of the energy drinks, if all of them actually provide a liquid that increase energy levels, some of them are sold in cans, other in plastic bottles or in aluminium bottles, using different designs and volumes. The augmented product (level three) is composed of the different additional non-tangible benefits that the company is offering to the customer. This comprises normally added services such as after-sales service, warranties, delivery†¦ It is difficult for a company providing energy drinks to differentiate itself from the competition through this kind of attributes. This is why we decided to focus on the second level of the energy beverages, their name and package. (www. learnmarketing.net/product. htm, 14/09/2004) First, what lies behind the concepts of naming and packaging? 1. 2 Naming â€Å"The naming of the product, service or company is called branding. A brand or name is the label that consumers associate with your product. For this reason, a brand or name should help communicate the product’s positioning and its inherent drama for the consumer† (Roman G. Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003). McCarthy, Perreault and Quester define branding as â€Å"the use of a name, symbol, design or combination of the three to identify a product† and more particularly a brand name as â€Å"a word, letter, or group of words or letters used to identify a product† (Basic Marketing, a managerial approach; 1997). 1. 2. 1 The visual distinctiveness of a brand â€Å"The name is composed of the title by which the company, product, or service is commonly known and the graphic forms of identification, including symbols, logotypes or signatures, tag lines, and representative characters† (Roman G.Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003). Some products, as paper clips, or energy drinks, are poorly differentiated by their â€Å"physical† attributes. One of the marketer’s tasks will be then to develop the brand in terms of its name and its graphic identity (logo), to communicate its differences. Nowadays, the consumers have an astonishing and increasing array of choice. In parallel, their available time to research products and make purchase decisions is decreasing. The importance of having a distinctive name is critical to securing competitive advantage, even more for the products such as the energy drinks, which core specificities have become insufficient to make a real difference. Consumers must be able to recognize the company in its name, logo, graphics and brand’s slogan; these must provide means of identifying the product as different from that of the competitors’, create a visual and verbal distinctiveness. For example, the name and logo of Ralph Lauren (a polo player) have become high means of recognition for the brand. Coca-cola is one of the best-known names in the world (even the characters’ type can be identified and recognized by the customer nowadays). Some companies, which offer different product lines, can use manufacturer brands, a name provided specifically for a product or collection of products that is different from the manufacturer’s one. For example, Powerade is the sport beverage supplied by Coca-Cola. Pepsi-Co sells a sport drink line under the name Gatorade. If the name is the more important element of the brand, one mustn’t forget that a brand can’t be simply reduced to its name. What is important are the positive associations that are going to be related to the brand in the customer’s mind (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000). 1. 2. 2 Selecting the right name A good brand name can help create brand familiarity (really important in the case of energy drinks). In general, good brand names are:  · short and simple (easy to recognize and remember)  · easy to pronounce  · should be able to be pronounced in all languages  · suggestive of product benefits (but not too generic)  · avoid any potentially undesirable connotation or image. (Roman G. Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003). 1. 3 Packaging 1. 3. 1 Definition â€Å"For manufacturers, packaging holds and protects the product and assists in communicating the products attributes and image. For retailers and service firms, packaging is the inside and outside environment that houses and dispenses the product/services (stores, offices, etc†¦ ), and it helps communicate the company’s attributes and image† (Roman G. Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003). Kotler has defined the packaging as â€Å"the activities of designing and producing the container for a product† (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000). 1. 3. 2 The functions of packaging Three functions lay behind the concept of packaging: protection, facilitating the product usage and communication. At its basic level, the package serves to protect the product (prevent breakage, exposure to light, exposure to air, spoilage†¦ ) and, in some cases, to hold or to contain it. Packaging also plays a role in protecting the consumer as well. Then, the package has a facilitative role in the use of the product (shape, size, fact that it can be resealed†¦ ). Finally, the product’s package represents a strong communication tool, at two levels. First, the package will comprise indications on the brand name, the product category definition, the composition, the flavour, warnings, directions†¦ Second, packaging also serves an important role in promotion. Its design, size, shape, materials, colour, text and brand mark†¦ should appeal to the target market. For example, yoghurt designated to the women on diet will not have the same package than yoghurt targeting the children. Besides, in today’s cluttered environment, where tens of thousands of brands are fighting for the shopper’s attention, consumers are making more and more purchase decisions at the point of sale. This is why the package, through graphics and colours that are attractive, plays an important role in getting the product noticed in the selves (to encourage impulse purchase for instance). (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000; Roman G. Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003). 1. 3. 3 The importance of packaging Packaging is a critical marketing tool. It can make an important difference from the competition by meeting customers’ needs more effectively. A better box, wrapper, bottle or can may help to emphasize the distinctiveness or novelty of a product or even result in the opening of a new market. It can even improve the product by making it easier or safer to use and then increase its value in the customer’s mind. Used correctly, the package can then underline the brand image, convey qualities such as freshness, fashion and quality (McCarthy, Perreault & Quester; Basic Marketing, a managerial approach; 1997). It is important that the packaging elements align with the rest of the marketing strategy to support it (pricing, advertising and other marketing tools). For example, an expensive perfume would rather be sold in a crystal bottle than in a plastic one, to underline and support the prestigious image (Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000). 2 Packaging and Naming for the energy drink industry 2. 1 Industry overview. As a relatively new style of beverage in Australia (appearing in the mid 90’s), energy drinks, sometimes known as â€Å"smart drinks†, were originally designed to give people a boost. Other benefits advertised by these products are improved concentration, endurance, stamina and the ability to help combat fatigue (www. education. theage. com. au/pagedetail. asp? intpageid=69&strsection=students&intsectionid=0, 29/09/2004). â€Å"Lifestyles are moving faster. People seem to have become time poor and tend to work harder and play harder. These drinks are for those who need to pack more hours into their day. † (Glenn Martin, general manager, Frucor Beverages, The Age, May 2, 2001). Typically including a high caffeine level as well as vitamins, amino acids and herbal extracts, they usually sell for about $2 – $3. 5 for 250 ml, making them a relatively expensive soft-drink alternative. (www. education. theage. com. au/pagedetail. asp? intpageid=69&strsection=students&intsectionid=0, 27/09/2004). Initially popular in nightclubs and hotels, the energy drink market has been booming during the past few years in Australia, and these beverages are now widely available in supermarkets and convenience stores. Although this market is somewhat new in Australia, it is the fastest growing area of the soft-drink market. (www. education. theage. com. au/pagedetail. asp? intpageid=69&strsection=students&intsectionid=0, 27/09/2004). 2. 1. 1 Leading brands on the Australian market In 2002, the energy drink sales were dominated by four brands in Australia: Frucor Beverages Limited’s V (remaining by far the most significant player with 35% volume share), Red Bull Australia’s Red Bull, Coca-Cola Amatil’s Lift Plus and the Red Eye Company’s Red Eye. With a clever marketing and promotional tactics, V managed to cope with the growing competition and to increase its market share between 2000 and 2002, targeting at teenagers and young adults through the sponsoring of youth oriented events and advertising during youth programming (Euromonitor International, Soft Drinks in Australia, August 2004). However, in the latter part of this same period, the best growth was performed by Coca-Cola Amatil’s Lift Plus, which volume share increased from 5% in 2000 to 14% in 2002, to the detriment of the Red Eye brand which lost market share by the same amount. Red Bull signed, in 2003, a distribution deal with Cadbury Schweppes to solve its volume share decline over the recent years by accessing the group’s strong sale network. (Euromonitor International, Soft Drinks in Australia, August 2004). Considering the huge number of small brands existing today on the energy drink market, we decided to illustrate our study using exclusively the example of these 4 leaders. 2. 1. 2 Target market of the energy drinks The potential customers initially consisted in 90% of young and trendy people (club scene, extreme sports), nocturnal revellers, trendsetters and clubbers. Nowadays, the group of customers has evolved and includes:  · long distance drivers, especially people who work during the night or even employees working out of the office and rushing from appointment to appointment who have come to appreciate Energy Drinks as a good way to wake them up,  · top-level as well as free time sportsmen like snowboarders, mountain bikers, free climbers and downhill racers but also people going to the gym or participating in a triathlon, · pupils or students under stress who use the energy drinks as a new substitute of coffee. Users of Energy Drinks buy/drink them to be mentally and physically top fit and wide awake. They are dynamic, health conscious, achievement-orientated and active, in their jobs as well as in their spare time. Most of them are young but there is an increased interest in these products coming from an older age group of the population. (www. fortunecity. com/tinpan/clapton/843/energydrinks. html#eda, 29/09/2004). 2. 2 Packaging issues and trends on the energy beverage market Due to its growing competitive context, the energy drinks sector saw packaging used as an essential element in establishing brand identity. Consequently, the emergence of plastic bottles was far less pronounced in this sector than in any other soft-drinks sector. 2. 2. 1 Capacity and materials When Red Bull entered the Australian market in 1999, the company employed its trademark slim can and made it an immediate sign of recognition for the energy drink product. The brand wanted to use this as a point of differentiation to help consumers distinguish these highly caffeinated drinks from their carbonate counterparts, and competitors such as Lift Plus, V and Black Stallion followed this example to benefit from the association consumer would make between 250ml can and the type of product (Spark Gale, â€Å"Sports and energy drink market expanding faster than other soft drinks†, Food & Drink Weekly, February 23, 2004). This can size not only differentiate the product from the usual soft drink but also, according to the manufacturers, encourages only moderate consumption at any one time, because of the high caffeine content. Indeed, the energy drinks market has suffered from claims that excessive consumption of caffeine can cause a rise in blood pressure and can trigger events such as heart problems and strokes in some people (Euromonitor International, Global Packaging: Key Trends, www. euromonitor. com. library. vu. edu. au/gmid/default.asp, 20/09/2004) The initial choice of many energy drinks producers for the can packaging has also been determined according to the purpose of the beverage and the needs of its target market. Indeed, the design of the package and its material had to answer the requirements of people responding to the growing trend for eating and drinking â€Å"on-the-move†, had to offer at the same time convenience, solidity, to be light-weighted, easy to handle (the 250 mL format appears more convenient than the usual 330 mL size). Single-serve products also allow busy consumers, to drink in the car, office and in school, which happened to be essential to appeal to a broaden target market as it is now (Marsha Barancik, â€Å"Bottle cans’ have magnetic attraction†, Beverage Industry, March 2003). In fact, when the product entered the market, it was sold in major part in bars, pubs and nightclubs and convenience stores, but as brand like V and Red Bull started to gain distinctive brand identities the started to sell through supermarkets. In this context the 250mL aluminium can presented another advantage since it was an easy shape to offer in multipack that could fit in shelves optimally, and appealed to consumers because of the lower unit prices offered and the ease of transport to their homes (Euromonitor International, Soft Drinks in Australia, August 2004). However, the need for differentiating from competitors and for acquiring a strong brand equity, related to number entry the industry saw these last year, pushed the company to innovate, creating packagings that would differ from the overused 250 mL aluminium can. This need happened to strengthen with the addition of supermarket as a channel of distribution: the number of product and beverages that competed with the brand on the purchase decisional process was suddenly more diverse. To that extent, Red Eye used glass packaging as a strategy (that happened to be successful), to build brand loyalty among its consumers and to break with the expected can packaging offered by competitors. Since then, Lift Plus and V also offered a glass format to differentiate themselves from other canned energy drink brands (Global Packaging: Key Trends, www. euromonitor. com. library. vu. edu. au/gmid/default. asp, 20/09/2004). 2. 2. 2 Graphics and scripts Packaging in the energy drinks also feature distinctive graphics and script. Each brand will attend to convey a differentiated image using specific colours and visual affect known for being associated by the consumer to positive attributes. In 1988, McGraw Hill studied the feelings and the images conveyed by colour in order to show the importance of the packaging in the purchase decision process. As a result, he found out that consumer unconsciously were making the following association:  · Black: formality and elegance.  · White: Crispness  · Violet: tenderness  · Red: revolution, excitement, fire, energy, stanfurd.  · Blue: night, sadness, coolness, tranquillity  · Yellow: happy, warm, optimism  · Aluminium: high-energy voltage (http://www. alumni. berkeley. edu/Students/Group_Resource_Guide/Marketing_Tips_for_CAA_Student_Leaders. asp, 7/10/2004). Looking at each brands packaging, we can see that, according to this theory, different feelings are meant to be evocated by each brand. Except for Lift Plus, that is more oriented towards young people and students/children market, the aluminium colour is present on each packaging. The blue of the Red Bull can immediately reminds the customer with the clubbing and the nightlife while the red letter stands for energy and excitement. The yellow can of Lift Plus gives a joyful and playful image to the beverage and makes it a drink to be consumed during the day rather than in nightclub as a mixed drink (like its competitor Red Eye, Red Bull, or V). We can notice also the use of black in the two other packages, that gives a classy and distinctive image to the beverage, allowing them to stand in bar and club’s shelves. 2. 3 Naming issues on the energy drinks market In general, even if branding is one of the most important steps in the marketing plan of a product (a good name provides a strong mean of distinctiveness for the brand), there is not much secondary information available on the naming strategy adopted by the companies. Concerning the energy drinks industry, we are going to focus on the major brands present on the Australian market: V, Lift Plus, Red Eye and Red Bull. V is a typical example of a simple and memorable brand name that quickly identifies the product with an idea of vibrant, velocity, vitality, vigour†¦ Above all, V is the widely known abbreviation for volt, positioning the product as a high energy provider (www. frucor. com/brands/aus/new_age. html, 03/10/2004). The name Lift Plus explicitly suggests the benefits of the drink that, according to its producer Coca-Cola Amantil, as been designed â€Å"for people who work and play hard and need a boost to help them make the most of their waking hours†. It is also named after the well-known beverage â€Å"Lift†, to inform the consumer on the common point between the two beverages: both have citrus-based flavour (http://www. cokebuddy. com.au/about_brands. asp, 03/10/2004). Red Bull has been the first energy drink to enter the global market, the name of the product reflects well its attributes and benefits (the bull is a powerful animal, it represents the high level of energy the consumer is going to get by drinking this product). But this brand name has also been subject to a lot of controversy (that has finally benefited the brand by creating some promotion around it) related to the fact that the word â€Å"Bull† created a direct association in the public mind with one of the ingredient included in the formula: the Taurine. However, despite whatever conclusions one might draw from the name, Red Bull contains no substances of animal origin; even the taurine used in the formulation is synthetically produced (www. snopes. com/toxins/redbull. htm, 03/10/2004). Again, as for its competitor Red Eye, the code of colour (â€Å"Red†) is used as a way to suggest the energy and improvement of physical performance provided by the consumption of the beverage. Red Eye, as a following entrant in the energy drink market (after Red Bull), has used the notoriety of the Red Bull name as part of its naming strategy (the two brand names are quite similar). The term â€Å"eye† reflects the personality of the product, putting the stress on the ability of the product to provide its consumer with an improved ability to concentrate, an increased alertness and an enhanced reaction time (www. red-eye. com. au/classic. html, 03/10/2004). (Roman G. Hiebing Jr. and Scott W. Cooper, The successful marketing plan, McGraw-Hill, 2003). Conclusion Naming and packaging are critical marketing tools for the company; they assist its brand differentiation in the customer’s mind and product identification in the shelves of the store. Even if these two elements are even more important for products as energy drinks, that have quite generic core attributes (their composition is almost similar) and that cannot differentiate their offer using the augmented level of the product, we discovered through our research that a brand mustn’t limit its marketing mix tactic to its product features (naming and packaging). The three other P’s areas (Price, Place, and Promotion) are critical tools to strengthen the differentiation of its offer. The leading brands demonstrate it by supporting their product with heavy advertising campaigns and diverse promotional actions, as they proved to be essential to ensure their brand equity (sponsoring, sample distribution, co-branding, commercials, ads in various medias†¦ ). The study of the energy drinks market also showed us how the strategies linked to the issues of naming and packaging can evolve as the industry changes. Indeed, we discovered how these two aspects of the â€Å"actual product† could be used as way to assimilate the brand to a particular type of product, as well as a differentiation feature. In fact, the energy drinks market demonstrated us that the maturity of the industry influences greatly the challenges implied by the choice of a name or a package. Indeed, all the companies which launched their energy drink at the introduction of the product in the soft drink industry, chose to follow the first entrant (Red Bull) on its package choice, in order to clearly indicate to the customer the kind of product provided. As the industry matured, and the competition increased, offering a packaging that actually differentiated the brand seemed to be the only way to gain customer loyalty and to survive in this mature market. Sources : Literature:  · Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2000  · Roman G. Hiebing Jr and Scott W. Cooper; The successful marketing plan, a disciplined and comprehensive approach; 2003  · McCarthy, Perreault & Quester; Basic Marketing, a managerial approach; 1997 Websites:  · Market Trends category analysis, June 2004, www.PreparedFoods. com  · www. learnmarketing. net/product. htm  · www. education. theage. com. au/pagedetail. asp? intpageid=69&strsection=students&intsectionid=0  · www. fortunecity. com/tinpan/clapton/843/energydrinks. html#eda  · Euromonitor International, Soft Drinks in Australia, August 2004, www. euromonitor. com. library. vu. edu. au/gmid/default. asp  · Euromonitor International Global Packaging: Key Trends, August 2004, www. euromonitor. com. library. vu. edu. au/gmid/default. asp  · www. alumni. berkeley.edu/Students/Group_Resource_Guide/Marketing_Tips_for_CAA_Student_Leaders. asp  · www. frucor. com/brands/aus/new_age. html  · www. cokebuddy. com. au/about_brands. asp  · www. snopes. com/toxins/redbull. htm  · www. red-eye. com. au/classic. html Articles :  · Glenn Martin, general manager, Frucor Beverages, The Age, May 2, 2001  · Spark Gale, â€Å"Sports and energy drink market expanding faster than other soft drinks†, Food & Drink Weekly, February 23, 2004  · Marsha Barancik, â€Å"Bottle cans’ have magnetic attraction†, Beverage Industry, March 2003.

The Un and Peacekeeping

CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations has been involved in peacekeeping operations and conflict resolutions in the international system. According to Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, the UN is expected â€Å"to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by lawful means, and in conformity with the principle of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace. The United Nations has been charged with vast responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security. Two organs were created for this purpose: the Security Council (which consists of fifteen members, five permanent members with veto power and ten non permanent members) and the General Assembly (which consist of representatives from all member states). This essay seeks to examine and analyze the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security using the Korean War as a case study. THE UN AND PEACEKEEPING Peacekeeping is defined by the United Nations as â€Å"a unique and dynamic instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict, create the conditions for lasting peace. The Security Council of United Nations has been given the responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 1954 imposes the responsibility of maintenance of international peace and security on the General Assembly under certain conditions. The United Nations, after the approval by the Security Council sends peacekeepers to regions where armed conflict has recently ceased or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. Since the United Nations does not maintain its own military, peacekeeping forces are voluntarily provided by member states of the United Nations. The founders of the United Nations envisaged that the organization would help to prevent conflicts between states and in the process, prevent outbreak of another major war in the future. The United Nations would have been able to achieve this successfully if not for the outbreak of the Cold War. The outbreak of the Cold War made it extremely difficult for the United Nations to successfully resolve issues and conflicts because of the division of the world into hostile camps. The United States and Western Europe on one side and the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and part of Asia on the other side. This caused a stalemate in decision making in the Security Council as both powers (United States and Soviet Union) used their veto power to check each other. The United Nations found it extremely difficult to come to a resolution on issues where both super powers had national interests. In such case as the Korean War where after the Soviet Union used her veto power to reject resolutions and left the Security Council completely paralyzed, the General Assembly through the â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution assumed the responsibility of making decisions. In spite of the various obstacles the United Nations faced during the Cold War era in conflict resolution, it was however to an extent successful in maintaining international peace and security and most importantly, the outbreak of another World War. THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE KOREAN WARThe Korean War from 1950 to 1953 was the most severe test the United Nations had to face since its inception in 1945. As part of the Cold War scenario, the Korean War was a complicated issue with which the United Nations had to successfully deal with or lose credibility just five years after it had come into being. The Korean experience tested the United Nations ability and credibility in maintaining international peace and security. In some ways the Korean episode could be regarded as the United Nations finest hour. Here for the first and only time in its history, the Security Council called on its members to go to the defense of a state under armed attack1. It also marked the first attempt by an international organization to check an act of aggression, and it stands as the only occasion on which enforcement action had been taken against aggressor states or other authorities2. Here in consequences the forces of a number of countries fought under the United Nations flag to defend the principle that aggression should not be allowed to succeed3. But the concept of collective security was not upheld as only a quarter of the membership of he United Nations sent military assistance to South Korea and the sixteen states which did so were all Western countries. This was an example of alliance strategy than of enforcement action by an international organization; of collective defence rather than collective security. The fact that a great majority of the United Nation membership though pro- western were u nwilling to send significant armed support to the country whose existence was threatened showed that the action would scarcely be said whole heartedly to fulfill the ideals enshrined in the Charter of the UN4. The dominance exercised by the United States over the entire operation in the Korean crisis deprived it of the name of the genuine collective security. This was demonstrated in the early stages by the fact that most of the Security Council initiatives and resolutions were really in origin United States proposals. At the onset of North Korea attack on South Korea, the United States was the first state to send assistance both financially and militarily to South Korea even before the United Nations had taken a decision on the matter. The military operation was headed by a United States commander and decision that were taken originated directly from the White House and not from the UN secretariat. This defeated the purpose of collective security by placing the responsibility of a peacekeeping mission in the hands of a super power. This contrasted radically with the subsequent practice of the UN in organizing peace-keeping forces from 1956 onward. In these cases the super power were normally excluded from participation altogether. And no single power or even a group of powers was able to dominate policy in the way the United States was allowed to do in Korea5. This gave a clear indication that the UN was dominated by the United States. Nearly 90% of all army personnel, 93% of all air power and 80% of all naval power for the Korean War had come from the United States. The Chinese got involved in the war (this escalated and prolonged the war) on the basis that they viewed the whole operation not as an United Nations peacekeeping mission but an effort by the United States to gain control of Asia using the United Nation as a cover to invade both Koreas and China. The decision of the United Nations Forces to cross the 38th parallel also originated from the United States. The United States brought the proposal for the United Nations forces to cross the 38th parallel and enter North Korea before the General Assembly even though most of the participating states were against it. Even though there were other states that participated in the peace keeping operations, their opinion were barely considered by the United States. Major of the decision making processes was held in Washington rather than New York. While the success of the United Nations in repelling aggression in Korea had been in large part due to the contribution of the United States, the dominant role of the United States weakened the collective character of the operation6. Throughout the whole episode, the United Nations failed to institute or even attempt to institute any effective negotiations among the parties concerned as in the case of South Korea and North Korea and also the United States and the Soviet Union after the division of Korea. The United Nations also failed before 1950 to bring the two parties (North and South Korea) into discussion to as to bring about a resolution or involve the use of a mediator or good office to help along with negotiations; instead the United Nations held on to its demands for all Korean – election under the UN auspices. The Korean experience has shown that the Charter provision and machinery for which the Charter provides can be adapted and utilized under certain conditions to defeat aggression and to discourage aggression in advance7. Since the decline of the Cold War, the UN however, has been more effective and efficient in maintaining international peace and security. The Korean experienced questioned the UN as a useful and promising means of dealing with threats to and breaches of the peace by collective measures and its limitations. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution which was passed by the General Assembly during the Korean War created a whole new dynamic. The veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council sometimes cripples the Council as it make decision making harder and slower in cases where the super powers have different contrasting interest as could be seen in the Korea conflict where the Soviet Union used her veto power to cripple the resolution passed by the other members of the council. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution gave the General Assembly the power and responsibility to make decisions under such circumstances where the Security Council is crippled and in capable of making decisions concerning the security matters. The Korean experience served as an important lesson for the UN in its pursuit of international peace and security. It has also shown that the purpose of collective security is to restore international peace and security and not do justice, particularly if the doing of justice, which often is highly controversial and in practice requires some accommodation of conflicting interests involves a serious risk of extending the war. Furthermore there is the additional danger where one member has disproportionate share in the direction of the operation that the member will seek to use the operation for implementation of its own national policies, policies which may not be in harmony with the interests and policies of other members of the United Nations. The United Nations could justifiably hold that it had fought a successful war to defend a nation under attack what it could not claim, after eight years of discussion, was that it had brought any nearer a resolution of the Korean problem. CONCLUSION The Korean War served as an important lesson to UN. In spite of the various obstacles it has faced the United Nations had been able to improve and make amendment. Since the decline of the Cold War which was a major factor in the outcome of the Korean War has also strengthened the United Nations in the area of conflict resolution and peace keeping operation. ENDNOTES 1. Evan Luard, A History of the United Nations Volume 1: The Years of Western Domination 1945-1955 (Macmillan 1982), p. 71-272. 2. D. W. Bowett, United Nations Forces. A Legal Study of United Nations Practice (London, Sterens and Sons, 1984), p. 30 3. Evan Luard, A History of the United Nations Volume 1: The Years of Western Domination 1945-1955 (Macmillan 1982), p. 272. 4. Ibid, p. 272-273. 5. Ibid, p. 273. 6. Leland M. Goodrich, â€Å"The United Nations and the Korean War: A Case Study†, Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science, Vol. 25. No. 2. United Nations: Success or Failure p. 103. 7. Ibid, p. 102.

Pixar and Disney Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pixar and Disney - Essay Example The success of Pixar and decline of Disney may be traced to how these organizations responded to the changes in their social and technical environments. Upon cursory reading, Pixar appeared to have made a name for itself primarily through the use of digital technology in animation, to which it owes its commercial success, while Disney remained dedicated to the traditional method which no longer found strong following in the market. Closer inspection shows that there was a fundamental difference in the way the organizations functioned that was separate from the technology each used. Organizations may be seen to operate as open systems which interact with their environments in a complex and dynamic way. According to Ingols, Cawsey & Deszca (2011), open systems are called so because they are not isolated from their environment, but freely exchange information, materials, and energy with them. They are comprised of interdependent parts connected by a complex set of interrelationships. They move towards equilibrium, and once in equilibrium, will not change unless some energy is introduced. Individuals within a system would have a different perspective of the system’s function and purpose than those outside of it. Looking at organizations as open systems enables managers to better identify areas of misalignment and risk. The Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model is comprised of inputs that shape the strategy. The strategy drives the transformative processes box which eventually leads to the outputs. Feedback loops flow back to earlier stages to complete the model. The transformative work process includes four categories, namely informal organization, formal organizational arrangements, individual, and task. (people), and task (work). The Congruence Model states that these four categories in the work transformation area should be congruent (i.e., should fit) with each other (Jones, Brazzel, & ITL, 2006, p. 196). Pixar is an example of an open system which takes full advantage of the dynamics within the organization itself, and between the organization and the environment. Within Pixar, the informal organization is as important as, if not more than, the formal structure. Pixar has developed a â€Å"culture of collective creativity† that â€Å"values people above ideas,† and tasks are boldly add ressed because of the empowerment of employees. Feedback is swift because lines of communication are open; everyone feels safe to offer ideas, and innovation is highly prized (Catmull, 2008). Strong long-term friendships are forged, and as a result, the organization feels competent to take risks. This makes the external influences welcome within the company, thus it takes advantage of inputs from the academic community, the technical and artistic fields, and of course the demand from the market. In contrast, Disney is a highly traditionalist organization which emphasized hierarchy and centralization. Eisner insisted on maintaining strict control even over creative processes and roundly criticized ideas not in line with his own, thereby discouraging people from taking initiatives for fear of reproach. Regard for people took a back seat to revenues and stock performance. In other words, corporate Disney did not promote openness among its employees, lacked congruity or â€Å"fit† among its component parts, and discouraged open feedback and communication. It was unreceptive to outside influences, preferring to stick to its â€Å"proven† traditions harking back to early Disney years. It felt it has found its equilibrium, and resisted any risk that may disrupt it. In short, Pixar has taken full advantage of

Critically discuss the extent to which capitalism has affected human Essay

Critically discuss the extent to which capitalism has affected human relationships - Essay Example Under these views capitalism has not a ‘stable’ and ‘standard’ format but tends to alternate in order to be adapted to the current political, social and financial conditions of a specific society. Capitalism can have many aspects; however it has certain characteristics and principles that remain the same throughout the years. More specifically, as Mcintyre (1992, 42) found ‘for capitalism to function smoothly, peoples "needs" must conform to the requirements of the production system; at the same time, Capitals search for ever expanding pools of surplus value requires the expansive manipulation of those needs’. One of the sectors that have suffered from capitalism is with no doubt the human relationships. In this case, capitalism has managed to transform not only the ‘structure’ but also the ‘content’ of the relevant relationships alternating their nature and changing their role. The influence of capitalism on human relationships has been intensive mostly the last years. In this context, Langford (1999, 1) stated that ‘in modern Western societies, couple relationships almost always come into being through a more or less powerful experience of emotional ‘bonding’, infused with erotic attraction; Being part of such a couple is held to be fundamental to our happiness, well-being and sense of place in the world; Reproduction, the family, and to a great extent social life itself, are seen as ideally based upon and around the loving (heterosexual) couple; Thus, while ‘falling in love’ remains something of a mystery, it is generally understood and experienced as a beneficial and foundational life event’. It has to be noticed however that the interpretation of human feelings although presenting above as ‘standard’ and ‘expected’ in many occasions they tend to differentiate in accordance with the politi cal

Nuclear Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nuclear Energy - Essay Example This paper shall focus on the advantages of nuclear energy as an alternative to the forms of fuel that are used at present. This paper shall also draw attention to the disadvantages that nuclear energy presents. Risks to human safety and the economic side of nuclear energy shall be discussed as a part of this. This paper shall also seek to look at the possible solutions that may evolve or have already evolved in this area, which may facilitate a safe and clean use of this form of energy for daily needs. Nuclear energy as a form of energy is a relatively new form of energy and the first reactor was created only in the twentieth century. As a result of this, many of the problems that are a part of this technology are yet to be resolved. This however, does not mean that research in this field be completely stopped. Nuclear energy is a form of energy that is produced due to nuclear reactions. The process of fission is used to split the nuclei of uranium atoms that cause an incredible amo unt of energy to be released. The energy that is thus released is then harnessed and used for other purposes. The immense amount of energy that is released needs to be collected in a safe manner. If this is not done, the risk of an explosion looms large and it is such an uncontrolled reaction (during fusion) that is used to create bombs that have the capacity to cause great damage to humankind. The fact that the reaction, once started, can go on through a chain reaction, adds to the charm of nuclear energy as a form of energy. â€Å"Once a uranium nucleus is split, multiple neutrons are released which are used to split other uranium nuclei. This phenomenon is known as a chain reaction.† (Nuclear Energy). Several measures are required to keep such a reaction under control and this contributes to the high initial costs of nuclear energy. The history of nuclear energy, thus, is a short one. The first instance where a controlled nuclear reaction was achieved, was in 1942 – â€Å"the first controlled nuclear chain reaction with the first demonstration reactor—the Chicago Pile 1†. The person associated with this event was Dr. Enrico Fermi. In the same decade, in 1945, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the recognition of the harmful effects of nuclear energy. The first instance of the production of electricity using nuclear energy occurred in 1951. The following decades saw the rise of many nuclear power generators which provided electricity to many people all over the world. An important event in this timeline would be the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979 that showed the world that damage could be done even through civilian nuclear reactors when harm was not intended. No one, however, was injured and it was only till the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine that the extent of the damage that civilian nuclear power could inflict was realized. The Fukushima disaster in 2011 cemented the p lace of nuclear energy as an unsafe form of energy in the minds of many (Nuclear Technology Milestone). As far as the legal aspect of controlling something as explosive as nuclear power goes, there are various laws that seek to curb the manner in which nuclear energy is used around the world. Every country has its own laws to govern its

The quality of risk management in the Civil Engineering Assignment - 1

The quality of risk management in the Civil Engineering - Assignment Example Since the international contractors operate outside their normal business jurisdiction, there are numerous uncertainties. Civil engineers working outside their resident jurisdiction face such difficulties as different management approaches, foreign technology, legal requirements, and uncommon construction practices and systems. The understanding and appreciation of the risks associated with these international projects can be instrumental to the success of these projects. International projects failing to meet the schedule, scope and budget allocated more often have to encounter a horde of impacts some of which bear serious political, social and economic ramifications. U.S. engineering firms have a history of significant involvement in most global markets. These firms continue to aggressively pursue international projects and opportunities. In as much as international projects appear like they are lucrative investments, such projects attract a heightened level of risk. Most participa nts and stake holders such as investors agree that the successful delivery of such projects has in many occasions proven to be quite difficult. In this light, organizations that possess a broad understanding of the political, operations, commercial and construction risk factors have higher chances of successful planning, execution and delivery of international projects. Currency exchange rates, social and political instability are other critical factors that compound the complexities of international engagements. It is however rather complex to identify and make an assessment of the risks linked to capital facilities and there exists limited management techniques or tools that can identify, analyze and deal with the risk. 2. Broadly identify the main aim/s, associated objectives and scientific hypotheses (if applicable); The principal purpose of this research will be to better appreciate and to develop risk identification and assessment methods for projects that are of an internatio nal capital facility project nature. The study’s objective will include but may be necessarily limited to 1. Formulate an inclusive international capital project process or an approach. 2. Device tools that will aid in the identification and assessment of the different risk levels. 3. Structure an internationally accepted project performance appraisal metric. 4. Generate the documents that will help the project teams when tackling such issues and this should also include methods of mitigating the risk. The plan is to conduct sixteen structured interviews with project leaders and civil engineering executives with multinational experience. There are two key purposes that will drive the structured interviews. Firstly, the researcher hopes to gather industry perspective on the attitude toward risk assessment, the hindrances and general trends when involved in international engineering project assignments. This will necessitate the researcher to develop a well structured questionn aire that will not only be used to obtain the attitudes towards risk assessment and resultant concerns but will be extended to contain the rationale and value of international project risk assessment performance, background information characteristic of international projects, procedures and practices of risk management. Secondly, the

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS Essay

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS - Essay Example The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is one of the bodies that ensure the security of the nation by making sure all those who enter the nation will not endanger the country in any aspect, in any form or manner. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State to monitor non-immigrant students. To further this role, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is used to store information about the arrival and departure of non-immigrant students, exchange visitors and their dependents. Studying in the United States is both a privilege and an opportunity however, one has to stay within the rules and regulations contained in the contract, where an individual binds himself with the country as a visitor. The most important of which is staying in status. Before the student’s visa expires, he should leave the country as agreed upon otherwise, the student will definitely suffer a great loss. Such record will affect one’s further applications for travel to the country in the

Book Review of In Labor's Cause Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Book Review of In Labor's Cause - Essay Example In his book "In Labor's Law "Brody's use of comparative analysis and his careful delineation of the unenviable choices facing workers are an important contribution to the rekindled debate over American exceptionalism. The opening two essays (Time and Work during American Industrialism and The Course of American Politics) demonstrate the strengths of the collection well. From the demands of Philadelphia carpenters in 1791 for the ten hour day "They will work from six to six-how absurd!", so remarked the Federal Gazette, for the workers' first collective demand for the ten hour day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with two hours off for breakfast and dinner for which there is a record in American history, to the precipitous decline of the UMWA in the 1970s, Brody applies his wit and intelligence to the peculiarities of American labor developments. These extended essays discuss central questions in the field of labor rights from the colonial period to the present. A pioneer in the evolution of the new labor history David Brody has remained loyal to the traditional consents of labor scholarship-the trade union as an institution, the worker-employer relationship, the role of the state- while displaying a keen sensitivity to the broad historical and cultural context in which these developments occurred. In the third and forth essay Brody discusses about shaping the labor movement and the market unionism in America. Brody writes about the U.S. Communist party and their vital role played in organizing workers at a variety of such large firms as General Electric, Allis-Chalmers, and Ford and in the subways of New York City and on the docks of the Pacific Coast. Most Reds stuck to the hard business of building unions for representing workers' rights, and in this process, distinguished themselves as advocates of racial and gender equa lity in a movement that had historically known neither. The influence of Communists in unions became a flagrant liability only with the onset of the Cold War, and it bred mistrust among rank-and-filers during World War II when Communist party labor officials became the most stalwart enforcers of the no-strike pledge. That certainly did not mean that labor leaders ought to have endorsed and abetted nearly every pillar of U.S. policy during the Cold War. Workers were far better off in the capitalist welfare states of Western Europe than in the Socialist beggar regimes of the Soviet block, and U.S. labor officials played a small but useful part in ensuring that the former did not succumb to the latter. But the labor hierarchy under George Meany and his disciples spent far too much time and prestige on even the more defensible aspects of their foreign policy while labors strength at home slowly eroded. And their covert actions in the Third World all but destroyed the idealistic, democra tic reputation American unionism had build up both abroad and at home during its glory days of the 1930s and 1940s. One result was that few liberal or radical activists in the swelling movements of the 1960s took seriously organized labor's claims that it was an agent of social change. For the first time in history

Students’ fitness and their academic achievement Essay Example for Free

Students’ fitness and their academic achievement Essay Running Head: Discussion Investigations into the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness have produced mixed results. Weber (1983) correlated fitness, using the Iowa Physical Proficiency Profile (including sit-ups, pull-ups, running), to entrance exam scores and grade point averages for 246 male college students. Fitness level had a significant positive relationship with grade point average (r = . 41), but did not relate to performance scores on entrance exams. Hart and Shay (1994) examined mathematics and verbal SAT scores and the Physical Fitness Index in 60 college women. When the relationships between verbal scores and mathematics scores and fitness index were examined, the r values were . 068 and . 146, respectively, although neither was significant at the . 05 level. A battery of fitness tests (e. g. , flexed arm hang, curl-ups, and step test) were administered to 827 female freshmen and subjects were placed in one of three categories of fitness: high, fair or poor (Arnett, 1988). Arnett (1988) found significant differences in grade point average between the groups, with participants with higher fitness levels having higher GPAs. Using various academic measures and fitness measures on school-aged children, studies have also resulted in inconsistent findings. Clarke and Jarman (1991), examining 217 boys (aged 9, 12 and 15), found that there was a consistent, and for some fitness measures, a significant tendency for the students in the high fitness group to have higher means on both standard achievement tests and grade point average. Current studies have used standardized achievement and fitness tests as measures. A study involving 1,767 students in second, fourth and sixth grades examined the relationship between performance on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Test for Reading, Mathematics and Career Education and performance on a variety of physical fitness tests from the Minnesota Performance Test, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Health Related Physical Fitness Tests, and the Texas Physical Fitness-Motor Ability Test (Harris Jones, 1982). For the boys and girls, multiple regression analysis demonstrated a low, but significant, relationship between reading and mathematics ability and the combination of eight motor performance measures examined, five of which were fitness measures. Winn (1993) studied 302 fourth and fifth grade children and examined the relationship between scores on the California Test of Basic Skills (reading, mathematics) and performance on the AAHPERD Presidents Challenge. Using national norms, total fitness and total academic achievement scores were determined. The overall correlation between the total scores was . 213. When each test item was correlated with scores in each of reading, mathematics and language, the correlations ranged from . 043 to . 462, although none of the correlations were significant at the . 05 level. An examination of 7,961 youngsters from 7 to 15 years of age in Australia was conducted by Dwyer, Sallis, Blizzard, Lazarus and Dean (2001). School ratings of scholastic ability were compared with performance on a variety of fitness measures including sit-ups, push-ups, and a 1.6 kilometer run. Across the age groups, there were significant, but weak, correlations (ranging from. 1 to . 27) between fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular force and power) and academic performance. Most recently, the California Department of Education (2002; 2005) reported the results of two studies that examined the relationship between scores on achievement tests and the Fitnessgram. In the first study, performance on the Stanford Achievement Tests and scores on the Fitnessgram for 884,715 students in grades 5, 7, and 9 were investigated. A composite score, ranging from zero to six, was created for physical fitness, in which a student obtained one point for each of the six test items for which the student was determined to be in the healthy zone. In each of the three grades, higher levels of fitness were related to higher academic achievement. The relationship was stronger for math achievement and fitness, especially at higher fitness levels. This study has yet to be published. As a result, no statistical measures are available. Nevertheless, the results were cited by professional sources, such as the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (no date) and the PE Central web site (no date) as evidence that there is a direct relationship between physical fitness levels and academic achievement. In the latter study (California Department of Education, 2005), performance on the California Standards Tests and the Fitnessgram for 1,036,386 students in grades 5, 7 and 9 were compared. Again in this study, students were awarded a composite score, representing the number of fitness test battery items in which they were in the healthy zone. Results were similar to the 2002 study, with higher fitness scores associated with higher scores in English-language arts and mathematics (p . 05). In this study (California Department of Education, 2005), however, only means were reported; thus, no standard deviations were given for the groups compared, nor were effect size measures made to quantify the practical significance of the differences observed between groups. Conclusion In summary, research examining the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness has produced mixed results. Of these, one study has been published only as a press release in which no statistical analysis was reported and a second study had incomplete statistical information to effectively interpret the results (California Department of Education, 2002; 2005). In the remaining investigations the interpretation of the results focused on whether a statistically significant finding was observed. A number of statistical researchers, however, have emphasized that the correct interpretation of research results requires that not only the statistical significance of the data be considered, but also the practical significance of the findings (Sterne Smith, 2001; Thomas, Salazar Landers, 1991; Vincent, 1999). This is particularly important in studies such as the present one, and the ones discussed above, which typically involve very large sample sizes of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of subjects. Due to the effect of sample size on the calculation of statistical significance, with large sample sizes it is possible to calculate statistical significance on a result that has no practical significance (Vincent, 1999). As evidenced by the history of investigations, the importance of understanding the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance in children and youth is relevant, and increased by recent evidence from studies conducted on animals and elderly humans that increased physical activity results in improved cognitive function (Colcombe et al., 2004; 2004; Rhodes et al. , 2003). References Almond, L. , McGeorge, S. (1998). Physical activity and academic performance. British Journal of Physical Education, 29(2), 8-12. Arnett, C. (1988). Interrelationships between selected physical variables and academic achievement of college women. Research Quarterly, 39, 227-230. Clarke, H. , Jarman, B. O. (1991). Scholastic achievement of boys 9, 12, and 15 years of age as related to various strength and growth measures. Research Quarterly, 32, 155-162. Colcombe, S. J. , Kramer, A. F. , Erickson, K. I. , Scalf, P., McAuley, E. , Cohen, N. J. , et al. (2004). Cardiovascular fitness, cortical plasticity, and aging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 101, 3316-3321 Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research. Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, N J: Merrill Prentice Hall Dustman, R. E. , Emmerson, R. , Shearer, D. (1994). Physical activity, age and cognitive function. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2, 143-181. Dwyer, T. , Sallis, J. F. , Blizzard, L. , Lazarus, R. , Dean, K. (2001). Relation of academic performance to physical activity and fitness in children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 13,225-237. Fraenkel, J. R. , Wallen, N. E. (2003). How to design and evaluate research in education (5th ed. ). Boston: McGraw Hill. Harris, D. I. , Jones, M. A. (1982). Reading, math and motor performance. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 53(9), 21-22. Hart, M. E. , Shay, C. T. (1994). Relationship between physical fitness and academic success. Research Quarterly, 35, 443-445 Hopkins, W. G. (2001). New view of statistics: Effect magnitudes. Retrieved July 10, 2004 McAuley, E. , Kramer, A. F. , Colcombe, S. J. (2004). Cardiovascular fitness and neurocognitive function in older adults: A brief review. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 18, 214-220 National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2002). 2001 Shape of the nation report. Reston, VA: Author. Nutrition and physical activity. Overweight and obesity.. Retrieved July 15, 2004 Ogden, C. L. , Flegal, K. M. , Carroll, M. D. , Johnson, C. L. (2002). Prevalence and trends in overweight among U. S. children and adolescents, 1999-2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 17281732. Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. (1992). Normative data from the 1985 school population fitness survey for use with the presidents challenge youth physical fitness program. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Plato, The republic,Book III, 412A-B. Translated by Conford, 1945, pp. 101-102 Rhodes, J. S. , van Praag, H. , Jeffrey, S. , Girard, I. , Mitchell, G. S. , Garland, T. Jr. , et al. (2003). Exercise increases hippocampal neurogenesis to high levels but does not improve spatial learning in mice bred for increased voluntary wheel running. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117, 10061016. Sterne, J. A. C. , Smith, G. D. (2001). Sifting the evidence whats wrong with significance tests? British Medical Journal, 322, 226-231. Symons, C. W. , Cinelli, B. , James, T. C. , Groff, P. (1997). Bridging student health risks and academic achievement through comprehensive school health programs. Journal of School Health, 76, 220-227. Thomas, J. R. , Salazar, W. , Landers, D. M. (1991). What is missing in p is less than .05? Effect size. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 62(3), 344-348. Vannier, M. , Poindexter, H. B. (1964). Physical activities for college women. Philadephia: W. B. Saunders. Vincent, W. J. (1999). Statistics in kinesiology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Weber, J. R. (1983). Relationship of physical fitness to success in college and to . rsonality. Research Quarterly, 24, 471-474. Winn, K. L. (1993). A study of the relationship between physical fitness levels and the academic achievement of fourth and fifth grade students. Unpublished masters thesis, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.

The Gediminas Castle Essay Example for Free

The Gediminas Castle Essay The funicular is 71m long and will take you 40m high. The angle is said to be 36 degrees. Opening hours 10.00 19.00 all year round. Tickets: up and down adults 3Lt, pensioners and school children 2Lt up OR down adults 2 Lt, pensioners and school children 1Lt The so called Upper Castle, or Gediminas Castle, was built at the beginning of the 14th century on the site of an earlier wooden one. A century later it was rebuilt and strenghtened. Along with the Lower Castle (now gone) and the defensive wall it formed a powerful defensive system. But slowly itlost its importance and after the damage caused in the war with Russia in 1655, it was left unrebuilt. After the World War II the best surviving tower was restored. It now houses a museum and an observa- tion platform. The museum is open: May Sept 10.00 19.00 whole week Oct April Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 to 17.00. Entrance fee 5Ltl for adults, pensioners and school children 2Ltl. To the east of the tower are the ruins of the ducal palace. The Gediminas Tower is an important historic symbol of the city of Vilnius and of Lithuania. It is the only remaining part of the Upper Castle. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas the Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There is historic evidence of a castle being located at the top of Gediminas Hill since the early 14th century. The original castle was made of wood and there is uncertaintainty around when exactly the stone castle was built. Originally the castle was built to protect the city of Vilnius from invaders and gave a great vantage point ove the city and surrounding countryside. Over the centuries the city of Vilnius was attacked five times but the castle was never successfully taken. It was only in the 17th century, during the war with Moscow, did the castle finally succumb to foreign invasion when  it was nearly completely destroyed. Recently, parts of the castle have been restored, but access to the interior of the castle is still not possible for visitors. Fairly easy walk (assuming youre wearing good walking shoes) up Gedeminas Hill allows for wonderful views of Vilnius. The orange-red roofs of old town spread out below, while taller modern buildings can be seen in the distance, a reminder that Vilnius is both a historical site and modern, living city. At the top of the hill stands the remains of the Upper Castle, built in the 15th century. Inside the tower is a museum detailing some of the citys history. Climb to the top of the tower for even better views of the city below. For a change of pace, take the funicular down to the bottom of the hill when youre ready to leave. Its a fun ride, and quick! The first timber castle was built on Castle Mount by Grand Duke Gediminas around 1320. It was replaced by a brick one in the second half of the 14th century, which had to be re-built by Grand Duke Vytautas after a fire in 1419. The castle served the Polish kings as a bell foundry and a jail and, later, as King Sigismund Augusts library. In 1655 it was conquered by the Muscovites, which was the start of its gradual decline. The only remaining part of it at present is just one tower which houses the Museum of the Castle. From its top you can admire the panorama of Vilnius. Unfortunately, we could only see the castle from below. There were no signposts to the funicular and it was getting too late for us to attempt a walk. The pictures of the panorama of the town were taken by my friend on her stay in Vilnius. All Lithuanians know a legend about establishment of Vilnius city. It was the beginning of 14th century when Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas stopped for an overnight near confluence of Neris and Vilnele rivers. That night he dreamt an iron wolf howling on a hill. In the morning his soothsayer Lizdeika explained his dream as a sign for him to build here a city as it will become a well known and widely resounded in all over the World. Gediminas ordered to pour a mound at the same place he slept. On the hill there a castle was built, the predecessor for the nowadays Gediminas castle. According to archeological researches, the hill where Gediminas castle stands nowadays was already inhabited in a Neolithic period. In 11-13th centuries a wooden castle here stood. The same as Vilnius city, it was mentioned in 1323 for the first time. For more than 250 years since 1315, when a dynasty of GediminaiÄ iai ruled the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the complex of Vilnius castles served as a solid defensive structure. The complex included the Bottom castle, the Upper castle and the Skew castle. The Bottom castle extended in a territory of a few hectares. It stood at the same place where now the Vilnius Cathedral stands. It looked as a separate city as it included a school, an arsenal, stables, living buildings, a cathedral. However, it finally vanished in 1800. The newly built Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania nowadays symbolizes the former Bottom Castle. The Skew castle stood on the Skew hill, the same one which nowadays is known as the Bleak hill where a monument called â€Å"Three Crosses† is erected. The Skew castle was burnt in 1390 by German Order. Remains of the Upper castle are still standing on Gediminas hill. This castle is also called Gediminas castle. There were times when it was one of the most important political centers in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There is also a tower of Gediminas castle located which can be seen well from any place in Vilnius Old Town. The tower nowadays serves as a museum, an observation square and a symbol of Vilnius and the whole Lithuania. The museum located in the tower of Gediminas castle is a part of National museum of Lithuania. There is an exposition called â€Å"Guns and an iconography of the castle† exposed. Visitors can get acquainted with models of the complex of Vilnius castles, historical weaponry and iconography of the old Vilnius. Tourists can climb up the Gediminas hill themselves in order to visit the castle and the tower or they can use an elevator working there daily. Marvelous views of Vilnius city open from the top of the Gediminas hill. Some people, especially youth, like settling on a spacious stone fence here and watch the city life from above. It is an impressive place where young fellows like to take their girlfriends, city guides always include this destination to tours around Vilnius, the hill is often visited by schoolchildren excursions and separate tourists. The only inconvenience about the place is that you must be on time to get down the hill in order  not to be locked in the hill territory. The hill is not available to climb up all day long.

Lean or Agile Principles in Ryanair’s Operations

Lean or Agile Principles in Ryanair’s Operations This section of the report analyses to what extent lean or agile principles in Ryanairs operations have been applied, adhered to and how these principles have contributed to the companys successful performance. Lean Operations According to Womack and Jones (2003), a company serves its customers for a certain purpose and fulfils a specific customer need. This is achieved through single processes which are in turn carried out by people the companys employees. The idea of lean operations derives from the notion that all these individual processes within a companys operations need to create value for the customer. If, however, a single process cannot be identified to add additional value, then, under a lean operations principle, this process can be considered as wasteful and should be cut out of operations. (Sutherland and Bennett, 2008; Womack and Jones, 2003) Since a lean operations process aims to remove unnecessary and no value-adding activities, it has been argued by Aitken, Christopher and Towill (2002) that the lean operations principle might be more suitable for products and services with rather constant demand and a low degree in variation. Mason-Jones, Naylor and Towill (2000) go even one step further and argue that the lean principle should primarily be applied for commodity products or services. Ryanair and the Lean Operations Principle With the above definitions in mind, a clear line to Ryanairs operations can be drawn.The company has shaped the European air-travel market and has largely contributed to the fact that air travel has been viewed more as a commodity service in recent years. Especially at Ryanair, air travel is viewed as a means of transportation, bringing their customers from point A to point B without any additional service offerings almost purely a commodity service. (Strategic Direction, 2004) With its low-cost model and its definition of air travel as a commodity service in mind, Ryanair has deliberately been striving to remove all activities from their operations which do not add customer value in the light of this definition; such activities have been described as wasteful by Sutherland and Bennett (2008) and have been grouped into seven distinct categories. Based upon these different categories, an analysis of Ryanairs lean operations model follows: In terms of Ryanairs business model, overproduction can be seen as any additional service offerings other than pure transportation. Ryanair succeeded in making its customers only demand for the pure transportation service from the company. It rigorously cuts out passenger service; food, drinks as well as baggage serviceare only available at extra cost while multi-class airplanes and inflight entertainment have been eliminated completely. (Strategic Direction 2004; Strategic Direction, 2006) Delay/Waitingis time that is lost between two activities that do add value (Sutherland and Bennett, 2008). In order to remove waste resulting from waiting, Ryanair tries to keep an airplanes time on ground, that is its turnaround time, as short as possible. This is achieved by exclusively serving smaller, secondary airports with lower traffic. In addition, minimal catering activities need to be performed and baggage handling is simplified because there is no through checking to other flights. (McCormick, 2010; Strategic Direction, 2006) Transportation/Conveyanceactivities can be sustained valuable by applying point-to-point operations in contrast to hub and spoke operations applied by many large national carriers. This system reinforces Ryanairs commitment to bring its passengers from A to B and not to intervene in their possible onward journeys. (McCormick, 2010; Strategic Direction, 2004) Motionat Ryanair can be seen as unnecessary steps in the middle of an operating process; the company removed such a step by means of disintermediation in its ticket-selling process. At the beginning, flights were sold over the phone whiletoday the company almost exclusively sells its flights through its homepage, hence avoiding the involvement oftravel agencies completely. (McCormick, 2010; Strategic Direction, 2004) Inventories are greatly reduced and more easily controlled by only using one aircraft type, the Boeing 737-800. Through such fleet standardisation, spare parts for maintenance can be acquired in bulk and used throughout the entire fleet (Strategic Direction, 2004). Furthermore, staff utilisation can be increased since all employees are able to operate on the entire fleet, increasing flexibility in operations.(Human Resource Management International Digest, 2007; McCormick, 2010) Ryanair reduces wasted space by using its capacity on each flight efficiently. By selling seats for different prices, varying according to season, time of the day and time of booking the company strives to minimise the number of lost capacity in terms of empty seats (Human Resource Management International Digest, 2007). Furthermore, at the airport, Ryanairs check-in areas are reduced to a minimum since a large part of check-in can be performed over the internet by the customer. Despite their late popularity, self-service check-in machines are not used by Ryanair since they consume additional space and represent one additional unnecessary step in the companys operations. (McCormick, 2010) Finally, the concept of reducingerrors in Ryanairs operations can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, employee utilisation in the company is very high. Employees are responsible for carrying out a variety of different tasks; flight attendants not only sell refreshments on board, they are also required to assist in the cleaning and baggage handling process when necessary. This allows the company for more control over a variety of processes because employee involvement is higher. (McCormick, 2010) Secondly, processes that are not core to the company are outsourced and performed by specialists like check-in or baggage handling services. Using their expertise reduces the risk of errors and keeps the number of employees within the company low. (McCormick, 2010 This analysis shows that Ryanair clearly puts a lean operations strategy at the heart of its processes, resulting in doing more with less (Aitken, Christopher and Towill, 2002, p.61) to achieve its goal for customers. A Limitation to the Lean Approach As the preceding discussion shows, Ryanair has succeeded in converting their service offer to a commodity applying a lean approach and exploiting its benefits. However, it has been argued by Polito and Watson (2006) that a lean approach might get to its limits as soon as customer demand is increasing since not enough resources are available in order to meet changing demand. In the case of Ryanair a standardised fleet might represent such a limit. If demand on a certain route increases sharply, Ryanair might find it difficult to react instantly with increased capacity; as larger aircrafts are not available, a simple aircraft change for a given flight in order to increase capacity is not possible. Instead, an additional flight on the given route might be considered which involves negotiating extra landing rights (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2005). Agility and Ryanair A Conclusion The previous example shows that Ryanair, with its high degree of leanness in process operations, might find it difficult to react to sudden, unforeseen changes in the environment instantly; such reactions require a company to be agile and have certain resources at hand that can be considered wasteful in a lean approach (Mason-Jones, Naylor and Towill, 2000). Agility is associated with higher flexibility and responsiveness to market changes (Aitken, Christopher and Towill, 2002) but as long as Ryanair is able to defend its concept of selling its service as a commodity, where flying is solely about transportation and highly valued by its customers, there might be no need for the company to incorporate aspects of agility into its lean operations processes.

What is Worldview? Essay examples -- Christian Worldview, Biblical Wor

After reading the fourth chapter heading of Consider, the first definition of worldview that came to my mind was â€Å"view of the world† just from a literary perspective. The co-authors defined worldview as â€Å"a framework a person brings to decision-making† (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p.51). Everyone has a worldview with main characteristics that are ever changing. Different sources influence this framework such as parenting, friendship, telecommunication or internet media, educational and religious sectors. Hindson and Caner (2008) propose standardization methods of worldview are measured either by emotions and feelings, socialism, or the truth (Hindson & Caner, 2008, p.499). Recognition of a person’s worldview can be found based on ones answer to several reality questions surrounding God (origin), human nature (identity), reality (meaning/purpose), after life (destiny), values (morality or ethics). My own definition of worldview is set of beliefs about the most important issues in life and my reaction to it. While in agreement with Jeff Baldwin’s eyeglass concept, I choose to compare my Christian worldview to an internal navigational system. When I am lost and need to be found, Christ is omnipresent. He knows my location and guides me into another direction. â€Å"It’s a roadmap, a guide for getting around in life, for interpreting reality, and for making choices† (The Importance of Worldview, 2011, p.11). Hopefully my final destination will be in the â€Å"city of gold, as clear as glass† (NLT, Revelation, 21:18). â€Æ' BIBLICAL/CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW The Question of Origin As the first book of the Old Testament convey, Genesis, and its Greek meaning â€Å"in the beginning,† life originated with God in the Garden of Eden. Accor... ...concerns that I have for others. Work Hard From Genesis throughout the New Testament, God put us humans to work. The Bible condemns laziness (Proverbs 19:15) and every man or woman should be providers of their household through hard work (Proverbs 14:23). Personally, I cannot find anything in the Scripture that will guide me towards a certain career path. However, in all jobs Christians must work wholeheartedly by exceling in performance not for the employer but for Christ (Colossians 3:23) â€Æ' References A Sure Foundation. SMI Healthcare Bible Study (The Importance of Worldview, 2011, p.11) Retrieved from http://www.thesmi.org/HCBS/hcbs2.PDF Hindson, E., & Caner, E. (2008). The Populer Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers. Weider, L., & Gutierrez, B. (2011). Consider. Virginia Beach: Academx Publishing Services, Inc

The Power of Myth Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, Joseph Campbell

According to Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth, one archetypal mythic hero appears in diverse cultures in different forms. Two protagonists in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki share similar heroic characteristics despite their different backgrounds and cultures. One of the concepts explained in The Power of Myth is the stages of human development. Campbell states that â€Å"As a child, you are brought up in a world of discipline, of obedience, and you are dependent on others. All this has to be transcended when you come to maturity, so that you can live not in dependency but with self-responsible authority† (Campbell 87). Thor and Santiago both experience the stages of human development, from dependence to maturity. In The Alchemist, Santiago decides to become a shepherd and travel the world, disobeying his parents who want him to be a priest. When his father says â€Å"Amongst us, the only ones who travel are the shepherds†, Santiago makes up his mind to become a shepherd. (Coelho 9). In Kon-Tiki, Thor was disappointed and discouraged because his theory is rejected and ignored by people. However, soon, he decides to sail the sea with few other people to show that his theory is right. Thor says to his friend, â€Å"I’m so sure the Indians crossed the Pacific on their rafts that I’m willing to build a raft of the same kind myself and cross the sea just to prove that it’s possible† (Heyerdahl 23). Santiago’s making his own decisions and Thor’s taking action to get out of his helpless situation show their developments to the more mature human beings. According to The Power of Myth, one of the characteristics of hero is to encounter troubles. He explains, â€Å"The trials are designed to see to it that the intending hero sh... ... by giving money to prepare sailing, and equipments that they need while sailing. Also, when they struggle to settle on the land, the native people help Thor and his companions. Native people helped them settle the raft on the island, and to reach the destination. According to Thor, the native inhabitants â€Å"pointed westward indicating that they were heading toward dangerous reefs† (Heyerdahl 182). Listening to this, they got prepared for the dangerous way and succeed go through there. These examples demonstrate that the two protagonists escape from their troubles with the help of other people. In conclusion, the two characters in The Alchemist and Kon-Tiki share similarities in their stages of human development, encountering troubles, and getting help from other source. These supporting details illustrate the universality of the characteristics of mythic heroes.

Prejudice to Kill a Mockingbird Essay

Prejudice denotes a prejudgment and negative opinion formed without adequate knowledge or justification. Individuals who are prejudicial are often biased and act unfavourably to other groups, particularly those of differing race and socio-economic status. Ideas and themes about prejudice are strongly evoked through Harper Lee’s 1960 novel â€Å"To Kill a Mocking-bird† and the poem â€Å"The Child† by Valerie Church. â€Å"To Kill a Mocking-bird† explores the prejudices associated with the coloured and underprivileged community group in a small town of the central Alabama which contrasts to the simplistic nature of a mentally-disabled boy in â€Å"The Child†. Through the juxtaposition of ideas conveyed in both texts, audiences are confronted with a greater understanding of the differing aspects of prejudice. Racism is and continues to be one of the most common types of prejudice experienced and exercised within the international community. Traditionally, the importance of race and skin tones was believed to signify the wealth or superiority of an individual or group. Written in the 1960’s America, Lee’s novel concentrates on the negative impact and effect of the orthodox prejudices held against the coloured community. Derogative connotation to the minority black community as â€Å"niggers†, portray the constant racial prejudice experienced by them within the small town of. Although the protagonist family are of Anglo descent, they fall victims to racial prejudice in their attempt to defend a black person in the court of law. The importance of skin tone is expressed through imagery, where Atticus explains the need to symbolically â€Å"climb† into someone’s â€Å"skin† to consider the light of their circumstances. Further, the repetition of â€Å"nigger lover† connotes the negative attitude Atticus and the Finch family experiences in response to helping Tom Robinson, one of the mockingbirds in the text. Lee’s employment of the mockingbird as a motif symbolises the harmless and caring nature of the black community who â€Å"never annoy you† but are heavily prejudiced against simply because of the colour of their skin. As the salient theme within the text, â€Å"To Kill a Mocking-bird† highlights the dire impact of radical prejudice and the disparity between members of difference races within 1960’s America. Another aspect of prejudice which is presented within the â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird†, is the importance of socio-economic class which connotes an individual’s standing within a community. Within the text, the town of Maycomb is divided into three distinct socio-economic classes from the well respected white working class, the â€Å"white trash† to the African American community. The classes are about the same as each other as they have the same type of people in each, the good and the bad. Scout soon realises, â€Å"there’s just one kind of folks. Folks†. Even the children in Maycomb are aware of the socio-economic class between the groups of people in the town. It is most noticed on the first day Scout went to school; Walter did not bring his lunch and Miss Caroline tried to lend him a quarter. As the Cunninghams did not borrow what they could not lend back, Walter refused and Miss Caroline became frustrated until Scout responded with â€Å"he’s a Cunningham† which reveals even adolescents in the community actively categorise individuals into stereotypes. Lee has used the freedom of the black community to portray a small town’s reaction to their freedom. Those from the black community fortunate enough to have an education were well respected as they had good jobs compared to the rest of the black community. There is a fourth social class briefly mentioned as there only a couple of them. Children of Dolphus Raymond, they are half black and half white. They do not fit in either the black nor white community as they have blood of the other race. As Jem says ‘Around here, once you have a drop of Negro blood that makes you all black’, refers to the townsfolk’s thoughts and beliefs on people with a black heritage. Physical and emotional separation is a prominent theme conveyed in both â€Å"The Child† and â€Å"To Kill a Mocking-bird†. Church’s â€Å"The Child† opens with the persona’s use of third person to recount their sight of a small boy with â€Å"an incomplete brain†. The use of the metaphoric connotation to the boy offers audiences the view that child is mentally- disadvantaged and is subject to prejudice of the general public with their â€Å"cruel eyes†. This representation emphasises the importance of physical appearance especially in a society which often judge and assess an individual by their exterior. As Church conveys that the boy experiences â€Å"mocking voice of the other boys†, this emphasises the importance of physical appearance to become accepted in the community even though traditionally, adolescents are presumed to be innocent and free of prejudice. Although physically, the young boy has a â€Å"simple exterior†, Church highlights that the boy is subject to prejudice due to his physical appearance which reveals his disabled nature. Further, this poem also highlights circumstances in which individuals deal with prejudices as the young boy reverts to smiling â€Å"simply at the onlookers†. Whilst â€Å"totally happy in his world†, Church use of imagery emphasises the positive responses to prejudice even though he is still physically separated from civilisation as he is standing â€Å"on the opposite kerb† being mocked by the other boys. The repetition of the young boy’s physical separation from the others assists in emphasising the physical aspect of prejudice. Valerie Church’s â€Å"The Child†, is an emotive poem which strongly addresses the physical nature of prejudice and the simplistic views by a young boy to combat issues of prejudice. Prejudice is both a physical and emotive concept which is prevalent within society. Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mocking-bird† and Valerie Church’s â€Å"The Child† are texts which offer insight to the effect of prejudices based on both race and physical appearance. Both texts address the dire consequences of prejudicial acts and comments which continue to separate those in a society. Thus, the study of both texts has allowed audiences to gain a deeper and more extensive insight in the various aspects of prejudice. Word Count: 1,000Ã'Ž

Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman Democracy Essay

â€Å"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.† – Plato The question at hand is whether there were any similarities that led to the fall of Ancient Greek and Roman democracies. This essay will discuss how wars and territorial expansion led to a rise in populism, which brought political chaos, and how it is the fundamental cause of the decline of democracy in Ancient Greece and Rome. The first forms of democracy started in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. In Ancient Greece, democracy and politics were more related to the Athenian city-state – because Sparta was more of a military dictatorship – than any other city-state in the region. As for Rome, the brief period between the Roman Kingdom and the Roman Empire, known as the Roman Republic, came to be a symbol of democracy in the Ancient Roman time period. Though democracy is defined as a form of government in which its people make decisions that directly influence their daily lives, the ancient forms of democracy were slightly different. It is clear that the Athenian city-state was more democratic than the Roman Republic, but both had forms of oligarchy that tampered with the image of ideal democracy. The Roman Republic had its Senate, and the Athenian city-state had its Areopagos, groups of aristocrats that usually dominated the region’s politics. Some sources even suggest that â€Å"Rome n ever became a democracy in the sense that they (the citizens) ever controlled the government for long.† But whatever democracy existed in these areas was short-lived. Even though these democracies existed in different time periods, they had similar reasons to their downfall. Scholars suggest that these democracies fell because of the sheer landmass each had to control after their numerous victories. The Roman Republic stretched the Italian Peninsula and controlled parts of Northern Africa; Athens ruled much of mainland Greece and the Ionian states (the Delian League basically put the Ionian states under Athenian subjection) along the Mediterranean coastline. The constitutions built for Athens and the Roman Republic were figuratively too small to control these newly added territories. Since the constitutions were made only to satisfy the populations of the homeland itself, the constitutions had gaps in which politicians abused, ultimately  leading to political corruption. Another cause reasoned for the downfall of democracies in both states is the democracies’ fallout with thei r common citizens. Citizens of Rome and Athens consequently wanted a single strong ruler after years of war had created panic among all levels of government. However, though these two reasons are valid, there was another significant cause for the fall of these two democracies. The rise of populism in both the Athenian city-state and the Roman Republic was crucial to the deterioration of their democracies. The Athenian city-state fought many wars such as the Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian Wars. To fight these wars, the Athenians needed income. The common Athenian citizen had to fund the war, similar to the Roman Plebeians and their war taxes, creating heavy discrepancies between the rich and poor. This in turn paved the way for many populist reforms – reforms that favored the working class – most importantly, Pericles’ reforms. Pericles removed the property restrictions on army enlistment to provide more troops in the Athenian war machine. This reform, along with the previous reform of Cleisthenes that enlarged the Council of 400 to five-hundred people, allowed for the â€Å"†¦ involvement of a large part or even the whole of the citizen body in the state’s affairs,† giving the citizens too much power. Citizens, w hom had no experience in politics, started to make decisions for the Athenian public. This proved detrimental in Second Peloponnesian War, when Athens could not effectively place its troops because of quarrels within the Council of 500 (and a weakened Areopagos due to Pericles’ reforms), leading to a defeat that nearly crumbled the existing form of democracy in Athens. This inefficiency of the government moved citizens and thinkers, such as Plato, to view democracy as an ineffective form of rule. Citizens now shifted their sights to Macedonia as their only hope for survival. The case for the Roman Republic is similar. The plebeians funded wars which created discrepancies between the Patrician class and the Plebeians. This allowed the Patricians to dominate the state’s resources, such as land, which started to deteriorate the economy of the Republic. To counter these movements, reformers such as the Gracchus brothers and Gaius Marius turned to populist ideals to gain a strong plebeian holding. In trying to do so, the reformers disobeyed many of the constitution’s preexisting laws which brought  political instability: Tiberius Gracchus tried to illegally obtain another year as tribune, resulting in the first â€Å"daggers in the forum,† Gaius Gracchus tried to start a plebeian reform, which failed, and Gaius Marius and Sulla created a clash between the populares and optimares, creating conflict within Rome. These attempts at populist reforms seemingly started a trend within politicians to undermine the authority of the Roman constitution. Sulla was elected dictator for two consecutive terms – Roman law only allowed for a single term in case of national emergency – and Julius Caesar declared himself dictator-for-life and crossed the Rubicon into Rome with his troops, which were both illegal. All of these attempts at populist reforms created confusion amongst the Roman public, whom now viewed dictatorships more pleasurable than the current Republ ic mess. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Octavion took over, marking the end of the Roman Republic. As discussed above, wars were the backbone to the populist movements. It is important to note, however, that in Ancient Greece, the fall was associated more with the populist reforms itself, and that in Ancient Rome, the fall was associated more with the push for populism, rather than the reforms itself. Another rather interesting fact was that the increase in democracy in Greece actually led to the demise of the democracy itself. However, in all, populism was a common factor that brought the collapse of the democracies in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Roberts, J. M. â€Å"The Making of the Roman World.† The Penguin History of Europe. London, England: Penguin, 1997. 51. Print. [ 2 ]. Roberts, J. M. â€Å"Ancient Greece.† The Penguin History of Europe. London, England: Penguin, 1997. 31. Print. [ 3 ]. A term used to describe the first appearance of violence in the Roman General Assembly; it is blamed for start of the disregard of the Roman constitution by many politicians to follow.