Investgaton in salon service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Investgaton in salon service - Essay Example In fact, statistics estimate that the salon industry will be a booming market as from 2017 (Jenster, 2005). The objective of this report is to discuss how marketing has influenced the demand for salon services. Beginning a salon business is not easy. It requires investments in time, labour, and opportunity costs of working somewhere else (Ellis, 2010). The world market is crowded, and few customers are fickle, therefore, the salon entrepreneurs require ways to tackle these challenges. Market analysts argue that with good salon marketing, it would be easy to tackle any challenge in the market (Jones, 2008). Marketing is a difficult task that requires proper planning (Brown, 2012). Steady fast execution of the plans is an added advantage. Salon industries that have dominated the markets for longer periods of time have made simple and effective marketing plans. The owners of these salons knew what their priorities were, therefore making their plans simple and effective (Morris, 2006). The paper has a detailed analysis of marketing-related recommendations for the salon industry. During The past decades saw a perception that salons were ‘salon only’ retail facilities. Nowadays, after evolution of this industry, the salons go directly to the customers especially using online services. Literature reviews and studies indicate that the issue of diversion has been a challenge for most saloon owners (Lilien, 2012). During the past, most saloon-only products were diverted illegally. Surprisingly, during the past, some major saloons placed their products on retail shops rather than wholesale shelves (Entrepreneur Press, 2012). With increase in marketing tools, especially advertisements and the social media, not only the distributors of salon products will sell directly to the consumers, but also the manufacturers of these products (Schmidt, 1991). The

Political Parties in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Political Parties in Nigeria Essay Democracy no doubt is the world’s current new bride. To the extent that everyone Politicians, Journalists, statesmen and even laymen – call themselves democrats while those who wish to defend a regime no matter its nature call it democracy (Williams 1995:65), one could aptly say the world is in the age of democracy. But as democracy is gaining currency the world over, it need be stated that the Institution of political party constitutes the lubricant of the current democratic wave. This is because, political parties serves as vehicle for expressing myriad of world views held by citizens as well as an instrument to garnering the informed and active participation of the citizens in the political process which constitutes the hallmark of any democratic practice. As noted by Hague and Harrop (1987:141-142), party competition is the hallmark of liberal democracy because it is the device which makes governments responsive to the electorates by providing voters with some choice while simultaneously restricting that choice to a few broad alternatives. In other words, the greater the number of parties and / or the latitude of freedom, the more democratic the political system is or becomes while the the more they are conscripted, the lesser the likelihood of a democratic political system. This view was also shared by Anifowoshe (2004: 59) when he noted that the condition of the political parties in a political system is the best possible evidence of the nature of any democratic regime. It must however be stated that while parties constitute the piston in the engine of democracy, the nature and activities of political parties themselves may constitute a stumbling block in the way of democratic growth and sustenance. This has been the paradox of party politics in Africa where the institution has remained largely underdeveloped. Instances abound where activities of parties have been a major factor in the decline of democratic politics or outright termination of democratic administrations and their subsequent replacement by military authoritarian regimes. In this context, the Nigerian state is a reference point. Nigeria became independent in 1960 after years of colonial rule. Independence ushered in a multi party democracy under a Westminster parliamentary model. However, due to a number of circumstances including intra and inter party bickering and, political excesses of parties and their leaders among others, the first democratic republic was truncated in January 1966 following a bloody coup detat championed by the five Majors. The abrupt termination of the first republic also ushered in a thirteen-year long military rule that lasted till October 1, 1979. Nigeria had another taste of multiparty democracy between October 1979 and 31st December 1983. However, like most of the parties of this period themselves, the problems of the first republic reincarnated to mare the democratic processes, culminating in the military coup of December 31st 1983 and the beginning of a second phase of military rule in the country. Indeed, the second phase of military rule in Nigeria which lasted between December 1983 and May 29, 1999 was the most dramatic and traumatic in the history of the country. It was a period mostly characterized by series of coups and counter coups, political maneuverings and above all, endless transition to civil rule programmes or what Diamond et al (1997) has aptly dubbed ‘Transition without End’. But while the political imbroglio of that period cannot be blamed out-rightly on the excesses of political parties and their leaders, the need to avoid such was always advanced as a defensive mechanism for continuous tinkering with the then transition process. For instance, reasons for dissolution of the 13 political associations that first prelude the third republic and their consequent replacement by government created SDP and NRC and, annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that eventually calumniated in the abortion of the third republic were carefully crafted under the need to avoid repeat of mistakes of the past republics. Detailed work on this has been done by scholars and need not be recounted here (See, Diamond et al 1997). However, what must be stressed here is that, Nigeria’s current democratic experience was the end product of a long and tortuous journey through the woods of military autocracy. Although the decade of the 90’s generally was characterized by external pressures for democratization around the world, the resilience and perceptions (rightly or wrongly) by Nigerians that democracy holds prospect for a better life was also a major factor that sustained the struggle. Also, perhaps, in acknowledgment of the sanctity of the party institution to democratic sustenance, the country has continued to operate a â€Å"growing† multiparty democracy since 1999. Thus, from three parties in 1999, it currently has over thirty political parties with prospects of more to be registered. Against this long background, this paper seeks to examine the role of parties in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy. Further to this are: To what extent do Nigerian political parties conform to their expected role in the political system or in sustaining democracy? What are the encumbrances (if any) on their performance in Nigeria? What is / are to be done to place Nigerian political parties on the part of vibrancy vis-à  -vis democratic sustenance? Unraveling these problematic calls for rigorous inquiry. But to start with, situating the role of parties in a universal context is essential. Political Parties and Democracy: Theoretical Framework Political party is one of the genuses of intermediary groups in a political system. Others include interest groups and pressure groups. Thus, the relationship between viable political party and democratic governance is no doubt axiomatic. Political parties are the lubricant of democracy and without which, democracy based on the western model cannot function (Adele 2001:35). This is essentially because it provides a credible means of harnessing the variety of public opinions essential in sustaining a democratic society. While democracy rests on the informed and active participation of the people, political party is a viable tool in this regard. This perspective is shared by political scientists. As Anifowoshe (2004:59) remarked: Democracy exists where the principal leaders of a political system are selected by competitive elections in which the bulk of the population have the opportunity to participate. As a matter of fact, the condition of the parties, in a political system, is the b est possible evidence of the nature of any democratic regime. Implicit in the above statement is that a party’s level of institutionalization, cohesion and social base, determines the extent of its viability and the extent to which it could be said to be performing its functions in a democracy. In other words, viable political parties contribute to democratic growth much as unviable ones may result in democratic regression. Although there are myriad of definitions on what constitutes a political party, yet they all revolve around electioneering and the control of government. For instance, political parties has been conceived as an instrument for contesting elections for the purpose of selecting candidates and party(ies) to exercise political power (Yaqub 2002:122). This definition is in consonance with that which sees political party as an organization, which is principally, absolutely and actively involved, in the electoral process, in a democracy, with the major intent of winning political power and controlling the government (Onuoha 2 003:137). The import of these definitions is that the major goal of political party is to capture and control governmental powers. This it does through participation in electoral process in which it fields candidates to contest for various posts. Yet, it must be stated that while the major goal of a political party is to capture and maintain control over personnel and policies of government, such at times may have to be done in coalition with other party(ies). This is especially the case where electoral victory is not based on ‘first past the post’ system or where a single party could not win the minimum electoral seats necessary for it to constitute a government. However, beyond fielding candidates for elections and controlling governmental apparatuses, political parties also perform other functions which on the one hand set them aside from other organizations such as interest groups and more importantly on the other hand, makes them sine qua non for democratic development. These include; the task of political recruitment and training, education, socialization, breeding consensus, providing alternative world views and political communication among others (see Okoosi-simbine 2004:85-86; Yaqub 2002:112; Aina 2002:10-12, Onuoha 2003:137). It is the extent to which parties are able to discharge these functions that determine the extent of democratic growth in the country. Important in carrying out the above functions is that part ies especially in culturally variegated societies such as Nigeria must eschew those intervening variables that are likely to mar programmes and policies of the party such as salience of ethnic, religious or other sectional interests. Where this is not avoided, the tendency is that a party will find it considerably difficult in harnessing or mobilizing mass support for democratic growth. The emphasis here is that parties are formed not only to promote policies but also to secure social interests. It therefore follows that parties must have broad social bases in order to be able to aggregate interests rather than articulation of specific sectional ones. Also central to democratic growth through the party system is party institutionalization. That is, the process by which parties become established and acquires value and enduring stability (Huttington, 1965:394). Although the extent of party institutionalization varies with party systems the world over, it is usually measured based on some factors such as party age, count of splits and mergers, electoral stability, legislative stability and leadership change (Janda, 1993:167). Of equal importance is party coherence, which has been defined as the degree of congruence in the attitudes and behaviour of party members’ (Janda 1980:118; 1993:173). There is no gainsaying the fact that the degree of coherence among party members bears direct relevance to party strength and stability. This is because a strong and coherent party in terms of membership and structure is usually stronger and coordinated both in articulating view and garnering electoral support than are fragmented one. It is also the factor of coherence that enable parties to effectively discharge the function of National integration which they are expected to perform especially in plural societies. It must be stressed that, while parties in the advanced countries of Europe and America, are observed to have attained the status described above, those in the developing countries tend to be a little far from it. In other words, political parties in the developing countries cannot be ranked on equal scale with those of the advanced countries in terms of viability of the institution. Hence, it could be reasoned that the difference between the two worlds accounts for the different levels of democratic growth between them (e.g. Nigeria and USA). Although Nigeria has returned to democratic practice since 1999, yet there is a growing concern over the sustenance of its democracy. These concerns obviously owe their origin to the nature of political parties and party politics or activities in the country. Issues surrounding this dilemma are examined next but before this, description of the character and general tendencies of current political parties is essential. Roles and Functions of Political Parties From various literature on political party, it is evident that democracy, especially the liberal majoritarian version would be practically impossible without the institution of political party. This no doubt is anchored on the expected roles of political parties in deepening the democratic process. One major role expected of any political party is the task of political recruitment and education. The centrality of this function lie is the fact that it is directly connected with fulfillment of the common aim of all parties. That is, the aim of fielding candidates for election and capturing or exercising political power either singly or in cooperation with other parties (see, Yaqub 2002:164; Ball 1988:73). In other words, in the process of trying to capture political power, political parties serves as a major instrument/platform through which candidates for public offices are recruited at all levels. This is the case in both socialist as well as competitive liberal democracies. According to Ball (198:77), in such political systems where parties are absent (such as in zero party situation) or weak, political elites are usually recruited from traditional elites or through religious and military organizations. However, such sources of recruitment usually have implications for stability of the regime because they lack the more popular base of political parties. In other words, the institution of political party provides an avenue for recruiting politically ambitious persons into the political elite class. In this, we can also accommodate parties’ role as a credible means of political succession. This is because parties would have narrowed down the number of competitors for a particular office to what it considered the best choice at the material time. This process help reduce pressures on the political system as well as streamline citizens choice. In addition, in the process of campaigns for elections, parties inform and educate the public on important s tate policies and actions much as they do while in power. Even for parties out of power, they provide a constant source of critique of government policies which attimes help to change, modify or improve the quality of policies and programmes. Related to the task of recruitment and education is the role of parties as socializing agents. Generally speaking, most conceptions of socialization agreed that it is a process by which individuals incorporate into their own attitudinal and behavioural patterns, the way of their respective social groups and society (Babawale, 1999:218). If this is true, it follows that in the course of preparing candidates for elections, campaigns and other political activities, the individual within the society is acquiring some attitudinal or behavioural patterns necessary to make a politically vibrant individual. In addition, knowledge about political institutions and processes are acquired and internalized by the individual. Perhaps, this informed why political socialization have been conceived as all formal and informal explicitly or nominal political learning at every stage of the life circle that affects political behaviour, such as learning of politically relevant social attitudes and the acq uisition of politically relevant personality characteristics (Greenstein, quoted in Babawale 1999:219). Another major role of political parties in any political system is in the area of serving as link between rulers and the ruled through what is known as political communication. That is, parties provide a means of expression and information flow, both upward and downward, in any political system. Although, the flow of information is crucial to the survival of any political system, the direction of information flow however varies. For instance, in a liberalized multiparty system, there is tendency for information flow to be tilted more in favour of upward flow. This would allow the ruling party to feel the pulse of the populace as well as respond positively to policy demands. But even for parties out of power, it has a tendency to reinforce collective consciousness of party members and strengthen the level of attachment to the party. On the other hand, where there is a single party, the tendency is that information flow will be more from the top to the bottom. For instance, Hague and Harrop (1987: 140) had noted that in Stalin’s Russia, ‘the democratic’ expression of opinion from the grassroots of the Communist Party was negligible compared with the â€Å"centralist† flow of directive from the top. This notwithstanding, what is important is that, irrespective of the strength or direction of information flow, political parties have the onerous role of serving as a two-way communication process between the government and the people. The formulation and implementation of collective goals is yet another major function of parties. This is because in the process of seeking to capture power, they formulate programmes and policies either through conventions, meetings and even manifestoes which they hope to implement while in office. Some of these issues eventually constitute the collective goals of the society. Related to this is the mobilization role of parties. Indeed, parties are known to have been in the vanguard of mobilizing the citizens. This they do through mass rallies and other forms of display of unity that emphasizes identification between the individual and the party. Hague and Harrop (1987:140) noted that, parties have been the prime movers in the revolutionary upheaval of the modern age. They alluded that the enormous transformations of Russia and Chinese societies in the last century were led by vanguard communist parties committed to radical social changes. So also were the nationalist parties of the third world who played critical role in the attainment of independence and the subsequent attempt to weld new nations out of traditional societies (Hague and Harrop 1987:140-141). In the process of developing collective goals, parties also serve as important agents of articulating and aggregating the myriad of groups and individual interests in the society. Although this is not an exclusive function of political parties as it is also performed by interest groups, but parties are able to do this on a wider and / or national scale. Indeed, all parties have social base that cuts across ethnic, religious, occupational and class divides. It thus serves as a platform through which the diverse interest base are articulated and aggregated to form coherent whole. The underlying assumption here is that parties are able to synthesize and reconcile the multitude of competing interests into a broad national value. It must however be stated that this function of political parties, though important, need not be stressed too far. This is because, most often, parties mainly respond to interests and demands that are consistent with their ideology or in line with controlling int erests in the party. In this context, parties are important agencies in determining which interests are represented in politics and which ones are left out. From discussions so far, it is apparent that the relationship between political parties and democratic sustenance is axiomatic. Indeed, the various roles performed by political parties in the political system are expected to strengthen the democratic processes. This demand also implies that political parties and political leaders must in themselves be democratic. What this translates to is that the extent to which individuals within the party and the party organization itself assimilate democratic tenets to a large extent affects the extent to which they are able to discharge the above roles as well as the quality of democratic growth in the political system. In other words, having democrats is precondition for democracy to take root. How these intricacies of party politics and democratic sustenance have played themselves out in Nigeria will be our next focus after a preview of political parties in the country’s current fourth republic. Parties in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic Political parties in Nigeria’s fourth republic emerged against the background of a military managed transition prograamme which began in 1998 and reached its climax on May 29, 1999 when a new civilian administration was ushered in (see Momoh and Thoeveni 2001). Before this experience, Nigeria has had previous democratic republics between 1st October 1960 when it gained political independence from Britain and January 1966 when it was rudely terminated in a military coup; another one was between October 1, 1979 and December 31, 1983 while a third one was not allowed to take root in the early 1990s because it was eventually truncated by its own architect. What is remarkable about all the republics is that, with the exception of the aborted third republic which had only two parties dejure, all others were characterized by multiparty system. Extensive work on previous republics have been done by Coleman (1971); Joseph 1991; Diamond et al 1997; Ujo 2000 and Yaqub 2002). To begin with, parties in Nigeria’s current fourth republic have been characterized by what could be described as a seesaw numerical transition. This was because, at inception of political activities in 1998, several political associations were registered (though provisionally) as political parties but was later prone down to three before the 1999 elections and by 2003, several others came back on the stage. This numerical transition deserves extensive comment. Upon commencement of political activities in 1998, close to fifty political associations sprang up but at the close of nominations, only twenty-four of them had applied for registration with INEC. After thorough scrutiny, only nine of these parties were formally registered (provisional) by INEC according to its guidelines. These are Alliance for Democracy (AD), All Peoples Party (ANPP), Democratic Alliance Movement (DAM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), United Democratic Party (UDP), United Peoples Party (UPP) and Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ). However, the future and continuous existence of these parties was tied to passing the acid test. To continue to exist and function as a political party, a parting was expected to score at least, a minimum of five (initially ten) percent of the total votes in at least 24 states of the federation during the December 1998 local governments elections. Thus, of the nine parties, only the APP and PDP clearly met the criteria having scored at least five percent in over 24 states of the federation each. The AD was third with 5 percent of votes in 14 states of the federation. However, in addition to the APP and PDP, the AD was also registered partly to assuage the south westerners who were still aggrieved by the June 12, 1993 election imbroglio and most importantly, because of provisions of the electoral laws that the third best party would also be registered in the event of only two parties meeting the recruitments. Consequently, based on the modified criterion, the AD, APP and PDP were registered to contest the 1999 general elections. Following increasing pressures for registration of more parties, three other associations, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), National Democratic Party (NDP) and United Nigeria Peoples’ Party (UNPP), were registered in June 2002 out of over twenty that applied for registration. The registration of these three parties however heightened agitations by those yet to be registered until they were finally registered later in the year. Those factors that made their registration inevitable included subtle blackmail by other associations seeking registration, fragility and growing intra party deputes among existing parties and above all, the resort to litigation by those not registered among others (see, Anifowoshe 2004: 63) Added to this was increasing factionalisation of existing parties. Indeed, the ruling by the Federal Appeal Court in Abuja, FCT, which favoured the registration of more parties, was a major and perhaps most significant factor that prompted registration of more parties by INEC to the extent that about thirty political parties freely contested the 2003 general elections. It must be stated that, although thirty political parties contested the 2003 general elections, the trio of PDP, ANPP and AD have remained dominant since 1999. While the PPD is currently controlling 27 states (previously 28 before the court order that awarded victory of Anambra state governorship election to the APGA candidate earlier this year), the ANPP has seven states and AD, one state. They all however, have their men in the national parliament, though with varying strength. Also, there has been a growing rate of factionalization, crises of succession and internal bickering within the parties. This is with the consequence that more parties and political association have continued to emerge from them to the extent that Nigeria is currently having about 37 political parties with prospects of more to come. The new bride of parties include the ACD, MRDD, Action Alliance †¦ For instance, the rate of factionalization within the ruling PDP have gone to an extent that several factions have emerged as new parties on their own. This was the case with the MRDD spearheaded by a former national chairman and other prominent members of the party. The same account could be read for the recently formed ACD which from all indications is spearheade by imcubent Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Indeed, the PDP is not alone in the troubled waters of dissent. Even notable members of the AD and ANPP are now either full members of one of the newly registered parties or fraternizing with the intention of becoming one. This was the case with the incumbent protem National Publicity Secretary of ACD, Lai Mohammed, who was hitherto a strong member of the AD. Indeed, in the build up to 2007 general elections, there seem to be general disarray among political parties in the country. While new parties have emerged after 2003 general elections, there is nothing to suggest that more will not spring up before the next 2007 elections. But if the deepening or defense of democracy is a prime factor which politicians have always adduced for the alignment and realignment of forces leading to formation of new parties, to what extent have Nigerian political parties with its increasing numbers satisfied this aspiration? Or better still to what extent have they fulfilled the expected roles of parties in a democracy necessary for deepening the process? This is our prime concern in the next section. Nigerian Parties and Democratic Consolidation Perhaps a good way to access the impact of parties on democratic sustenance is to align our thought in this direction with the expected roles of parties in a democracy. Indeed, Nigerian parties by whatever angle they are looked at are political parties properly so called. At least, to the extent that the common aim, as parties elsewhere, is to capture political power and control machineries of government. By implication therefore, they are practically veritable instruments in the recruitment of political leaders and political elites. In fact, viewed against previous experiences, one would observe an increasing sensitization and political education of Nigerians. However, one must be cautious in stressing this argument too far giving the contradictions inherent in the ways and practices of the parties. This is because, at the facial level, parties may have been recruiting candidates for various elective posts, but beneath we may ask: what is the quality of candidates being recreated? Are the parties democratic in their recruitment process? Obviously, answers to these questions are negative. To anchor this further, we may begin on the premise that to have (or sustain) democracy, first, there must be democrats either as individuals or party organizations. It is obvious that at inception of the current democratic administration in 1999,and with exception of the PDP then which had a consensus candidate in Chief Olusegun Obasonjo, all other two parties were not particularly democratic in selecting their presidential aspirants. For instance, the decision of the A D under the influence of Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-cultural organization to select chief Olu Falae as the party’s presidential flagbearer at a meeting held in Ibadan by party elders without allowing proper democratic contest between him and Chief Bola Ige cannot be described as democratic. In fact, the undemocratic nature of what is now the ‘De Rovans Hotel’ episode has been adjudged as a major factor in the crises that has been rocking the party since 1999 (see National Interest June 18 2006:18). So also was the case with the APP between Dr. Olushol Saraki and †¦. The later was eventually selected in a rather spurious manner. Expectedly this action stired controversy within the parties leading to factionalization in the case of the AD and protest votes against the party by Dr Saraki and his supporters in the APP in the 1999 presidential elections. In addition, many of the three parties’ aspirants for other posts were either hand picked or selected in a surreptitious arrangement. Indeed preparations for the 2003 elections witnessed an almost complete disregard of democratic tenets in the process of recruiting candidates for elective offices. Although many of the parties attempted to pick their aspirants, especially presidential nominees, through national conventions, but unfolding events and protests by other aspirants after the conventions smacks of fluidity of the process. The implications of all the above is the increasing factionalization of the parties and rising level of intra party crises. Worrisome as these situations appear, there is nothing yet to suggest advances in democratic direction by the parties even for the 2007 elections. The recent convention of the PDP in which it was resolved (or maneuvered) against the wishes of some other members that its candidates for elections will be by affirmation is a pointer in this direction. Also is the case of the NDP which has already adopted a candidate, Rtd. General Babangida, as its presidential flag bearer for the 2007 election without holding a convention. What we can derive from the above analysis are two fold. First is that a faulty premise cannot produce a sound conclusion. A party whose internal machinery is undemocratic cannot nurture democracy in a larger societal context. Second is that the candidates so recruited have not gone through any democratic training within the party nor tested democratically to ascertain their level of subscription to democratic tenets. In this case, such candidates while in office will likely be intolerant to opposition and above all, perpetuated through undemocratic tendencies. Current unfolding occurrences in the country manifesting in succession crises, third term agenda etc. tend to confirm all the above assertions. In other words, the bottom line remains that, neither Nigerian political parties nor politicians could be regarded as democrats thus cannot effectively and sufficiently contribute to maintaining the system. In terms of political communication and serving as link between the government and the people, Nigerian parties grossly parade a deficit balance in this regard. This is because none of the parties has a functional formal communication channel. The reality is that most of the parties’ structures especially at the grassroots are only vibrant at the approach of elections. After this, they fade away while the party continue to exist only at National and state headquarters. Indeed, the critical ingredients and means of political communication necessary for a vibrant democracy are conspicuously absent in the parties. These include avenues for expression of opinions by citizens, free information flow (upward or downward) among others. These elements help strengthen attachment and loyalty to the party thereby holding prospect for increased political participation. However, Nigerian parties are not forthcoming in this regard. What is apparent is that relations within the parties are mo re of client-patronage relation. Party leaders and elected officers most often become alienated from other party members and even the electorates immediately after election. For the parties in power, the only relation that there from exist between party elites and other members usually is occasional distribution of patronage in order to preserve members support and loyalty while those out of power fizzled away only to re emerge at the approach of another election. For this reasons, harnessing citizens’ initiative or sustaining a vibrant political participation of members becomes difficult with the result of docility in party activities. Indeed, communication is the life wire of any organization the lack of which may result in the organizations eventual death. The party organization and indeed the political system is no exemption in this regard. Perhaps, we can make bold to say that the near zero communication level of Nigerian political parties is a major factor in their inability to institutionalize or funct ion effectively as lubricant of the democratic project. As already noted in this text, parties also play mobilization roles as well as articulate and aggregate the myriad of opinions held by individual and groups within the society. This no doubt facilitates development of collective goals. A careful observation of the Nigerian experience however reveal parties as playing contradictory roles to the above. First, mobilization of citizens has often been limited to periods of electoral campaigns. For Nigerian parties and politicians, election periods are periods to galvanize the people and exhume powerful oratory remarks. The average politician is always willing to visit the nooks and crannies to mobilize and solicit support for the party and candidates. But while this is part of the mobilization function of parties, it need not be confirmed solely to an election period routine. Rather, it is a process that must continue in order to bring out the best from the citizens in terms of input into policies and programmes of the government. But given the psyche of the Nigerian politician and their end-means orientation of politics which is to acquire political power in order to secure economic resources, citizen contribution / input into policies and programmes is of inconsequential effect. This crave for economic security at whatever cost by the political elites could therefore be adduced as a contributing factor to continued non alignment of policies with realities confronting the Nigerian electorates. Another dimension of the faulty mobilization function of parties in Nigeria is that even where they, as elsewhere, have wider social base of support, political maneuverings often create a situation whereby parties resort to politics of ethnic and/or religious mobilization. Indeed, mobilization politics along the lines of ethnic, religious or some other forms of cleavages have been a major character of party politics since independence. For instance most parties of the first republic used divisive mobilization politics to garner electoral support. So also were parties of the second republic. With the exception of AD which is rooted in the south west and maintains affinity with Afenifere, a socio cultural organization in the region, all other parties of the current era could not be said to have their support base restricted to a particular region. However, in the process of electioneering campaigns, many members wittingly or unwittingly often whip ethno-religious sentiments as strategies to mobilize support. Consequently in the prelude to the 2003 general elections, the mood of many Nigerians was that, Religion will play a prominent role in their choice of leaders†¦. Muslim- Christian rivalry was so intense that none of the 30 political parties in the country has managed to develop a firmly national support base. Muslims consider Obasanjo’s ruling peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a Christian party. The all Nigerian peoples party (ANPP) of his nearest rival, Muhammad Buhari is considered by Christians to be a Muslim party (Marahatha Christian Journal, 2003). The emphasis therefore is that, where mobilization is carried on, on a faulty premise, it becomes extremely difficult to articulate and aggregate programmes and policies that serves the national interest. In this context, programmes and policies often articulated are those that are in consistent with that of the dominant interests within the party, be it socio, cultural or economic. In terms of political socialization, it may be argued that there is a tendency for negative socialization among Nigerian political parties. Socialization, conceived in terms of the process by which the individuals incorporate the ways of their respective social groups and society into their individual patterns and behaviour, is expected to be facilitated by political parties through campaigns, rallies and other political activities. In Nigeria, however, this has a negative content arising from series of violence and atmosphere of insecurity that often mare electoral processes in Nigeria. Nigerian parties and politician alike have a penchant for recruiting and making use of political thugs mostly recruited among motor garage boys, unemployed Youths and even Students at moments of campaigns and elections. Such behaviours and orientations which are antithetical to civic culture obviously are imbibed by younger generations. The consequence is that this erodes democratic senses of bargaining and compromise and instead creates the impression that force and crude militancy are the best ways to live and achieve political goals. The negative impacts of the socialization process is already being exhibited at other levels of politics below the state such unionism, especially student unionism. Indeed, student unionism at the tertiary level is expected to evince civic and enlightened qualities by virtue of the place of tertiary institutions in the country. However, a common observable trend in most tertiary institutions in Nigeria is that campus politics has often time been characterized by intolerance, maneuverings, money politics and a host of other negative traits exhibited by Nigerian political parties to the extent that institutions authorities may at times impose sanctions or outright ban on campus political activities. Situations like this no doubt have implications for their future political engagements and by extension, democratic growth in Nigeria. Our endeavour so for has been to trace whether there is an alignment between the expected roles and functions of political parties in sustaining democratic process and the activities of political parties in Nigeria. For one, while the role of parties in democratic sustenance is in controvertible, the Nigerian political parties have not been seen playing these roles. Why is this so is our focus next. Observed Weaknesses of parties in Nigeria From discussions so far, it can be gleaned that the indispensability of political parties to democratic sustenance is not in doubt. What is perhaps worrisome is the ability of Nigerian political parties to function effectively as catalyst for democratic growth. Gleaned from a number of observable trends, some factors serve to explain this unfortunate mess. First we may note ideological emptiness of the parties. Conceived as a set of coherent ideas which guide and tailor behaviour, ideology is expected to fire and sustain inspirations of party members. According to Scruton (quoted in Okoosi-Simbine, 2005:24), parties ideology are moral systems that enshrine the sanctity of contract and promise between them and the electorate because they constitute the political doctrine from which a programme of political action emanates and upon which basis citizens choose how they will like to be ruled. Essentially therefore, parties as organizations with diverse social base must be bounded by such set of common beliefs and ideas in order to help propel a vibrant democratic society. Unfortunately, Nigerian parties and politicians are merely playing survival game. Prime to them from observable trend is the desire to capture and maintain political power irrespective of what this takes. Consequently, this drive to capture power by all means possible tends to erode the performance of other functions necessary for democratic growth. The lack of ideology also serves as conduit for series of political vagrancies that characterized the political terrain. As observed by Aina (2002:19), Nigerian poiticians behave like political bats, changing affiliation in response to perceived fortunes or electoral advantage. Akin to the issue of ideology is what we may refer to as poorly digested manifesto of the parties. The manifesto is basis upon which contract between the rulers and citizens are sealed because it is the representation and/or expression of the political party’s direction, purpose and how it hopes to achieve them while in government (Onuoha 2003:141). It is the party’s statement of intention about how it hopes to achieve good governance. It is therefore the basis upon which performance of an incumbent government can be assessed and balanced against the need for change. Unfortunately, manifestoes of Nigerian political parties have proved to be manifestations of emptiness, similar in content and providing no choice for the citizens. The only difference between them as observed by Okoosi-Simbine (2005:22) is the emphasis they give to the programmes articulated or in a few cases, the strategies for carrying out the objectives. In other words, their manifestoes are more a replica of the other. Again, this close similarity in manifestoes can be hinged on their inability to develop a coherent ideology. As onu0oha (2003:145) rightly observed, any meaningful and functional manifesto must spring from a profound party ideology. Thus, a manifesto without a party ideology is like a body without a soul. In this context, rather than lubri cate democracy, parties constitute more of a burden on democratic practice. Prevalence of primordial sentiment may equaled be adduced as responsible for the inability of Nigerian parties to respond positively to the challenges of democratic sustenance. Indeed, the ability of a party to effectively perform its role especially in multi cultural settings is usually circumscribed by the socio-economic structure of the society. Therefore, since parties are institutions competing for spheres of influence in the socio-economic and political configuration of the society, there is every tendency that there activities will be likely be intertwined with prevalent socio-political sentiments of the society (Suleiman and Muhammad 2006). This is suggestive of current Nigerian parties. Indeed, post independent Nigeria has witnessed party’s base being deeply rooted in ethno-regional and religious sentiments to the extent that the major parties of the first republic (AG, NPC and NCNC) and their second republic successors (especially NPN, NPP and UPN) are often regarded as ethnic pressure groups. While parties of the current fourth republic may not be so deeply rooted in a particular region, nonetheless, the continuous use, overtly or covertly , of ethnic and religious sentiments in party politics reinforces social divisions among the populace which in turn weakens party structure and organization. Needless to stress that, a weak party in terms of internal structure cannot function optimally in deepening the democratic process. We can also speak of poor financial standing of the parties which made them susceptible to hijack by money barons who eventually use them to achieve personal benefits. Politics generally is an expensive activity and the role of money in contemporary Nigerian politics is indeed overwhelming. Although the government, through INEC, is currently financing the parties, but considering the spending pattern of the parties, government finance is generally considered insufficient. Consequently, additional funds are sourced through party financiers that include influential business men, party members in government and so on. For instance, the Plateau state governor, Joshua Dariye, sometime ago claimed he gave the PDP part of the 1.6 billion naira ecological fund he was accused of mismanaging. Similarly, only recently the ANPP caretaker committee chairman and gover nor of Bornu state directed all the seven governors on the platform of the party to contribute 20 million Naira each to the party’s purse within two weeks while all presidential aspirants and senators were to contribute 10 million Naira each towards the administration of the party (The Punch Editorial, †¦June, 2006:16). The implication of this is that Nigerian parties will likely for long be hijacked by money barons who will eventually constitute godfathers within the parties. Second is that credible aspirants who cannot afford to pay the huge sums would have to forget or submerge it while thirdly, internal party democracy becomes jeopardized. The resulting effect of all these is that parties becomes constrained as popular organizations capable of being the vanguard of democratic growth. Rather, they become characterized by frequent conflict and internal party squabbles. Also as a fall out of the above circumstances, programmes and policies that are often articulated and implemented reflect more of the interests of the so-called godfathers rather than that of the formal party organization. Thus, as the International IDEA (2006:8) have noted, given this context, Nigerian party life is characterized by a very low level of debate on policy options. Another observed weakness of Nigerian political partie s is the absence of political education. It is a common fact that Nigerian political parties have not been carrying out programmes aimed at enlightening the populace and even party members. This is because the party organization has been confined to mere instrument of contesting elections. Thus after elections, most of the parties become docile both in terms of recruiting new members and organizing activities to enlighten citizens about the political process. According to the country report on Nigeria by the international IDEA (2006:8), all the parties surveyed do agree that their members are active only during elections. The import of this is that once elections are over, only very few things link the party with its members thus, the expected role of political communication and education wanes out. We may also note the long years of military rule as another factor for the nonperformance of Nigerian political parties. Indeed, Nigeria’s long reign of military rule from 1966 to 1999, except for the brief period of 1979 to 1983, have affected the psyche of the average Nigerian politician. Military rule as it were is undemocratic. But its long reign in Nigeria with all its undemocratic tendencies have walked its way into the subliminal consciousness of most Nigerian. Thus, even though the military is out of power and democracy in place, the legacy of authoritarian tendencies still permeates the orientations and behaviours of the political class. The implications of this are that Nigeria currently has a short supply of tested democrats while democratic institutions remain large underdeveloped. In other words, while the success of any democratic experiment is predicated on the availability of individuals who are democrats in themselves, Nigeria’s long years of military tutelage has done no less than wipe out the last vestiges of democratic qualities among Nigerian politicians. Conclusion So far in this work we have tried to examine the link between political parties and democratic sustenance in Nigeria. It is observed that the institution of political party is indispensable if democracy is to be strengthened. This is by virtue of the various functions they perform which transcend the mere activity of fielding candidates for elections. However, the Nigerian situation is observed to be a deviation from the norm. if anything, Nigerian parties have not only failed in discharging these roles, but are equally working in the direction of democratic regression. In the main, the poor financial base of these parties, lacks of institutionalization, empty ideological content among others are part of their major constraints. Against this background, it is suggested that the government should improve on its funding of these parties in order to avoid their hijack by selfish money barons. Equally, the INEC should put in place mechanisms that would ensure these parties are internally democratic. Internal democracy of the parties no doubt will magnify into useful premise for democracy to thrive in the larger Nigerian society. Above all, there must be the political will by politicians themselves to allow democratic tenets to take root in the country. The above, it is believe are good recipe for democratic sustenance in Nigeria. References Anifowoshe, Remi (2004), ‘Political Parties and Party System in the Fourth Republic of Nigeria: Issues, Problems and Prospects’ in Olurode, Lai and Anifowoshe, Remi (eds.) Issues in Nigeria’s 1999 General Elections. Lagos, Nigeria: John West Publications Limited and Rebonik Publications Ltd, pp. 55-78. Diamond, Larry, Kirk-Greene, Anthony H.M and Oyediran, Oyeleye (eds.). Transition without End: Nigeria Politics and Civil Society under Babangida. Ibadan, Nigeria: Vantage Publishers. Babawale, Tunde(1999),’Political Culture and Political Socialization’ in Remi, Anifowoshe and Emenuo, Francis (eds.) Elements of Politics. Lagos, Nigeria: Sam Iwanusi Publications. Pp. 210-225. Ball, Alan (1988), Modern Politics and Government 4th Edition. London: Macmillan Press Coleman, J.S (1971) Nigeria: Background to Nationalism. Berkeley: University of California Press. Hague, Rod and Harrop, Martin (1987), Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction. 2nd Edition. Basingstoke and London: Macmillan Education Ltd. International IDEA (2006), Nigeria: Country Report Based on Research and Dialogue with Political Parties. Stockholm, Sweden. Janda, Keneath (1993) ‘Comparative Political Parties: Research and Theory’ in Finifter, Ada, W (ed.) Political Science: The State of the Discipline II. Washinton DC: American Political Science Association. Pp.163-191. Joseph, Richard (1991), Prebendal politics in Nigeria: The Rise and Fall of the Second Republic. Ibadan: UPL Marahatha Christian Journal Online (2003), Religion is Likely to determine Nigeria’s Election. URL: http://www.mcjonline.com/news. Retrieved August 15 2005 Momoh, Abubakar and Thovoethin, Paul-Sewa (2001), An Overview of the 1998 – 1999 Democratisation Process in Nigeria. DPMN Bulletin Online: http://www.dpmf.org (Retrieved January 4 2006) Okoosi-Simbine, Anthony (2005), ‘Political Vagrancy and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’ in Momoh, Abubakar and Godwin, Onu (eds.) Elections and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria. Nigeria: Nigerian Political Science Association pp 17 – 33 Onuoha, Browne (2003), ‘Political Parties and Elections: A Critical Review of Party Manifestoes’ in New Era Foundation, The Grassroots and Political Change in Nigeria. Lagos: Joe – Tolalu Associates pp 137 – 152 Suleiman, A. and Muhammad, A. A. (2006), ‘Religion, Party politics and Democracy: Implications of Religion in Nigeria’s 2003 Presidential Election’ Journal of Development. Vol. 2 no 1 (Forth coming) Ujo, Abdulhamid (2000), Understanding Political Parties in Nigeria. Kaduna: klamidas Publishers Williams, Adebayo (1995) ‘The Fictionalization of Democratic Struggles in Africa: The Nigerian Experience’ in Olowu, Dele; Soremekun, Kayode and Williams, Adebayo (eds.) Governance and Democratization in Nigeria. Ibadan, Nigeria: Spectrum Books Ltd. Pp. 65-67. Yaqub, Nuhu (2002), ‘Political Parties in the Transition Process’ in Onuoha, Browne and Fadakinte, M. M. (eds.), Transition Politics in Nigeria, 1970 – 1999. London: Malthouse Press limited pp 118 – 134

Akhilleauss Pride Essay -- essays research papers

Akhilleus’s Pride The Iliad is a classic story of a Greek warrior, named Akhilleus, whose anger causes many soldiers to die during the Trojan War. When Akhilleus becomes angry, there seems to be nothing that can stop him from totally destroying his enemy. While many consider anger to be the primary factor in motivating Akhilleus, the main reason Akhilleus acts the way he does is because he is extremely self-centered. Initially, Akhilleus lets his pride control him when King Agamemnon takes his prize possession, Briseis, away from him. Akhilleus begins to sulk and declares he will take his army and go home. Feeling dishonored, Akhilleus goes to his mother, Thetis, and requests her to go to Zeus and petition his assistance in dealing with Agamemnon. Akhilleus states to his mother, â€Å"If he ...

Americas Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Essay examples -- American

Perhaps the most controversial and heavily scrutinized issue of the twentieth century was President Harry Truman’s decision to unleash atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945. While the sequence of events preceding that fateful summer morning of August 6,1945 are fully understood, the motives behind Truman’s actions are shrouded in controversy. Top military officials publicly denounced the use of such a horrendous weapon, while the obvious advantages to the bomb, traditionalists argue, was a shortened Pacific War. Parallactic views between traditional beliefs and revisionist theories suggest that the issue is still very much unresolved. Why is the issue so hotly debated? Partially because of the overwhelming evidence supporting both sides, and partially from the unorthodox sources producing such evidence. But the question remains: Why did Truman drop the atomic bomb? Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb was not a military necessity becau se land invasion casualties were much lower than perceived, the Japanese were on the verge of collapsing, and America had avoided diplomacy despite knowing Japanese intentions. Dropping the atomic bomb was necessary in preventing a land invasion where troops would encounter severe Japanese resistance. According to ancient Samurai tradition, the most honorable way of death was to sacrifice oneself for the emperor. Certainly, this philosophy became extensively practiced throughout the war, as evident with the notorious kamikaze missions. Soldiers would either die in combat, or commit suicide in order to prevent capture. During the battle of Okinawa, of the 117,000 Japanese soldiers stationed on the island, only 7,000 were left alive. On April 6-7 alone, 355 planes pa... ...go: Lucent Books, 1990. Hoyt, Edwin P. Japan's War: the Great Pacific Conflict, 1853 to 1952. McGraw-Hill, 1986. Iwo Jima and Okinawa. 7 Jan. 2004 < http://library.thinkquest.org/18106/iwojima.html> Lifton, Betty J. A Place called Hiroshima. New York: Kodonsh International Ltd., 1985. Paulik, Gregory P. The Ethics of War: Hiroshima and Nagasaki: After 50 Years. Sept. 1995. 6 Oct. 2013 peacediplomacyorforeignaid/ethicswar.shtml> Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S. Truman, 1950. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,1964 Scarlott, Jennifer. The Legend of Hiroshima. 10 Oct. 2013 Stimson, Henry L. The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb.† Harper’s 1947: 97. Takaki, Ronald. Hiroshima. Toronto: Little, Brown, and Company, 1995. Zinn, Howard. Reflections on Hiroshima. The Progressive Media Project. 31 July 2001. 13 Oct. 2013

Informational Interview Essay

Owner of Nutra-Planet, Sam Hong, is a respected, hardworking man that gave me advice that will be very useful in the future. Nutra-Planet is an online supplement store that has been growingly rapidly the past few years. I met with Mr. Hong for about twenty minutes, and discussed things such as: the education needed to work in his business, his job setting, required skills, and many other things. I chose Mr. Hong because I have been a customer with his business for a few years, and his warehouse/office is in my home town. He was a very polite man, and he said that he always enjoys the chance to share his knowledge with people. I interviewed him at his main office and I dressed business casual. I really learned an abundance about owning your own business, and it gave me an idea of what I needed to do if I decided to own my own store. Education Needed The first question to Mr. Hong was the type of education needed, not just to work there, but to actually have an opportunity to advance. He told me that he is interested in someone who knows both the business aspect and the supplement knowledge aspect of running the business. In order to pursue this path, I would be more successful finding a major supplement chain like his that has opportunities for advancement. My major now is marketing, and he said that will definitely help me in the future. I need to know the business aspects if I want to run day to day operations. Job Setting My next question for Mr. Hong was the type of job setting that his business offered. He said that his main goal was to make his customers’ experience a pleasurable one, and that the environment was a major factor in making that successful. From the casual, friendly atmosphere to the layout of the online store and warehouse, all things need to come together to make the customer want to come back, and tell all their friends about it also. This requires a knowledgeable staff that is helpful to everyone, and a friendly personality is as important to him as the experience an employer brings with him. Required Skills When I asked Mr. Hong about the skills that were required to be hired in an upper-level position in this business, he told me there were two different avenues to advance through; the business aspect or the customer relations aspects. He said that it is crucial for his employees to work well with other employees, and be able to take criticism and advice. Although I am majoring in business, I would still love to work hands on with customers. Aside from the obvious skills of knowing about supplements, Jay said the single most important skill he looks for is â€Å"people† skills. The personality to interact with others and assure them that you know what you are talking about when it comes to supplements. Conclusion The interview with Mr. Hong went very well, and he was said that he was happy that he could answer my questions. He emphasized that it is very important to stay in school and make sure that I graduate, because if I ever need any loans or anything it will help out tremendously if I have a good background and a degree. I will make sure that I interview more people in the future because I believe that it is a huge help to talk to someone face to face instead of reading stuff online.

Contextual Analysis Drinking coffee elsewhere

Contextual Analysis Drinking coffee elsewhere ZZ Packer’s â€Å"Drinking coffee elsewhere† is the story of a young African American girl named Dina who uses escapism and pretense as a survival tactic in a mostly white-dominated university. While in Yale, Dina uses pretense to attract attention to her self and succeeds in getting the concern of the dean. Dina’s pretense, however, fails her in a way in that she does not realize that she is falling for her female lesbian friend.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contextual Analysis Drinking coffee elsewhere specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More She uses the pretense, as she has perfected it, to suppress the feelings. Even though ZZ Packer ‘s Drinking Coffee Elsewhere’ presents her as one who uses white characters in her stories to address the concerns of other ethnicities, Birnbaum’s ‘Identity Theory,’ which is an interview, presents her as a ‘Black writerâ€℠¢ in that her works mainly target black audiences. Most of ZZ Packer’s stories and mostly â€Å"Drinking Coffee Elsewhere† are autobiographical. This follows the revelations of her background in the interview that ZZ Packer, just like the character Dina in the story, moved from a dominantly black neighborhood to a dominantly white University. As a black writer, Packer is in a way revealing her experiences in the University through the character’s voice and experiences at the university. The vivid insight and humor used by the character Dina in her remarks and actions correlate to that of the author ZZ Packer as revealed in the interview with Birnbaum. The young female voice of the character can be equated with that of Packer during her days at Yale University. Dina uses pretense to distance herself from the realities that the white neighborhood brings upon her. Considering the age of the character Dina, Packer was undoubtedly referring to her own experiences. Th is inspires other Black girls who are following her example when they come in to contact with the short story. This reveals that the intention she had in writing the story was to communicate with the African American teenagers who find themselves in similar situations. The overt racial pride portrayed through the character Dina reveals that the story as written by Packer was for the Black readers who would better identify with the character. This acts as a way to get used to the racial stereotypes and prejudices held against the African Americans by the other races (Collins 229). When Dina announces that she wants to impersonate a revolver during the orientation exercises, she is compelled to have a series of psychiatric counseling sessions. This highlights the stereotype of the angry and dangerous black man. The whites are suspicious and at the same time afraid of Dina as they term her as a potential homicidal psychic. Packer is using this character to portray that the personalitie s that are adopted by some black men are in most times merely survival tactics in circumstances where they feel outnumbered and not because they are potentially dangerous to others.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In ‘Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,’ ZZ Packer uses the skin color of her characters in addressing them. Dina says, â€Å"If I had not known the person was white from the peephole, Id have known it from a display like this. Black people did not knock on strangers doors, crying† (Packer 50). Black people also hold stereotypes against the other races as revealed in the above Dina’s statement. These make them feel superior to others especially in circumstances where they consider themselves surrounded by the different ethnicities. As the interview reveals, it suffices to classify ZZ Packer in the category of Black writers in that her st ories are interested in the private lives of African Americans (Birnbaum Para. 3). Most African American readers can identify with Dina’s experiences with ease, as opposed to how a white readership can identify with the work. This does not necessarily mean that Packer does not have white characters in her stories such as ‘Drinking Coffee Elsewhere.’ It means that the white characters or others from other ethnicities are there to help readers understand the African American characters in the story by evaluating their relationships. In this case, even white writers who write specifically for a black readership can be classified as Black writers. This is by considering how the works address the issues that are most felt by the African Americans as opposed to the whites (Collins 227). In the story â€Å"Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,† Heidi is a white girl who happens to be the only friend that Dina has in Yale. Heidi is a lesbian and Dina is trying to suppress th e affection that she has towards her. The character Heidi is merely in the story to help the Black reader understand the actions of Dina about Heidi. The character Dina is struggling with mistrust that surrounds her as a Black girl in a dominantly white environment. In most cases, this reality occurs most African Americans who find themselves in similar situations. However, they do not suffer direct discrimination. Nevertheless, their actions and simple gestures attract the keen attention of the other ethnicities (Collins 235). Dina is struggling to define for herself who she is and seek acceptance in the society through this is misunderstood following her overreliance on pretense. The only person who eventually notices this defense mechanism is the shrink, Dr. Raeburn. He is the only person who certainly understands Dina but after numerous futile attempts.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contextual Analysis Drinking coffee elsewhere specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Packer tries to pass a message across to her few readers of other ethnicities that if they seek to understand the black people and coexist peacefully with them, they should not give up at all. The character’s struggle and eventual success are what attracts the African American to prefer the works of Packer compared to the white readership. The African American consider themselves as continuously involved in a struggle to fight a system that oppressed them once directly and now indirectly(Collins 235). In Packer’s interview with Birnbaum, she, however, disregards these claims that she is a Black writer in that sense. However, through a keen analysis of the themes that dominate her stories such as ‘Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,’ it is apparent that she fits the category (Birnbaum Para. 20). The characters such as Dina are involved in a constant struggle to prove their humanity and demand for an end of some dis crimination. ZZ Packer’s words in the interview acknowledge the vivid emotional content in her stories. The kind of language that she uses in the stories can be identified with the African Americans more than it can with other races. In fact, in the interview, Birnbaum attributes this to the unresolved and troublesome issues related to race. Emotional content is a significant characteristic of African American literature. By addressing this issue in most of the stories in her collection, Packer automatically qualifies as a black writer. Another defining characteristic of African American literature or Black literature noticeable in Packer’s work is the use of poetic language in between prose. Packer uses Frank O’Hara’s poem When I was a child, the person said, I played by myself in the corner of the schoolyard all alone. I hated dolls and games, animals were not friendly, and birds flew away. If anyone was looking for me, I hid behind a tree and cried out I am an orphan† (Packer 49). The use of explicit language in the text also qualifies Packer to fit in the category of the Black writers. ZZ Packer may not consider herself as a Black writer from the perspective that her works target the Black audience. However, by considering her background and relating it to her works such as â€Å"Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,† there are evident pointers that she targets such audiences. The themes that dominate her stories, the style of writing and the nature of the characters collectively point to this fact. Writers, however, tend to deny facts such as these for fear of being regarded as racist or even losing the favor of the other ethnic groups, which can influence negatively on them financially (Collins, 224).Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Whether consciously or unconsciously, the fact that the product assists in coming up with such classifications is inevitable. One might not be intending to write for a particular audience, but then the product addresses the issues of a particular group prompting them to favor the work more than the other groups. ZZ Packer’s short story in this regard addresses the most felt issues of African Americans and, therefore, this automatically qualifies her as a Black writer and even a Black feminist writer. Birnbaum, Robert. Identity theory: Interview by Robert Birnbaum, 2009. Web. identitytheory.com/zz-packer/ Collins, Patricia. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness and the Politics of  Empowerment and Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, Gender, and the New Racism. New York: Routledge, 2005. Print. Packer, ZZ. Drinking Coffee Elsewhere. The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary  Short Fiction: Fifty North American stories since 1970. New York: Touchstone Books, 2 000. Print.

Environmental Degradation Air Pollution Essay Example

Environmental Degradation Air Pollution Essay Example Environmental Degradation Air Pollution Paper Environmental Degradation Air Pollution Paper Essay Topic: Air pollution The environmental degradation is the deterioration of environment through depletion of resources, such as soil, water and air. When natural habitats destroyed or natural resources depleted, the environment are degraded. Heres, one example of air pollution which lead to environment degraded in London. London in SE England had the reputation of one of the most polluted cities in Europe in the 1 9505. Air pollution had reached such a serious stage that it caused the London Smog in 1952 that caused 4000 deaths and a host of other related ailments among the Londoner. One of the main causes of the serious air pollution was the burning of fossil fuels by the many manufacturing industries producing iron and steel, automobiles, machinery, textiles and food. Coal and Oil were the main sources of fuel for the factories which resulted in the release of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, smoke, soot and other particulates. Inefficient machinery and obsolete techniques coupled with the improper monitoring worsened the air pollution. The severe air pollution was causing acid rain, smog and health problems. London being the capital city has a very population density and a large illume to transport vehicles such as aircrafts landing and taking off at the Weathers airport, lorries and buses on the streets, steamships and boats along the Themes River and private cars; all which were burning up coal, petrol and diesel in large quantities. This led to additional pollutants such as carbon monoxide, lead and carbon being released into the air. Fossil fuel combustion was also prevalent in the domestic households. Even fuel wood was burned to provide heating for homes. Inefficient combustion techniques and building construction led to incomplete burning and excessive release of air pollutants such as gases, smokes and particulates. Thermal electricity generation using fossil fuels further contributed to the worsening of the air quality.

Thesis Statement On How Edgar Allan Poes Writings Illuminate His Upbringing

Thesis Statement On How Edgar Allan Poes Writings Illuminate His Upbringing My thesis statement is that Edgar Allan Poe's writings illuminate his upbringing. His writings illuminate his upbringing because his childhood was very hard, full of darkness, and he never experienced love from a parent. Therefore he thought the world was like his life was, dark and dreary. So that is why his stories are always sad, and full of heartbreak.The writings by Edgar Alan Poe are for the most part sad, dark, dreary, and mysterious, they are just like how his life was. After the age of two Poe never had real parents only people who looked after him after his parents died. He didn't know if his home was only temporary or if it was for good, for all he knew the people he was living with could kick him out of their house and stop supporting him. He lived his life day by day not knowing what the next day would bring or if he would have a house to live in the next day.English: Edgar Allan Poe's room

Supply chain project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Supply chain project - Research Paper Example The organization has a strong tradition and heritage in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In terms of customer preference the brand is known as the most popular brands. This Al Ain water company is owned by the AGTHIA group. This group of companies is one of the leading listed companies in the Abu Dhabi securities and stock market. The organization has various product lines, such as Al Ain bottled water. Under this segment the organization used to sell pure natural water, flavoured water and added fluoride and calcium water. Under the fruit drink segment the organization used to sell Capri Sun. this product is very much popular among the children. This Capri Sun is used to manufacture in several leading countries including USA. Moreover, the organization has launched Al Ain 5 Gallon water. Lastly, WOW Vitamin water is known as effective healthy drinks that have been introduced by the organization. The organization has strong international presence. They used to export their product in four l eading Middle East countries, such as, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. Moreover, there Capri Sun is very much popular among the children in several international places. Several developed and developing countries including USA have the manufacturing facility of this specific product. In terms of logistic activities, Al Ain mineral water used to supply their bottled mineral water to several popular UAE based international airlines. Fly Emirates and Etihad are the leading clients of Al Ain water. The manufacturing and delivery process is quite adequate. Moreover, the organization always used to control the quality of products in order to gain customer loyalty. Inventory Al Ain mineral water organization has implemented advanced information communication technology in their inventory management. They have implemented PDA service in their warehouses in order to find and deliver the products in quick period of time. In terms of raw materials, they used to collect the water from the moun tains with full of calcium and mineral. Effective R&D team, skilled employees and integrated manufacturing and distribution process has helped the organization to finish the products. Moreover, the organization used to collect fresh fruit in order to add fresh and healthy extracted juice in the mineral water bottles. The life cycle of their stock is not more than 6 weeks (Shauter & Theillio, 2006). In the fifth week of the inventory cycle the organization used to place reorder in order to utilize the time of distribution. The organization has implemented manufacturing and merchandise inventory. For an example, in terms of Al Ain mineral water organization, raw materials, work in progress and finished goods come under merchandise inventory segment. The organization has classified its inventory basis on several aspects of business operation. The major aim of quadrant model is to focus on the vendor relations, prioritization and inventory. The organization has managed its critical prod ucts, Such as Capri Sin based on the criticality aspect. Then the organization has developed effective and strong relationship with its vendors and target customers basis on the product uniqueness and organizational value and mission. They have reduced unnecessary transportation cost and stockade level. The organization has implemented push forward strategy for the critical items. EOQ model is an effective inventory management Model. The following is the figure of the model. Moreover,

Journal opinion artical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Journal opinion artical - Essay Example Taking security measures by posting additional police personnel will serve as a stop-gap arrangement and it is not going to solve the problems on a permanent footing. Take it that using gun for violent acts is the type of negativity like smoking, drinking, drug addiction etc. Are we able to control the drug mafia? They thrive and score a march over the law-enforcing authorities and the Nation spends a huge budget in preventing smuggling of drugs across the borders. So, it is not about drafting a good law and getting it passed. In the light of the recent tragedy of massacre of 26 people, including 20 children in the age group of 5-10 years in a Connecticut Elementary School, one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, getting the bill passed at the national level should be possible for the Obama administration. Good laws need noble individuals for implementation. So the issue of creating noble individuals attains top priority. The gun control measure, and the first flush of enthu siasm exhibited by the law enforcing authorities, may reduce the percentage of gun-ridden crimes and shootouts. I therefore, reiterate my support for it, for the simple reason that there is no other alternative. But what are the economic implications of introducing the law on gun control? According to the provisions in the intended law, each teacher will carry the gun in the class room environment. Police personnel will be posted in the campus, at a conspicuous place. This is a burden on the economy of the education system, which ultimately will be passed on to the taxpayer. When the law is implemented, will it lead to the permanent solution to the problem? Instead, it may create more problems. The attackers always have the advantage of surprise element and in a big campus if one or two police personnel are posted nothing tangible is going to happen from the security point of view. The attacker will obviously come with prior scouting of the premises and the teacher in the class, tho ugh possesses the gun, will be the sitting ducks, as she has no robotic devises with reflex actions to protect her. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein says the bill is intended "to help end the mass-shootings that have devastated countless families and terrorized communities."(USA Law†¦) She is right. But she has not addressed to the root cause of the problem, as she will not be able to do anything about it. Senators are aware of their limitations, so are we! The issue is, those who are bent upon acquiring the guns, will get them through clandestine channels. Just look around and see how the terrorist organizations are amassing demonic weapons of their choice, including military-type assault rifles. When tempers on the issue gets cooled down, the related realities will come to the fore. Those supporting the gun ownership rights have taken a stand to oppose the bill. â€Å"Most Republican lawmakers, and even some Democratic proponents of gun ownership rights, are expected to o ppose the bill. America’s main gun rights lobby, the National Rifle Association, is already gearing up for a major legislative battle.† (USA Law†¦)Thus this law and order problem gives rise to serious economic implications as more security personnel will have to be employed at all levels. What happened at the school on the day of the shootout needs a careful and

Slavery in Civil War Era Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery in Civil War Era - Coursework Example These came to be known as the Confederate States whose members were slave-owning states, and this led to the prominence of two men whose views on slavery were entirely opposite of one another. The first is Abraham Lincoln who was among the biggest proponents of the eradication of slavery in all the states within the union, and the other is Jefferson Davis who was a principal proponent of the institution of slavery and believed that it was a necessary part of the economy at the time. These two men shall be discussed in this paper in relation to their positions on the institution of slavery. The institution of slavery lasted for over three hundred and fifty years in what is today the United States until it was finally abolished in the eighteen sixties. It was one of the most brutal and dehumanizing institutions in the annals of the human race with the greatest victims being the African slaves. African slaves were imported like commodities from Africa to work in the large white-owned pl antations because they could withstand those European diseases, which normally killed the Indian slaves. Moreover, the ability of the Africans to work in the harsh conditions of a hot sun was seen to be an added advantage for their conversion to slaves. Europeans used various means to justify their enslavement of Africans, and one of these was that the bible stated that they were the children of Ham and that they had been cursed to be slaves to the other races that were descended from Noah. Another justification was the belief that Africans were subhuman; such that they were inferior to the white race and that because of this it was justifiable to treat them in any way one wanted because they had no human feelings at all. These highly mistaken concepts ensured that slavery continued, and many Africans were brought to America and forced to undertake tasks under extremely harsh and brutal conditions for the sake of making a profit for their masters. It is for the purpose of ending thi s institution that the American Civil War took place.

Gene Autry Museum Visit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gene Autry Museum Visit - Essay Example time passed by, the center has increasingly expanded its performance to involve some emphases on other Westerners like Asians, Mexicans, African Americans, and Native Americans (Lemanczyk 2007, 50). At present, the center’s primary emphasis is on the union or meeting points of cultural practices in the American West. The Autry National Center is a museum of American West’s history, with collections and displays of relics and art works from the historical age of White imperialism in the 19th century, and it is also regarded a museum of symbols, myths, and images of the West, with quite a few masterpieces by Western artists, and a broad array of Western goods, mementos, costumes, etc. The center houses a research department which routinely conducts special expositions and events, and makes publications. Undoubtedly, the center is the leading museum of the American motion picture. . Â   In spite of the alienation I felt when I entered the center and being welcomed by the full-size imitation of Gene Autry, the center is, without a doubt, dedicated to the American West, particularly to cowboys and Native Americans. The center, apparently, has witnessed the honing of its vision and the expansion of its performance as it has struggled to become a site where the legends of the American West would occupy an important part in American history. Nevertheless, as I have observed, in spite of the committed hard work of Autry there was a very obvious dilemma. Several of the center’s visitors erroneously thought that Indians basically died out. The solution to this dilemma was easy, that is, to allow living Indians express and exhibit their own cultural history. One of the most remarkable and memorable exhibits I have seen in the center is the ‘reservation’, and although not all American Indians have went through this historical period, it is a site of legendary importance in the perception of American Indians. Several Natives who grew up in cities have an idealized

Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Software Engineering - Essay Example Some of them are Waterfall model, Spiral Model, Rapid Application Development (RAD) model, Prototyping model, Incremental Model, Concurrent Development Model, Component-based model, Formal Methods model and Fourth Generation Techniques. All these models describe different processes that are used for development of software. Generally for new types of applications, Waterfall model, Spiral Model, Rapid Application Development (RAD) model and Prototyping model are not yet so standardised. For these types of application new models such as Incremental Model, Concurrent Development Model, Component-based model, Formal Methods model and Fourth Generation Techniques is commonly used with the combination with previous mentioned methodologies. These all methods provide the technical specifications for building software. They encompass a broad group of tasks that include requirements analysis, design, program construction (coding), testing, and support. These all tasks are performed for development of software. Next section will cover some commonly used software development methods with advantages/ disadvantages, and where it can be used for development of software (or applications). The Waterfall Model: It is also called as Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) or Linear Sequential Model. It is the oldest and the most widely used paradigm for software engineering. The waterfall method attempts to pin down the requirements early in the project life cycle. After gathering requirements, software design is performed in full. Once the design is complete, the software is implemented. The Waterfall model suggests a systematic, sequential approach to software development that begins at the system level and progresses through analysis, design, coding, testing, and support. [Pressmen 2001] Software is integral part of a larger system or business; therefore initially requirements for

Gene Autry Museum Visit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gene Autry Museum Visit - Essay Example time passed by, the center has increasingly expanded its performance to involve some emphases on other Westerners like Asians, Mexicans, African Americans, and Native Americans (Lemanczyk 2007, 50). At present, the center’s primary emphasis is on the union or meeting points of cultural practices in the American West. The Autry National Center is a museum of American West’s history, with collections and displays of relics and art works from the historical age of White imperialism in the 19th century, and it is also regarded a museum of symbols, myths, and images of the West, with quite a few masterpieces by Western artists, and a broad array of Western goods, mementos, costumes, etc. The center houses a research department which routinely conducts special expositions and events, and makes publications. Undoubtedly, the center is the leading museum of the American motion picture. . Â   In spite of the alienation I felt when I entered the center and being welcomed by the full-size imitation of Gene Autry, the center is, without a doubt, dedicated to the American West, particularly to cowboys and Native Americans. The center, apparently, has witnessed the honing of its vision and the expansion of its performance as it has struggled to become a site where the legends of the American West would occupy an important part in American history. Nevertheless, as I have observed, in spite of the committed hard work of Autry there was a very obvious dilemma. Several of the center’s visitors erroneously thought that Indians basically died out. The solution to this dilemma was easy, that is, to allow living Indians express and exhibit their own cultural history. One of the most remarkable and memorable exhibits I have seen in the center is the ‘reservation’, and although not all American Indians have went through this historical period, it is a site of legendary importance in the perception of American Indians. Several Natives who grew up in cities have an idealized

Psychodrama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychodrama - Essay Example 9). Through this, it can be said that psychodrama is deeply rooted in group therapy as the dramatic act involves the support of group members (Haworth, 1998, p. 15). It is a form of therapy that, through the undelrying concept of ‘what if’, aims to for the individual to realize what his past mistakes are, his attitude problems and develop and integrate solutions to these problems in real life (Djuric, Tomić and Veljković, 2006, p. 9). â€Å"Psychodrama not only explores one’s unspoken thoughts and feelings, but also the situations that never really happened but could have, the encounters of those who are really absent, the projections for the future, and different perceptions of the past and present† (Djuric, Tomić and Veljković, 2006, p. 9). To examine the roots of psychodrama is to examine the roots of Jacob L. Moreno, MD. He is the father of psychodrama in that he developed the method â€Å"along with sociometry, socio drama and group psychotherapy†¦ to tackle the problems of the world, of society and of human interactions rather just the individual† (Haworth, 1998, p. 16). Here, it can be seen how Moreno visualized psychodrama as a part of a triadic system in that each is linked with the other (Lipman, 2003, p. 3). Moreno lived during the First World War, at a time when people are beginning to take serious notice of the revolutionary ideas of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud and hence, his experiences urged him to make the world a better place and this started with addressing the problems and issues of individuals (Haworth, 1998, p. 16). Aside from the influence of the times, Moreno was also inspired by Socrates in that he used Socrates’ method of observing and talking to ordinary citizens in order to a rrive at the meaning of self when he first conceived of psychodrama (Haworth, 1998, p. 17). For him, â€Å"the self emerges from the roles we play† (Psychodramatic

Essay on Tension Essay Example for Free

Essay on Tension Essay The Turn of the Screw, which was written in the late nineteenth century, is acclaimed by critics for the build up of tension and the suspenseful atmosphere that its author, Henry James, creates throughout the novella. James achieves this by exploiting several characters and features of the book. James manipulates the prologue of the novella by creating a group of listeners who are in anticipation for the story; furthermore the character who narrates the story is not immediately able to retrieve the manuscript, this deliberate slow down of tempo, builds suspense preceding the tale and it prepares the reader for a thrilling story. The setting of the novella is also used to build atmosphere, a technique that James regularly employs is contrasting a moment of tranquil with one of danger. This produces a sharp difference and thus makes the scene of peril seem even more suspenseful. The ghosts of Quint and Jessel are perhaps the largest contributors to the atmosphere and tension within the novel; James uses both ghosts to create a threat to the children which causes tremendous tension and it is the central plot in the book. The children themselves are also manipulated by James to create atmosphere, their behaviour is continually reiterated as perfect and virtuous to such an extent that the reader is almost persuaded to think that their is something not quite natural about them. James uses the prologue to introduce the story and also to create a suspenseful atmosphere about what is to follow. During the prologue there are a group of guests who James uses to create tension. These listeners evidently enjoy listening to stories, especially if they involve ghosts and horror. sufficiently breathless, no comment was uttered are phrases which are used to describe their attitude towards the stories, clearly conveying the interest and avidness that the guests and frame narrator have for the stories being told. The listeners create an atmosphere of eagerness for the story which is very effective since James readers might also imitate this feeling. The character of Douglas plays a pivotal to the build up of tension in the prologue. Upon the first mention of his story, he plays on the emotions of the listeners by continually reiterating how horrifying and terrible the story that he has all of them waiting in anticipation for is. It is quite too horrible, nothing at all that I know touches it; Douglas is gradually building up the suspense before his story by mentioning how horrible it is, this feeling of impending disaster that the other guests wait in buoyant expectancy for, before knowing the full details of the story adds to an atmosphere of suspense. The combined facts that the manuscript has to be sent for and further compounded by the knowledge that is locked away also contributes to the same effect, the prolonged wait for the manuscript adds to a feeling of avidness for the story and also the fact that it is locked away has cryptive connotations which suggest that its contents are so terrible that it must be kept away from the world. By now it seems that Douglas appears to have his listeners transfixed upon him and have necessity to listen to his story. The interjection, oh how delicious which was cried by one of the women present; the term delicious possibly infers a feeling which is almost desperation for the story. Likewise the way, in which the audience gives a unanimous groan, when the telling of the tale is delayed suggests that they long to hear the story. This deliberate slow down, builds up the tension to what the audience and reader are prepared for a gruelling tale. The gradual build up of suspense through the prologue preludes the main story, in order to exemplify an atmosphere of anticipation and dread of what is to follow. James now uses the setting of the novella to create tension. He allows us to see into the Governess mind and we, like her anticipate Bly to be a place of dread since she had expected something so melancholy. It is usual for one to expect that a large country estate which is the setting of a ghost story will be isolated, old and gothic. James cleverly manipulates our assumptions to create an atmosphere of tension. Instead of the gothic building that we expect, we are introduced to something much more pleasant; the Governess upon her arrival is surprised and delighted at what she sees what greeted me was a good surprise I remember as a most pleasant impression. This peaceful setting lulls the reader into a false sense of security, however at the back of our minds is the idea from the prologue that the story will be horrifying which makes the reader suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the following events; thus creating an atmosphere of tension. This same technique is used before the introduction of Peter Quint. In the pages preceding his apparition there is a vivid description of an idyllic setting such as the beauty and dignity of the place golden sky. James does this in order to produce a sharp contrast when the ghost appears, making the emergence of the ghost more of a shock and therefore more terrifying for his audience. With the ghost of Peter Quint now firmly entrenched within the story, James uses him as a key contributor for creating an atmosphere of tension. James uses Miss Groses detestable presentation of Quint while he was alive in order to create tension. She describes him as Impudent and depraved, spoiled, these quotations give a negative impression of Quint and portray him as an antagonist. However perhaps worst of all he is also related by Grose as clever and deep, exemplifying him as calculating and sinister. Because of his negative introduction the reader is therefore continually persuaded to think of Quint as a dangerous to the children. Upon each appearance Quint is seen closer to the Governess and hence successively more threatening and horrifying. Additionally each time Quint appears he is closer to the children, leading us to suspect that his apparitions are with some sort of intention rather than random. As a result of our perception of him as somebody dangerous and also because he is getting closer and closer to the governess, the reader feels the suspense gradually building since we see him as a threat to both the Governess and the children. The first time she sees him he is distanced at the top of a tower although still narrating the scene as stricken with death suggesting dread, horror and fear. The second time there is only a window separating them and the governess by saying A nearness that Made me catch my breath and turn cold, makes the point clear that it was the closeness that made it more fearsome. However on the third appearance which is described as the most formidable, they are adjacent to one another, it is this that made the experience so terrifying according to the governess, At such close quarters that gave the whole horror. By making Quint continually more frightful James creates tension because the reader is constantly anticipating more horrifying encounters.

Introduction And History Of Virgin Holidays Tourism Essay

Introduction And History Of Virgin Holidays Tourism Essay Virgin holidays began its operations in the year 1970 not offering holiday packages but instead it used to offer order records services and was also a school magazine for students (Kegan 2010, par 3). Since the year 1970 virgin has grown rapidly due to its new and viable business ideas that have seen it sore into great heights, the great performance of virgin can be attributed to good management decisions made by the persons responsible for making such decisions (Kegan 2010, par 3). Through all this time, the holiday company has been discovering and exploiting new market opportunities, they have always brought up new and fresh ideas that are new in the face of holiday touring. The company ensures its success by offering high quality products and services and also establishes a market which the consumer utility has not been maximized and goes in to fill the gap (Kegan 2010, par 3). Virgin currently deals with transport matters with regard to planes, cars and trains; the brand also off ers services with regard to holidays, wines and mobile phones. The greatest development of the virgin group is the virgin tour this comprises of the travelling sector and accommodation (Kegan 2010, par 3). With the development of technology and information, virgin is now offering services through the new technology, old products and services have been modified also to fit the current state of the art technology (Kegan 2010, par 4). Virgin brands have always kept the big market players at their toes. Virgin is known to be the third most known brand in the British world. However, virgin has recently increased its operations to the global level hence serving a bigger market. At this moment virgin has more than 300 companies worldwide and more than 20000 employees enjoying worldwide annual revenue of more than five billion United States dollars (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010, pp 2). The companies build up by virgin are autonomous. This means that the virgin holiday sector is independent from the virgin drinks sector (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). With regard to holiday and transport, Virgin group has the airline Virgin Atlantic which was founded in the year 1984, the airlin e offers flights to over thirty worldwide destinations and has over 9000 employees, the airline can also be compared to the standards of the whole group since it is a major market player which has also invented and brought new products in the market. The airline has also been given credits for its exemplary services to consumers by winning top awards in the field of commerce. The travel industry The industry in which the virgin holiday is operating on can be split into two; the industry is affected in two way traffic (Kegan 2010, par 4). The company offers travelling services and also accommodation services, therefore the forces of demand and supply which prevail in the two sectors at a given moment can be said to be different. However, the difference is small and is brought about by those people who normally fly for commercial purpose and those people who prefer other brands compare to virgin holidays with regard to transport or accommodation (Kegan 2010, par 4). The travel industry can be splinted into three i.e. the planes sector, motor vehicles (taxi cabs) and train. The above three are affected by changes in the business environment that surround them, such environment is comprised of competitors, changes in economic trends, and changes in the market with regard to demand and supply. In Britain Virgin Atlantic airline is rated as the third best brand, though it has rece ntly globalised its services and offers transport services to over thirty destinations worldwide (Kegan 2010, par 4). Airline sector With regard to the airline sector virgin Atlantic is faced with the very challenges which are being encountered in the airline industry (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). This mainly includes competition from other market players, the economic recession and inflation (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). Competition has not been easy with regard to the airline industry, the emergence of new airlines that offer high quality services and have great marketing strategies tend to outdo the current market players,. Competition in the airline industry also comes from already established airlines which control a huge market share which makes it hard to penetrate such markets. The completion is also witnessed with regard to the quality of the services offered by the airline (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). The airline industry has been faced with economic challenges which have greatly reduced the number of its operations hence impacting on its revenue (Kegan 2010, par 5). The most traumatic event that struck the airline industry is the recent global economic recession which reduced the number of persons travelling by air, the economic recession did not only reduce the number of passengers travelling by air but also saw to it that airlines scale down their operations hence reducing the number of flights taking place globally (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). The move to reduce the number flights and other operations was a very economic viable option since the cost of conducting such operations was outweighing the benefits considering the demand level in the market (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010, pp 31). This means that the demand was too low hence impacting on the level of supplies i.e. the supply was too high compared to the demand, therefore in order to maintain the equilibrium level of the demand and supply chain the airlines had to cut down their operations level. The economic recession also made fuel prices to rise hence increasing the amount of funds used in operations (Stevenson 2010, pp 4). The airline industry also faced another main setback; the events of September 1999 really affected the income received from the airline industry (Stevenson 2010, pp 4, pp 4). The terrorist attack on the passenger plane made individuals worry about their safety while using the air as a means of transport (Stevenson 2010, pp, 4). Before this event the government intervention in the airline industry was very minimal but after this event, the governments started setting policies to regulate operations in the airline industry e.g. a third party insurance cover that will see to it that those affected n terrorist attacks and other accidents involving passenger planes are compensated accordingly (Stevenson 2010, pp. 5). The recently ended global economic recession saw to it that the price of crude oil increase hence forcing the airlines to increase the travel fare in order to cover for the huge costs incurred in operations costs such s the fuel costs. This also reduced the number of passenge rs travelling by air. This greatly impacted on the demand of services from the airline industry. The demand went down since the price increase in travel prices made customers to shy off and use alternative means of travel such as rail. This greatly reduced the revenue received by the airline industry (Stevenson 2010, pp 10). The changes in the economic status of persons around the globe resulted to a cost push inflation which saw operation costs in the airline industry go up due to increase in fuel prices and other thins such as plane maintenance and salaries to employees. Land transport services Apart from offering travel service by air means, virgin holiday offers inland travelling services by the use of trains and taxi cabs. However, the use of trains is not fully established in all the destinations that virgin holidays operate (Kegan 2010, par 5). The competition in this sector is very stiff, this is mainly because of the number of tour companies that offer services locally at a low price, and this greatly reduces the number of passengers who choose to travel by the use of virgin cabs and trains (Kegan 2010, par 5). This sector was also greatly challenged by the global economic recession; this is because of the high operation costs and low revenue generated. The increase in costs is mainly attributed to the rise in the fuel prices and energy prices and since these forms of transport depend on fuel and electricity it was hard to operate without the two (Kegan 2010, par 6). The main purpose for this part is to transport people from airports to accommodation facilities. Howe ver, in some countries it is used as a normal form of cab transport (Kegan 2010, par 6). Accommodation It is important to ensure that we analyze the accommodation part of the virgin holiday package. However, the two complement each other this is because the number of people accessing the accommodation services is directly proportional to the number of people using the transport services. The difference between the two is that they are affected by different business environments with regard to competition and the forces of demand and supply prevailing in the market (Kegan 2010, par 6). The accommodation sector of virgin holiday faces competition from well established hotels especially five star hotels and hotels offering conference services (Kegan 2010, par 6). The accommodation offered by virgin tour is limited to given extent, i.e. the accommodation offered is only to the extent of a place to stay and meals whereas there are other facilities offering additional services such as conference services. Even though the accommodation sector is autonomous from the travel sector, it greatly depends on the travel sector with regard to the number of passenger turnout and the class of passengers received by the airline (Kegan 2010, par 7). The global economic recession greatly affected the accommodation industry in an indirect manner and directly as well, this is mainly because the recession led to the decrease of the number of people travelling for holiday purposes but to a certain extent the number of people who are travelling for the sake of doing business (Kegan 2010, par 7). Since the two sectors are complementary, the decrease in the number of persons using the air as a means of transport greatly reduced the number of people who are accessing the accommodation services offered by the airline, this is majorly because the people who use the accommodation facilities offered by the airline are the passengers (Kegan 2010, par 7). There is also a decrease as a result of the global economic recession which was brought about by limited funds (Kegan 2010, par 9). During the recession, many people had to cut down on costs due to the low income but high prices of products and services, therefore many people had to reduce th e rate at which they access luxurious services and goods (Kegan 2010, par 9). The accommodation sector was also affected in terms of operation costs incurred, this is because of increased costs of products such as fuel and other effects needed to keep the accommodation facilities up to standards (Kegan 2010, par 8). Virgin holidays SWOT analysis Strengths The company has a very strong brand image that has enable it navigate through completion and establish itself in the global market. The fact that the virgin holiday is part of the large virgin group that is recognized to be a well managed company with dedicated managers who not only serve the market with new brands but also high quality brands. The company is also enjoying a high number of people using the virgin Atlantic as a means of air transport for cargo and passengers. The increase in the number of passengers in the travel sector has a positive effect to the number of people using the accommodation facilities hence increasing the revenue. Apart from a strong brand image and increase in the number of passengers, the company has a good strong asset and capital base. The company also keeps on enjoying high revenues throughout its financial periods Weaknesses Despite the fact that the company has been enjoying a good financial position and a strong brand image, it has been experiencing a decrease in its market share in the United States, Jamaica, India and china. This is mainly because due to increased competition from upcoming firs and already existing firms. The company is also not in better position to control the market since it has majored only in thirty locations whereas other competitors have as much 150 destinations worldwide e.g. The British airways and Thai airways Opportunities There has been an increase in the number of people travelling by air especially in the continent of Asia. There has been an increase in the number of passengers travelling by air in Asia due to increased economic activities in countries such as china and India. Virgin Atlantic as the main carrier for the virgin group has an established market in this area and hence stands a chance to increase the number of passengers using the airline and the accommodation services offered. Another great opportunity witnessed by virgin Atlantic is their partnership with All Nippon Airlines which has given virgin Atlantic the chance to carry passengers to Japan, this new initiative will enable virgin holidays to expand its services to this new location both travel and accommodation. Threats Virgin Atlantic is facing a scandal which could affect the position of virgin holidays in terms of consumer confidence and cash flow from the company (Kegan 2010, par 9). This is because the company is facing an allegation if proved to be true it may have adverse effects to the airline and the virgin group at large (Stevenson 2010, pp 11). This is after an investigation on price fixing was begun by the European Union and the United States department of justice to see whether the allegations that virgin Atlantic was involved are true (Stevenson 2010, pp 11). If the allegations are proved to be true, then they will be forced to pay a fine (Stevenson 2010). This will not only impact on the financial position of the company but also consumer confidence will be affected negatively (Stevenson 2010, pp 13). Another threat being experienced by the virgin holidays is the increase in the cost of fuel which affects the operation costs of the travelling department (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). This f orces the airline to increase the fare for travelling to different destinations hence decreasing the number of people using the travel services due to lack of sufficient funds or the thought that they are being exploited (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). In the world there have been terrorist attacks on airplanes for example the events of September 30th 1999 which saw planes get bombed by unknown terrorist, this inculcated fear into the hearts of people who use airplanes as a mode of transport hence reducing the number of consumers (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). Virgin Holidays PEST analysis A quick look at the political, social, economic, and technological environment surrounding the company shows nothing other than a series of changes that have affected the company with regard to the four aspects of life. Political Just like other institutions, virgin holidays operate in an environment with political changes and rules. The airline industry has experienced currently too much political interference and virgin is no exception (Butler 1998, par. 15). The event of September 30th 1999 saw the interference of the status of the airline industry by the governments so as to curb terrorism with regard to passenger planes (Butler 1998, par. 15). For example, the United States government issued a directive that forced all passenger and cargo planes to have a third party insurance cover which will enable the persons injured or dead in a plane due to the negligence of the owners to seek complete compensation (Butler 1998, par. 15). The virgin holidays has also witnessed political events in relation to the deregulation of the airline industry so as to let the fare prices be determined by forces of demand and supply instead of prices being fixed by the government (Butler 1998, par. 15). At the moment virgin hol idays is facing a great problem because of the laws enforced by political institution, the United States Department of Justice and the European Union are trying to look into an issue which virgin Atlantic is involved with regard to fixing of cargo transit prices (Butler 1998, par. 15). Economic The company has been affected by many changes in the economic aspect of life, for example the recently ended global economic recession which left the airline industry at a very bad position financially, the global economic recession lead to the decrease of the number of people using the air as a travelling mode since they had to look for cheaper means so as to fit to their current economic status (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). The economic recession also affected the accommodation sector since many people were trying as much as possible t access goods and services that will be costly to which is not favorable with the low income being received during the recession (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). The firm is also surrounded by many economic opportunities such as the funds to enable it expand its operations further just like other global airlines, this will to a great extent increase its revenue. The company is experiencing different economic situations with regard to geographical locations, for exam ple the demand for airline and travel services in Asia has greatly increased due to the increase in the amount of economic activities taking place in the continent compared to other continents (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). Social The social aspect of life is majorly concerned with the cultural beliefs of a given group of persons, since the company operates worldwide it should be able to operate in ach are in a way that syncs with the cultural beliefs of the people living in particular area (Paul 2000, pp 64). It is important for the company to maintain cultural practices of the society since it has a very positive impact, not only to the company but to the society at large, preservation of cultural practices can also be seen as a form of cooperate social responsibility (Paul 2000, 64). Technology The airline industries have utilized the availability of the internet as an investment ground. This is greatly characterized by the many advertisements and other information placed on the internet concerning the respective airlines. Airlines have resolved to market themselves through online websites that are believed to be commonly visited by their target markets. The airlines also develop their own websites which give information about the services that they offer and other activities conducted by the airlines. The airline industry also utilizes the current technology by making placements in movies and using celebrities to market their products and services. The availability of the internet as a major technology tool has also seen the introduction of online booking services. These services enable the consumers to book for a flight from anywhere in the world without having to physically visit the airlines offices to acquire the tickets. The use of the internet to advertise products a nd to offer booking services is a very brilliant since most people this days access the internet, this greatly creates consumer awareness of the products being offered by the airline (The Economist 2010, par 3). The using of online booking services attracts many consumers hence increasing the demand for air travel services; this is because it helps the customers to cut down on the costs they incur when it comes to booking expenses (The Economist 2010, par 3). Appendix SWOT analysis diagram SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses -Strong brand image -Increased passenger and cargo traffic -Strong financial position -Declining market share in key markets -Lack of scale Opportunities Threats -Expanding passenger traffic in Asia -Increase in trans-pacific cargo -Partnership with ANA -Cargo price-fixing investigation -Rising aviation fuel prices -Terrorist attacks and scares deter passengers from flying Virgin Holidays Economy Demand and supply Economic recession Technology Online Booking Travel agencies Social Corporate responsibility Cultural practices Political Deregulation Policies Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation PEST analysis diagram TABLE 1: Top 25 Global Airlines Revenue 2006 Airline Lists 2006 Revenues (Million US) % Air France KLM 28,945.00 10.28 Lufthansa 24,903.70 8.85 AMR Corporation 22,563.00 8.02 Japan Airlines System Corporation 18,905.40 6.72 UAL Corporation 17,882.00 6.35 Delta Air Lines, Inc. 17,171.00 6.10 Continental AG 13,128.00 4.66 Northwest Airlines Corporation 12,568.00 4.47 All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. 11,765.80 4.18 US Airways Group, Inc. 11,557.00 4.11 British Airways Plc 10,654.60 3.79 Qantas Airways 10,272.20 3.65 Singapore Airlines Limited 9,119.30 3.24 Southwest Airlines Co. 9,086.00 3.23 Air Canada Inc 8,934.40 3.17 Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. 8,328.60 2.96 SAS Group 8,236.90 2.93 Cathay Pacific Airways Limited 7,823.80 2.78 Emirates Group 7,423.20 2.64 Iberia 6,473.80 2.30 Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. 5,927.50 2.11 Virgin Group 3,518.10 1.25 TAM S.A. 2,515.50 0.89 Air India 2,060.80 0.73 ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. 1,679.60 0.60 Total 281,443.20 100.00 Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation Virgin Atlantics Airways British Airways British Midland Airways Continental Airlines American Airlines Delta Air Lines Founded 1984 1924 1949 1934 1930 1928 Parent Company Virgin Group British Airways plc BMI Continental AG AMR Corporation Delta Air Lines, Inc. Owner Virgin Group 51%, Singapore Airlines 49% n/a Sir Michael Bishop 50% , Lufthansa 30% ,SAS 20% n/a n/a n/a Head Office Crawley, England, United Kingdom London, United Kingdom Castle Donington, England, United Kingdom Houston, Texas Fort Worth, Texas Atlanta, Georgia Hubs London Heathrow Airport London Gatwick Airport London Heathrow Airport London Gatwick Airport London Heathrow Airport Manchester Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Miami International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Alliance ANA Oneworld Star Alliance SkyTeam Oneworld SkyTeam Number of Aircrafts As of Aug 2007 / 38 As of Sep 2007 / 235 As of Nov 2007 / 50 367 As of Aug 2007 / 653 As of Feb 2007 / 443 Destinations 30 222 51 292 158 332 Target Market Upper class and economy class n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Management Richard Branson (President) Stephen Murphy (Chairman) Steve Ridgway (CEO) Willie Walsh (CEO) Nigel Turner (CEO), Sir Michael Bishop (Chairman) Larry Kellner (CEO) Gerard Arpey (CEO) Richard Anderson (CEO) Edward Bastian (President) Employment Over 9000 42,755 4312 43,770 86,000 51,300 Fiscal Year End April March December December December December Number of Incidents and Accidents 3 7 2 19 29 13 Scheduled passenger services Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Cargo handling Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Aircraft maintenance Offer Offer None n/a n/a Offer Leisure travel services Offer Offer None Offer Offer Offer Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation