Basic Facts about a Starfishs Biology and Behavior

Starfish are star-shaped invertebrates that can be a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. You might be most familiar with starfish that live in tide pools in the intertidal zone, but some live in deep water. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: EchinodermataClass: Asteroidea Background Even though they are commonly called starfish, these animals are known more scientifically as sea stars. They do not have gills, fins, or even a skeleton. Sea stars have a tough, spiny covering and a soft underside. If you turn over a live sea star, youll likely see its hundreds of tube feet wiggling. There are over 2,000 species of sea stars, and they come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Their most noticeable characteristic is their arms. Many sea star species have five arms, but some, like the sun star, can have up to 40. Distribution Sea stars live in all the worlds oceans. They can be found in tropical to polar habitats, and from deep to shallow water. Visit a local tide pool, and you may be lucky enough to find a sea star! Reproduction Sea stars may reproduce sexually or asexually. There are male and female sea stars, but they are indistinguishable from one another. They reproduce by releasing sperm or eggs into the water, which, once fertilized, become free-swimming larvae that later settle to the ocean bottom. Sea stars reproduce asexually by regeneration. A sea star can regenerate an arm  and nearly its entire body if at least a portion of the sea stars central disc remains. Sea Star Vascular System Sea stars move using their tube feet and have an advanced water vascular system that they use to fill up their feet with sea water. They do not have blood but instead take in seawater through the sieve plate, or madreporite, located on top of the sea star, and use that to fill up their feet. They can retract their feet using muscles or use them as suction to hold onto a substrate or its prey. Sea Star Feeding Sea stars feed on bivalves like clams and mussels, and other animals such as small fish, barnacles, oysters, snails, and limpets. They feed by grasping their prey with their arms and extruding their stomach through their mouth and outside their body, where they digest the prey. They then slide their stomach back into their body.

Essay Design and Architecture of Art Galleries - 1585 Words

In what ways and for what reasons have the architecture and designs of art museums and galleries evolved since the mid-twentieth century? In exploring and understanding this subject, one must study the history and development of individual museums and galleries, observing the exterior architecture as well as the internal design, and the reasons behind any developments or renovations done to the buildings. In addition to this the location of the museum must be considered, to see if the surrounding architecture influences any modernisation or extensions taken out on the buildings, as well as considering the expectations and ideas of different cultures, and how they might manipulate the evolution of such places over the past fifty†¦show more content†¦Made completely from glass panels its sharp geometric shape and use of materials proves a stark contrast to the surrounding buildings. The pyramid allows light to enter the reception area of the museum, giving it a light and airy feel, something that is associated with modernism. This pyramid does not just have a function, it is a statement of how the Louvre has evolved, assuring that public access is practical and fluent, allowing more visitors to enter the building and view the fantastic collection within, and also a symbol of this modern thinking, in comparison to the restrictions of class applied years before. The `Grande Louvre as it has now been named, has attempted through such additions, as well as lectures, media and cinema within the museum, made art approachable, and shunned its former stuffy label. In saying this though a lot of the displays are of a huge scale, and of the classical academy style, especially the renaissance pieces, and these are displayed to their full potential within the Grande Louvre, as the classical design of the interior complement the pieces effortlessly, theyre quite at home in such a grand interior. Another art museum of Paris is the Mus#233;e dOrsay a national museum which opened to the public in 1986 in order to show, in all its variety, the artistic creation of the western world from 1848 to 1914. The museum wasShow MoreRelatedThe Architectural Design and Significance of The New Art Gallery of Ontario889 Words   |  4 Pages Architectural design Architectural Design (AD) was first launched in 1930 in the UK as its architectural based journal. By then it was just a British scene which thereafter spread and became international. Architecture has then taken great revolution from time to time. 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Software Architecture Code for Wrapper Class Free Essays

Wrapper to connect two applications with different architectures Public con As ADODB. Connection Public rs As ADODB. Recordset Dim str As String Private Sub Command1_Click() Command1. We will write a custom essay sample on Software Architecture Code for Wrapper Class or any similar topic only for you Order Now Enabled = False Command2. Enabled = False Command3. Enabled = False Command4. Enabled = True Set con = New ADODB. Connection Set rs = New ADODB. Recordset con. Open â€Å"Provider=SQLOLEDB. 1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=AIR† str = â€Å"insert into Staff values(† Text1. Text â€Å",'† Text2. Text â€Å"‘, † Text3. Text â€Å",† Text4. Text â€Å",'† Text5. Text â€Å"‘)† On Error GoTo Delete_Error con. Execute (str) MsgBox † Record added Successfully† Text1. Text = â€Å"† Text2. Text = â€Å"† Text3. Text = â€Å"† Text4. Text = â€Å"† Text5. Text = â€Å"† Text1. SetFocus Exit Sub Delete_Error: MsgBox â€Å"This record cannot be Added. Error code = † _ Err. Number vbCrLf Err. Description, _ vbCritical, â€Å"Cannot Update Database† End Sub Private Sub Command2_Click() Command1. Enabled = False Command4. Enabled = False Command6. Enabled = False If (Adodc1. Recordset. BOF) Then Adodc1. Recordset. MoveLast Else Adodc1. Recordset. MovePrevious End If End Sub Private Sub Command3_Click() Command1. Enabled = False Command4. Enabled = False Command6. Enabled = False If (Adodc1. Recordset. EOF) Then Adodc1. Recordset. MoveFirst Else Adodc1. Recordset. MoveNext End If End Sub Private Sub Command4_Click() Command4. Enabled = False Command1. Enabled = True Command2. Enabled = False Command3. Enabled = False Command7. Enabled = False Text1. Text = â€Å"† Text2. Text = â€Å"† Text3. Text = â€Å"† Text4. Text = â€Å"† Text5. Text = â€Å"† Text1. SetFocus End Sub Private Sub Command5_Click() Unload Me Form2. Show End Sub Private Sub Command6_Click() Text1. Text = â€Å"† Text2. Text = â€Å"† Text3. Text = â€Å"† Text4. Text = â€Å"† Text5. Text = â€Å"† Text1. SetFocus End Sub SQL COMMANDS: create database AIR create table Staff(Staff_id int PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,Staff_name varchar(20), Staff_age int, Salary int, Staff_address varchar(30)) ::Database AIR created successfully ::Table Staff creates successfully How to cite Software Architecture Code for Wrapper Class, Papers

Robinson Crusoe

Question: Discuss about the Report for Robinson Crusoe. Answer: 1: What do you think of Robinson Crusoe and Robinson Crusoe after Crusoe leaves the island? I perceive Robin Crusoe as an adventurous man seeking high see adventures filled with pride of achieving anything he puts to mind .Coming from a wealthy family, I thought he would follow his father's career advice, but he didn't, his rebellious nature took the best of him and following what he yearns for, life in the sea where many misfortunes will come to be. Crusoe being an aggressive businessman masters the art of profit making and determining profitable investments but with high risk involved which results to a long lasting predicament. I find it astonishing his ability to master the art of survival from scratch with no crash course, just intuition, his sympathetic in adopting a savage by saving him from cannibalism and teaching him the ways of the western man shows his charismatic character filled with compassion. I find Crusoe an extraordinary man after leaving the island; he was able to lead his fellow men to freedom regardless of the obstacles they faced along the way .A new man who never lost the fight for survival, having survived ingeniously running his disrupted business was simple; he rewarded his friends a fair amount of wealth as promised to make him a man of his word. 2: As you are reading along, how realistic are you finding Robinson Crusoe? I find Robin Crusoe getting In touch with reality gradually, regardless of losing hope for any rescue and immediate realization of loneliness in the island he finds the means of survival. Escape from such a predicament is the ultimate goal, we as humans its our nature to adapt to any situation to survive. Crusoe creates new values and goals for himself; he plants two crops a year to acquire food, he makes a house where he shields himself from the cold night and unpredictable weather (page 277). Lack of communication with another human creates an unrealistic experience where he has no one to talk to rather than God who seems to have forgotten about him, this depresses Crusoe. I find him still attached to a monetary value which reminds him of humanity when he finds gold and silver which at the moment has no added value to him but keeps it to gain a sense of humanity in him which increase how realistic I find him (Page 267). Determining the existence of cannibalism in the island raises Crusoes guard on survival instincts, he devised various ways of staying unnoticeable and even eliminating them, and through his misfortune, and hes able to save one of the savages who he then gains compassion towards him. Crusoe teaches Friday how to read and write, Christianity and the existence of a higher power but still doesn't let his guard down at any chance since he still considers him as a potential threat. I find Robin Crusoe survival in the island continuing to draw him towards reality; this is essential since it strengthens his physical and spiritual morale for continued survival until he escapes the island. Reference Defoe, Daniel and Michael Shinagel, Robinson Crusoe An Authoritative Text, Background and sources, criticism. New York, N.Y.(Norton, 1994)

The Native Americans Origin, Society and Culture

Free Essays on Microwaves

The microwave oven is one of the many inventions that were not intentionally created. In the mid-nineteen forties, during World War II the magnetron tube was invented. This device produced microwaves. A microwave is a radio wave. They were installed in British radar systems to detect Nazi warplanes in the British Isles. Several years later, scientists discovered that microwaves cooked food. The idea came across of using these microwaves for heating food when Dr. Percy Spencer was testing one of the magnetron tubes and the candy bar in his pocket melted. That is because the wave frequency of the microwave is 2,500 megahertz. Water, fats and sugars absorb this frequency. This occurrence converts the microwaves into atomic motion, which is heat. Another interesting property about this frequency range is that most plastic glass and ceramics do not absorb it. Dr. Spencer then did experiments in front of other colleagues with eggs and popcorn. This proved microwave heating could raise food temperatures faster than a conventional oven. Dr. Spencer then created a metal box, which he designed to trap energy. The microwave energy was not able to escape. This higher concentration of energy caused the temperature of food to increase quickly. This could be considered the first microwave oven. On Jan 24, 1950 Dr. Spencer patented his invention the microwave. Engineers went to work trying to refine the idea and put it to practical use. The Raytheon Company created the first practical microwave dubbed the "Radarange.† They gave it this name because magnetrons were invented for use in radars. These first microwave ovens were too big to be used in homes. They were more than five feet tall and weighed over 750 pounds. A device of these proportions would not be welcome in most homes nor would the price. The price for one of these microwave ovens was $5,000. This was a quite large sum for the time considering a new Ford V-8 cost only abo... Free Essays on Microwaves Free Essays on Microwaves The microwave oven is one of the many inventions that were not intentionally created. In the mid-nineteen forties, during World War II the magnetron tube was invented. This device produced microwaves. A microwave is a radio wave. They were installed in British radar systems to detect Nazi warplanes in the British Isles. Several years later, scientists discovered that microwaves cooked food. The idea came across of using these microwaves for heating food when Dr. Percy Spencer was testing one of the magnetron tubes and the candy bar in his pocket melted. That is because the wave frequency of the microwave is 2,500 megahertz. Water, fats and sugars absorb this frequency. This occurrence converts the microwaves into atomic motion, which is heat. Another interesting property about this frequency range is that most plastic glass and ceramics do not absorb it. Dr. Spencer then did experiments in front of other colleagues with eggs and popcorn. This proved microwave heating could raise food temperatures faster than a conventional oven. Dr. Spencer then created a metal box, which he designed to trap energy. The microwave energy was not able to escape. This higher concentration of energy caused the temperature of food to increase quickly. This could be considered the first microwave oven. On Jan 24, 1950 Dr. Spencer patented his invention the microwave. Engineers went to work trying to refine the idea and put it to practical use. The Raytheon Company created the first practical microwave dubbed the "Radarange.† They gave it this name because magnetrons were invented for use in radars. These first microwave ovens were too big to be used in homes. They were more than five feet tall and weighed over 750 pounds. A device of these proportions would not be welcome in most homes nor would the price. The price for one of these microwave ovens was $5,000. This was a quite large sum for the time considering a new Ford V-8 cost only abo...

Answer the questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Answer the questions - Assignment Example In experiment 1a and 1b, they sought to demonstrate how failing to donate when a hedonic product is referenced affects self-image. Experiments 2a and 2b complemented the previous experiments by establishing the effect of reference products on donation choices. The final experiment (3) sought to test the theory behind donations and reference products by using the same reference product (a blender) as hedonic and utilitarian (29). The researchers established that consumers are inclined to donations whereby there is reference to a hedonic product as opposed to when a utilitarian product is referenced. In addition, when a similar product is used both as a hedonic and utilitarian reference, consumers will donate more on the hedonic reference. The researchers noted that base rates for donation reduced when larger amounts of money are requested regardless of referencing a hedonic product. Such results were not expected. However, they recommended that future research ought to focus on the relation between the reference product and the amount of money requested

Nursing Should Not Unionize Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing Should Not Unionize - Essay Example It seems that there are various strong arguments against the unionization of nurses. The first argument, in the opinion of Anne Shields and Kathleen Rice, is that unionization of nurses goes in stark contradiction with the Florence Nightingale Pledge to â€Å"devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care† (Shields & Rice, 2000). It is very evident that a nurse needs to be able to think, speak, and act independently in order to serve this purpose. However, unions often come between patient and nurse. This takes away the professional freedom and status of nurses. To illustrate, it is very common for unions to adopt strike and walkout as the strategies to achieve their targets. In such cases, all the nurses in the union will be forced to do so because of their affiliations. However, unlike other professions, all healing professions are first and foremost servants of the patient. Unionization often comes with common issues like collective bargaining, political action, and litigation. When such economic considerations are given importance, the quality of patient care goes down. Another adverse impact of unions will be on the effectiveness of supervision. Admittedly, the reality of nursing is that the ones who are highly dedicated and perform exceptionally are appreciated and better compensated by the nursing supervisors. However, the presence of a contractual agreement will make it impossible for the supervisors even to think about giving different compensation to different people violating the agreements. Things turn even worse when it is about incompetence. To illustrate, it is possible for a supervisor or management to remove such nurses who are ‘good enough’ or who are incompetent regardless of their seniority. However, such actions invite the wrath of unions. Thus, managers lose the power to argue for the welfare of the patient. Thus, AS Sbinga (2008) points out, instead of providing the best possible care to the patient, the

Theories and research strategies in international politics Essay - 1

Theories and research strategies in international politics - Essay Example As a discipline of study, international politics can be studied with a scientific approach, but the nature of the complexity of society does not truly allow scientific parameters to fully encompass the issues involved. To decide whether international politics can be studied as a science, it is first necessary to define what constitutes a scientific study of a topic. At the end of the 19th century as the pursuit of science was beginning to be done according to modern standards, definitions of science were offered in order to more clearly ascertain the nature of scientific research. According to Michels (1880), science is created when three aspects of research are utilized. First one observes, then one records those observations, and finally one draws conclusions based on what has been recorded (pp. 383). The Popular science monthly (1872) defined science more simply as a search for real truth (pp. 226). Although, this definition is complicated by philosophies on what is ’real’ and what is ’truth’. development of an objective, consistent, documented system of knowledge based on rigorous systematic observations that lead to hypotheses that are then tested and refined (pp. 4). This definition defines science as the ability to observe and record something that will lead to a conclusion which is very similar to the musings of Michels on the topic. Science, in other words, is defined by the ability to research and draw conclusions about a topic. If this is the definition of science, then any topic that has an observable aspect can be considered a science. Therefore, the topic of international politics can be viewed from a scientific point of view because the activities that occur in the international political arena can be observed, recorded, and have conclusions drawn from those observations. According to Olson and Groom (1991),

The Power Of Brand Accessibility Coca Cola Marketing Essay

The Power Of Brand Accessibility Coca Cola Marketing Essay Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke or (in European and American countries) as cola, pop, or in some parts of the U.S. soda. Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman As a Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee. Brand development strategy of Coca Cola has been far reaching and has managed to remain in the limelight ever since it became a favorite with the non alcoholic drinkers.It has been noticed that brand loyalty is an important factor in maintaining the number one position. ounded in the year 1886, the Coca Cola company enjoys the status of being one of the biggest non alcoholic beverage companies of the world. It has a distribution system, which makes it unique from the rest of the non alcoholic beverage manufacturers. Over the years, Coca Cola has passed several tests of brand enhancement and the company makes it a point that the products under the banner Coca Colacontinue to invade the minds of the consumers. The brand development strategy of Coca Cola comprised redesigning of its brand development policies and techniques to keep up with the changing mindset of its consumers. Earlier, this brand believed in the following: Afford ability, Availability, Acceptability, However, this brand development strategy of Coca Cola was re worked to stress on the following instead: Price value, Preference Pervasive penetration.The essence of brand building of the company lies in the fact that it wants its consumers accessibility to be within an arms reach of desire. In an attempt to build its brand identity, as many as 20 brand attributes are tested every month involving as many as 4000 customers. The brand development strategy of Coca Cola is effective as it has been able to construct, manage As well as maintain its brand image. Another reason why this brand has gained unanimous acceptance all around the globe is due to the fact that it has been able to connect very well with its consumers. This impli es brand loyalty. Brand loyalty has been instrumental in keeping up the brand image of Coca Cola. It believes in shelling out the best so that the consumers are retained by default. A part of the brand building technique is also to enhance purchase frequency. The company has also invested in various advertisement campaigns often engaging the services of celebrities around the globe. In addition to the consumers, there is another category of consumers, who increase the consumer base and they constitute the collectors of the brand. The collectors usually indulge in collecting old as well as upcoming logos of Coca Cola, bottles and literary matter. With regard to the brand development of Coca Cola Zero, the company came out with an advertisement, which was quite different from the conventional ones. In this regard, (no calorie beverage), it has shelled out three types of products.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Coca Cola Classic  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Diet Coke  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Coca Cola Zero. There are few experts who believe that when Coca Cola had the tag line of The Real Thing, it was really that but with the invention of various categories of coke, the real thing changes to many things, and the original flavor is usually lost. Hence, the brand building strategies should be such that it does not confuse people and is able to retain consumers despite the fact that several new non alcoholic beverage firms are on the anvil. The Power of Brand Accessibility If you were another soft drink company, you might define your competitive frame of reference as the cola market or the soft drink market or even the beverage market. But Coke thinks of its business and its market share in terms of share of human liquid consumption. This makes water a competitor. In fact, a Coke executive has said that he wont be satisfied until there is a Coca-Cola faucet in every home. Coca-Colas mantra is within an arms reach of desire. One Final Coca-Cola Fact A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized expression in the world after ok? is Coca-Cola. Brand Equity-: The brand assets (or liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that add from a service. Brand equity is difficult to measure because much of it depends on consumers perception and opinions of a brand. When a product has high brand equity they are successful at retaining their current customers by keeping them satisfied with the quality of products and service. They are also successful at attracting new customers who have heard of the brand through successful marketing or word of mouth. Coca-Colas brand equity is difficult to measure because they have extended their brand to include numerous products. In addition to the numerous of versions of Coca-Cola worldwide that compete against other beverage brands, Coca-Cola competes with itself. Nationally there are numerous versions / brands that are a part of the Coca-Cola family. Some of the brands include Coca-Cola Classic, Dasani Water, Full Throttle, Fanta, and Soy Products. In addition to competing against itself the Coca-Cola Company has saturated the market and consumers who may dislike one product may actually enjoy a different Coca-Cola product. However, the consumer may be unaware that the beverage is actually in the Coca-Cola family. As a result measuring brand equity may be difficult as consumers may be loyal and repeat customers of a brand and not know its origin. Coca Cola was taking its core product, Coke, and expanding the product in new form factors and new overseas markets. The brand promise stayed the same whether it was sold in a Coke store in New York or a road side stand in Mongolia refreshment, good times, and pure Americana. Despite the numerous brands and the difficulty in measuring brand equity it is evident that Coca-Cola has high brand equity. They are a company who has been in business for many years they have gained the business of consumers in the soda market as well as numerous other beverage markets nationally and internationally. Their sales and growth show that they are a successful company Brand identity the brand identity is the audio-visual face of the brand the cues that tell you that you are are in the right place. The brand definition is the formal description of what the brand stands for within different description categories its personality, its values, its stories, its emotional benefits etc.. The brand proposition is the deal the brand is offering you at any given moment the coca-cola comp.has long been recognised as an organisation with significant brand equity with over four four hundread brands available in virtually every nook and crany of the world .the flag ship brand of coca cola has stood the rest of the time over 120 years. Infact coca-cola alone is recognized as the most valuable in the world by the respected inter brand corportionvalued at above US $ 67 billion , the coca-cola brand (coke)has become effectively become a part of modern world culture.though its advertising campaign has changed over the years,coca-cola THE REAL TASTE has always stood for aREAL COLA DRINK with authenticity . the identity has been build by an decade with consistent values and diferentiated elements. Many competitors have aim at cokes but the brand continues to command a number one position globaly in ranking of brand equity. After all If u stand for the real thing every competitor is an imitator. the Coca-Cola bottle design differentiated the identity, the easier it is to protect from infringement. Just coca cols has remained to its time tested identity u have the equallly relivant to you. This brand identity should reflect your own unique equity and care essence this will ensure your brand creativity and identity that is meaning ful and sustainable in long term. Brand image- A unique set of associations in the mind of customers concerning what a brand stands for and the implied promises the brand makes. There could be hardly any person around the world that hasnt heard the name Coca Cola. Ever since it beginning as worlds leading name in cold drinks, Coca Cola has created a strong brand image irrespective of age, sex and geographical locations. Millions of people around the world are consuming cold drinks or soft drinks as part of their daily meal. Coca Cola, ever since its inception has been the leader in soft drink market. Brand image is the significant factor affecting Cokes sale. Coca-Colas brand name is very well known all over the world. Packaging changes have also affected sales and industry positioning, but in general, the public has tended not to be affected by new products. Coca-Colas bottling system also allows the company to take advantage of infinite growth opportunities around the world. This strategy gives Coke the opportunity to service a large geographic, diverse, area. Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is a central construct to marketing. Keeping the consumer satisfied, and loyal enough to frequently purchase just one brand, is more difficult in todays marketplace than ever before. But today, major brands are experiencing heightened brand loyalty due to the growing popularity of the brand as a collectible. A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized expression in the world after ok? is Coca-Cola. Brand personality:- Brand Personality identity is understood as the set of human characteristics associated with a brand. The brand image building strategy implies the definition of a brand personality and a user personality. Have you ever thought about your personal brand? Brand personalities that 1) Are well-known, 2) offer something different to the world than they do in terms of products and services Coca-Colas brand personality reflects the positioning of its brand. The process of positioning a brand or product is a complex managerial task and must be done over time using all the elements of the marketing mix. Positioning is in the mind of the consumer and can be described as how the product is considered by that consumer. When researching the positioning of a product, consumers are often asked how they would describe that product if it were a person. The purpose of this is to develop a character statement. This can ensure that consumers have a clear view of the brand values that make up the brand personality, just like the values and beliefs that make up a person. Many people see Coca-Cola as a part of their daily life. This similarity between the brand and the consumer leads to a high degree of loyalty and makes the purchasing decision easier Brand Positioning:- The location of a brand in relation to its competitors in some pre-defined space. The space may be defined by criteria used by consumers, such as value for money or age of consumer etc. 5 main factors that go into defining a brand position. 1. Brand Attributes What the brand delivers through features and benefits to consumers. 2. Consumer Expectations What consumers expect to receive from the brand. 3. Competitor attributes What the other brands in the market offer through features and benefits to consumers. 4. Price An easily quantifiable factor Your prices vs. your competitors prices. 5. Consumer perceptions The perceived quality and value of your brand in consumers minds (i.e., does your brand offer the cheap solution, the good value for the money solution, the high-end, high-price tag solution, etc.?) The Coca-Cola Company produce a range of beverages suited to different ages, stages, lifestyles and occasions. This includes soft drinks, diet drinks, juices and juice drinks, waters, energy drinks, sports drinks and cordials. As part of a healthy, varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle, all products can be enjoyed by the majority of people. It is committed to helping customers select the product that is best suited to their needs through the provision of detailed product information supported by general advice on healthy eating, drinking and lifestyles. It understands that balancing energy intake with energy output is key to a healthy body weight. We therefore provide choice through range of low or no-kilojoule products that are ideally suited to the needs of people who wish to reduce energy intake through beverage selection. Such products are readily available at a similar cost to an equivalent higher energy product. As one of the largest producers and marketers of non-alcoholic beverages we promote physical activity through our active lifestyles programme and sponsorship of sport. Through new product development we will continue to release a range of new types of drinks, including low or no kilojoule products as we look at ways in which to cater to those people who wish to reduce energy intake through selection of lower energy beverages. Children and the role of our beverages Coca cola respect and support the primary role that parents play in decisions affecting the lives of young children, including choices about diet and lifestyle. Beverage choice, like food selection, is a role for parents and we assist them in this through the provision of nutrition information and by making available a wide range of products suitable for all ages, stages and occasions. Coca-Colas longstanding global policy ensures we do not directly market our products to children under the age of twelve. Our brands are not advertised during childrens television times and we do not show children under 12 in advertising or promotional materials drinking our products outside of the presence of an adult. Our sampling events are directed to people over the age of 12. In the small number of schools where we provide vending machines we work with the school to provide a range of beverages, and ensure that lower energy products are priced attractively and the packaging is in a single serve size. Guidelines have been established to oversee the manner in which we work with schools and their tuck shops. It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free alternatives at a similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Retailers offering specials are encouraged to include both the regular and diet versions of our soft drinks. Through new product development it aim to develop more products that meet the unique needs of children and will work with nutrition experts as we do this. For healthy active and growing children, beverages higher in energy can be enjoyed as part of a balanced and varied diet. However, we also provide a range of low or no-kilojoule products also suitable for children. Supporting sport and physical activity Globally, The Coca-Cola Company has a long history of supporting sport and activity. have been a major Olympic Games sponsor since 1928 and also sponsor major international sporting events. Coca-Cola has been an All Black sponsor for the past decade and has also supported provincial netball and rugby. At a grassroots level, Coca-Cola has formed a partnership with the National Association of OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreation) to develop and implement a national physical activity programme available to 75,000 young New Zealanders. In South Auckland, the Get Moving programme is working to encourage children to participate in local sports and recreation courses. The Pump water brand is now a major sponsor of the Heart Foundations Jump Rope for Heart programme that runs in schools across New Zealand and through the Powerade sports drink brand, we support numerous sporting events around the country. Labelling All products of The Coca-Cola Company provide clear nutrition information in compliance with international regulations. Packaging Coca-Cola is committed to strict environmental guidelines, and to ensuring our packaging has as little impact as possible on the environment. To this end, a recycling project was introduced in New Zealand during 2001 which ensures our PET bottles contain an average of 10% recycled material. Information Programmes Coca colas consumer contact centre provides around the clock access to information about the companies. Pricing It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free soft drink alternatives at a similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Similarly, any competitions or promotions of Coca-Cola can be entered by our consumers who purchase diet Coke. Although at the discretion of retailers, special offers and reduced prices on soft drinks are usually available for both the regular and diet versions of our soft drinks Brand extension :- Brand extension or brand stretching is a marketing strategy in which a firm marketing a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name in a different product category. Organizations use this strategy to increase and leverage brand equity (definition: the net worth and long-term sustainability just from the renowned name) Conclusion:- The progress and advancement in the field of technology in the fields of soft drink raw material, production, manufacturing, information and communication technology and logistics have great positive impacts on the operations and sales of Coca-Cola. The availability of new soft drink ingredients enables Coca-Cola to introduce new variety of its products to its existing consumers, not forgetting to attract the new consumer groups. The use of the latest information technology has made able the company to attract the new generation of soft drink consumers with the latest features of song downloading. Also the existence of company website has enabled the world to be in touch with the latest progress, promotions

The Physiological Breakdown of Hamlet Essay -- The Tragedy of Hamlet

The Physiological Breakdown of Hamlet      Ã‚   In Shakespeare's masterpiece Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet is overcome by a physiological breakdown. Hamlet was a sensitive man who was destroyed by a corrupt environment. Hamlet's dead father, the deeds of his uncle and mother, and the frequency of death caused the destruction of Hamlet.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, the loss of any close family member is very traumatic. Hamlet is not immune to such effects. In the first of Hamlet's soliloquies, Hamlet cries "How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on't! ah fie!'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely" (III. ii. 134-137). It is obvious that this is a window to Hamlet's tortured soul. This is only the beginning of the end for Hamlet. In Act I. Scene iv. Hamlet confronts the spirit of his dead father. This is also disturbing to Hamlet. John S. Wilks writes in J. Leeds Barroll's Shakespeare Studies how meeting the ghost of his father "...throws his conscience into doubt and error, must naturally begin with the malign source of that confusion, the Ghost" (119). Hamlet is also incensed when he learns the reason for his father's torture. Old Hamlet was murdered by his brother when he was sleeping. T his leaves Old Hamlet walking in limbo for his afterlife. After learning this, Hamlet decrees "O all you host of heaven! O Earth! What else? And shall I couple hell?" (I. v. 92-93). Also knowing that his father was miserable in the afterlife weighed heavily on Hamlet's mind (Knight 20). Clearly, the death of his father and speaking to the ghost of his father started the corruption of Hamlet.    The deeds of his uncle and his mot... ...rruption of Hamlet can be attributed to the ghost of Hamlet's father, the actions of his mother and uncle and the many deaths that occur in this play. Hamlet is a sensitive man who could not take all trauma of all the events that happened in his life. His corruption was the only way for him to escape the tribulations he faced.    Works Cited Knight, G. Wilson. The Wheel of Fire. London: Oxford University Press, 1930. Mack, Maynard, et al, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Sixth ed. Vol 2. New York: Norton, 1992. Skura, Meredith Anne. "Hamlet and Psychoanalysis" Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Ed. Robert B. Heilman. Englewood Cliffs: MLA, 1984. 84-93. Wliks, John S. "The discourse of Reason: Justice and the Erroneous Conscience in Hamlet. Shakespeare Studies. Vol XVIII. Ed. J. Leeds Barroll. New York: MLA, 1986. 117-144.

Aqualisa Quartz: Case Study

1. What is the Quartz value proposition to plumbers? What is Aqualisa Quartz value proposition to consumers? The value proposition of Aqualisa Quartz to plumbers is that it is easy to install; it is more profitable because they are able to do more installations. Because the installation process is less complicated, it takes less time to install (only half a day compared to 2 days previously). This gives plumbers the opportunity to install more units and capture some of the historical 6-month waiting list for plumbing jobs. Due to a less complex installation process, even apprentices are able to do installations, instead of only certified plumbers. The Aqualisa Quartz product also delivers excellent results, which gives the plumbers increased credibility with consumers for installing a superior product with less malfunctions. The value proposition of Aqualisa Quartz to consumers is that it had efficient and reliable water pressure and temperature. It is safe to use for kids and elderly people. It has a one touch control with a red light indicator which allowed consumers to know when the water reaches the desired temperature. Once the temperature is set, consumers only need to push the one touch control and wait for the light. It is much easier to install for the DIY sector of consumers since it does not require excavation of the wall to reach plumbing. The Aqualisa Quartz also has excellent design and aesthetics. The control box could now be placed in any space close to a water source and electrical outlet – even in out of sight locations. 2. Why is the Quartz shower not selling? Sales of the Quartz shower are significantly below expectations. There are a few contributing factors. Slow Adoption Processes. Most plumbers are wary of new technology and do not trust it, especially in light of previous electronic control failures. In addition, plumbers establish a comfort level with a particular brand and see changing their preferred product as an unnecessary cost. The uncertainty of its performance, which may result in having to do repair work, plus the time to learn a new product, is seen as a hindrance. They seem to adhere to the rule, â€Å"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. † Although there has not been much adoption with the product, plumbers also may pose a potential challenge with the structure of their fee chedule. If a labor cost of 40 to 80 pounds per hour was reduced by 75% because of the ease of installation, a plumber may have to schedule almost three times as many shower jobs to make up the potential loss in labor revenue or use the time to deliver other services. Sales Targeting and Cannibalization. With the sales force spending 90% of their time on existing accounts, there is inadequate focus on trade shops – which target plumbers. It also creates the threat of cannibalization of the other product lines. Typically, new products should be introduced to existing customers to either capture new revenue or replace aging products. Another approach is to introduce the products to new customers. In this case, the product poses direct competition and the sales team seems unsure of how to proceed when adding the Quartz to their typical sales process. The solution is for companies to refocus the sales team to target new customers or segment a portion of the sales force to specialize in a particular product line. Product Testing versus Market Research. The research and development team at Aqualisa seem to do a good job of obtaining feedback from the users and to determine what would make the best user experience. However, there does not appear to be any feedback gathered from its primary customer base on what problems they are facing, how this new product may solve them, and ultimately how it may benefit the plumbers. The approach assumes plumbers will catch on because it was simply a better shower. However, that is not the current situation. 3. Aqualisa spent three years and 5. 8 million developing the Quartz. Was the product worth the investment? Is Quartz a niche product or a mainstream product? The Quartz line product is worth the time and money that Aqualisa spent developing it. The company has been able to create an innovative, break-through product in an extremely mature industry. Given the current pricing model, Aqualisa can break even on its investment by selling slightly over 18,700 units (assuming a 50/50 split between the two models offered). There were 550,000 power shower class units sold in the United Kingdom in 2000, so selling just fewer than 20,000 of such a superior product should be an achievable goal. The Quartz is a mainstream product that appeals to anyone who can afford it. While the Quartz may have failed to post strong initial sales numbers there is clearly a demand in the United Kingdom (and probably the rest of Europe) for a product that fixes all of the problems associated with the old plumbing infrastructure that exists in this part of the world. When there is strong demand and only one supplier that adequately addresses all the consumer needs the only missing ingredient is a proper marketing campaign, which is clearly lacking. If Aqualisa can effectively convey the benefits of the Quartz units to both plumbers and consumers adequately there is no reason Quartz cannot fuel Aqualisa’s growth for the next several years. 4. Aqualisa currently has three brands: Aqualisa, Gainsborough, and ShowerMax. What is the rationale behind this multiple brand strategy? Does it make sense? The act of managing multiple brands is a thin tight rope walk that can help elevate a brand yet almost just as easily diminish it. Aqualisa has recognized distinct markets within the overall market of showers. An excellent example of multiple brands can be drawn from the brief anecdote at the beginning of the paper with the mentioning of the Marriott that Mr. Rawlinson was a guest of. Marriot has a multitude of brands within their brand. Consumers come in any and every form, from those who seek quality first and have the means to pay the price for the best to those who look at the price tag first and compromise on quality and everywhere in between. Marriott consists of the Courtyard, The Fairfield Inn, Marriott Resorts, and Residence Inn, just to name a few. The goal is to isolate the needs and demands of specific types of consumers and utilize each brand to specialize and cater to that type of consumer. They have broken down their branding into an architecture defining the brands categories as; iconic luxury, luxury, lifestyle, signature, modern essentials, extended stay and destination entertainment. More than just creating these branches they have focused on distinctly establishing a separate identity for each brand while still embodying the overall total brand’s mission. This is a difficult juggling act in multiple brand management, teetering to find the perfect balance between separation and unification. The extended stay category consists of those rooms including kitchens, and other amenities to cater more too long term guests for example. Any market is filled with a myriad of different consumers so to generalize them with one brand as a ‘one size fits all’ service would be foolish. Marriott has spent a great sum of advertising and marketing dollars and effort to research the market and gain insight into the demands of the consumer. This has also been accomplished by varying pricing points, among other factors, in order to break down the target market into multiple targets. This allows the brand to better serve each demographics specific needs more efficiently and effectively. Aqualisa recognizes the same trend within the shower market. As stated in the case study, the United Kingdom’s buyers tend to fall into three pricing segments: premium, standard, and value. Aqualisa has developed three brands respectively: Aquastyle, Gainsborough, and ShowerMax, to penetrate these markets. Not only are consumers concerned with price but also ease of use, installation and performance. These various factors translate to different types of end users. They consist of the DIY consumers, plumbers, developers and contractors, and the retail consumer. These varying users each need to be reached through distinctive means. Tradeshows are the best place to reach plumbers and developers while options like hardware stores and showrooms are best for DIY and retail consumers. In a market such as the shower market in the UK, there needs to be several strategies and methods of market penetration. In order to best cater to these different strategies, Aqualisa must customize and tailor fit a product line designed for each market segment. This example is a quintessential instance where multiple branding is the best option. Just making one brand in this case would most definitely pigeon-hole their operation and typecast them as just being a product for only one or two types of consumers. A singular brand would in turn ostracize the needs of other various types of demand within the market. The sheer fact that there are commercial and residential applications support the fact that multiple product brands are required. Promoting a universal message and ideal for your brands that encompasses all product lines and bridges their differences is imperative; Aqualisa has chosen a wise strategy in pursuing multiple brands. 5. What should Rawlinson do to generate sales momentum for the Quartz product? Should he change his marketing strategy to target consumers directly, target the DIY market, or target developers? Should he lower the price of the Quartz? Or should he do something different altogether? Although the Quartz is truly ground breaking and innovative in terms of function and design, many consumers and industry professionals alike are not fully aware of its features and benefits. Aqualisa should commit to an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign targeted towards the consumer and DIY markets respectively. Targeting consumers directly will increase brand recognition, provide product differentiation, and in turn allow customers to make informed decisions. Armed with information from customized advertising and marketing strategies, customers are in a unique position to reduce the leverage plumbers have traditionally had in selecting installation brands. The price point for the Quartz should not be lowered because it is a new revolutionary product with essentially no market competition. However, Aqualisa should develop methods to effectively mitigate the immediate and continuing impact of cannibalization as they strive to increase Quartz’s sales. Aqualisa could also benefit from developing a marketing scheme to target plumbers and or industry professionals. Plumbers are influencing 73% of all shower purchase decisions, so getting there buy-in is crucial. Additionally, the overall lifetime value of a single plumber could be well into the tens of thousands of euros (where as the lifetime value of a consumer is a few hundred). The organization acknowledges the challenges it faces with products boasting technological advancements due to industry skepticism. This reluctance has undoubtedly been responsible for the lack luster demand as evidenced by product availability within trade shops. As part of this strategy the company could offer a series of workshops, trade, or industry shows designed solely for plumbers to showcase the Quartz features, reliability, and installation ease. In regards to distribution, Aqualisa needs to do a better job of getting their products into the market. Aqualisa currently has only a 40% presence in trade shops and 25% in show rooms. In order to truly make a difference in sales, the product needs to be available in more outlets for purchasing. Distribution must be expanded. With the aforementioned strategies, an increased presence is needed in trade shops, show rooms, DIY chains and general consumer stores to increase brand awareness and recognition. A lower pricing structure would not be a good strategy for the long term because it will reduce profit margin. There is some room to lower the price of the Quartz to match the profit margins on the other Aqualisa products. Currently the Quartz line is close to a 32% profit margin, in comparison to the other Aqualisa products which range from 22% to 32%. The majority of products fall near 26%. However, lowering the price may be a viable option in the future after sales volumes have increased significantly. Listed below are specific strategies Aqualisa could adopt and implement to increase Quartz sales volumes. Strategies:

Is ACT Word of the Day a Good Way to Study Vocab

Is ACT Word of the Day a Good Way to Study Vocab SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you building up your vocabulary to get ready for the ACT? While memorizing obscure words won't get you too far, learning medium-level words in multiple contexts will help you out a great deal on ACT Reading and English. Besides "multiple-meaning" words, you also want to review scientific terms to be prepared for the ACT Science section. This guide tackles the "one word a day" strategy and how you can use it effectively to prepare for the ACT. First, how useful isstudying just one word a day? Is Studying a Word a Day Helpful? As I discussed above, you don't need to memorize obscure, difficult wordsto get ready for the ACT, because those won't be tested anywhere on it. Instead, the ACT tests words of medium difficulty that you're more likely to befamiliar with, but might not realize can have different connotations in different contexts. That's why your daily vocabulary studying should be less about learning new definitions and more about studying how a word can be used in multiple contexts. If you study one word a day, then your knowledge could really build up over time. This means, of course, that you'd have to start early, like several months to a year out from your test. If you only started two weeks before your test, that would only add up to 14 words! Not so helpful. Since many ACT Word of the Day resources might notgive you any or more than one example sentence, studying a word a day is most effective if you can seek out other contexts in which your word of the day is used. On a similar note, you could write your own example sentences to make sure you know how to use the word in different ways. Reading the word in multiple contexts, using it in your own writing, and looking for it in your reading going forward will help you retain the word in your long-term memory. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of studying vocabulary by using ACT Word of the Day. Take time to review - don't let goldfish brain happen to you! Pros of ACT Word of the Day Taking just five minutes out of your day to learn a new word (or learn how a familiar word can be used in new ways) can be rewarding for your test prep and your own self-education. It helps with "trickle learning," or learning a small amount everyday until it adds up to a great well of knowledge. It reminds you to stick with the rest of your ACT prep schedule, and it orients you to learning at least one new thing everyday. If you start early, then the number of words you've studied can really add up over time. It's a convenient and low-pressure way to injectsome test prep into each and every day. In this way, it's much less stressful than studying a ton of words all at once right before your test. As I mentioned above, the ACT tests words of moderate difficulty and makes sure you understand them in context. Studying your ACT vocabulary in different contexts will help with vocabulary questions on the English and Reading sections, plus it will improve your overall reading comprehension and writing abilities. Improving your verbal abilities will help you in school, in college, and beyond. Finally, this small commitment to studying a word a day could be like a gift you give yourself. Anytime we set a long term goal and slowly make small steps to get there, we build up our power to stick to our goals, maintain a sense of self-discipline, and put purpose behind ouractions. The benefits of studying an ACT Word of the Day are clear, but what are some potential downsides to this approach? Cons of ACT Word of the Day Studying just one word a day takes a long time to build up. While it might start out by only taking 5 minutes or so out of your day, you might find yourself having to review more and more to keep track of the words you studied months or even a year before. It could become harder to keep up with your ACT Word of the Day if it starts to become a bigger time commitment than you originally anticipated. Another con is that there are not too manyonline resources specifically for ACT Word of the Day. Its counterpart, the SAT Word of the Day, is much better served online with websites, email lists, and even a New York Times blog. Because of the lack of ACT email lists, you probably have to expend more effort to make your own Word of the Day flashcards from vocabulary lists. Besides vocabulary words, the ACT sometimes also tests common idioms, like hush-hush, get an edge on, against the clock, and streak past. You probably won't find these on vocabulary lists, so might have to find these on your own, as well, if you need some review. Most native English speakers will be familiar with these, but if English is your second language then you might want to seek these idioms out, as well. I mentioned that there aren't too many online resources for ACT Word of the Day, but you can make your own from lists of ACT words and definitions. Using this map from The Phantom Tollbooth, you can journey towards Dictionopolis onyour way to the Sea of Knowledge (...or use the websites listed below). Where Can You FindACT Words of the Day? One site that you can visit for ACT Words of the Day is Number2.com. It shows you a word, definition, and one example sentence. It would be a good idea to find other examples of the word in context, as well as writing it in your own sentences. This site does not usually include very obscure words, but unfortunately it does not differentiate between ACT Word of the Day and SAT Word of the Day. Some of the words will be helpful; others, not so much. PrepScholar, on the other hand, has an ACT-specific list of itstop 150 vocabulary words. You could use this list to make flashcards or simply study one word a day. As this list is ACT words and definitions, you again would want to seek out these words in context. Even just googling each word will pull up at least one example sentence from an online dictionary, and you can continue to search for them online and in your reading. In addition to these words you'll need for the Reading and English section, you can also incorporate science vocabulary into your ACT Word of the Day and general prep. While the ACT Science is like the Reading section in a lot of ways, there still is some actual science that you need to know to gain a strong score. Now that you know where to find commonly tested ACT words, how can you study them one day at a time? How to Study ACT Words of the Day Like a DIY project, you can create your own ACT Word of the Day by making flashcards or uploading your own lists to vocabulary-building sites like Quizlet orWordDynamo. These sites let you take timed quizzes and play matching games, which could be a quick review once you've been studying word of the days for a few weeks or months. As I mentioned above, your vocabulary questions on the ACT will generally ask how a word is used in context. Make sure to understand the vocab word in all its meanings and connotations, as well as note the context clues in example sentences that hint at its meaning. If you can be proactive and incorporate it into your own writing, then you'll also be able to reinforce your understanding of the word in its varioususages. Studying a word a day is a quick and easy way to learn words, add some test prep into your daily schedule, and remind yourself to stick to your overall study schedule. Making this part of your routine will help you build your study and time management skills. With studying ACT vocabulary, you should focus on quality of words rather than quantity. The 150 most commonly tested words I mentioned above are the ones you should prioritize, plus the science terms you'll need to grasp. Start early, ramp up review close to your test date, and integrate your studying of vocabulary with your overall prep for comprehending English, Reading, and Science passages. In addition, make sure to customize the way you study ACT words to your personal learning style and goals. How Do You Learn New Words? Like with all aspects of prepping for the ACT, you should reflect on your learning style and design the approach that works best for you. If you feel stressed about the ACT, then starting early with a word a day andan ACT Question of the Day will gradually introduce you to the test and help you diagnose your strengths and weaknesses. If you're more deadline-driven, then these approaches are still useful for gaining some familiarity with the test while leaving more intensive studying for the months leading up to it. Try to pay close attention to ACT words when they pop up in your reading. You know that feeling when you learn something new and suddenly start seeing it everywhere? That can happen with vocabulary words, too, and it can help reinforce your understanding and long-term retention. Enhancing your verbal abilities willbe helpful not juston theACT, but in all aspects of communication in your academic, professional, and personal life. What's Next? To best study for the ACT, you need to know exactly what kind of content is tested on each section. Read about what's actually on the English, Reading, Science, and Math sections of the ACT. Are you wondering when to take the ACT? Learn how to choose your test dates. Aiming for a top ACT score? Read our guide on how to get a perfect 36 ACT score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Interview with the Chief Executive of Dunkin Donuts

Interview with the Chief Executive of Dunkin Donuts Introduction Leadership is an important aspect of an organization that always defines its ability to achieve success in various contexts. According to Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (90), offering leadership is one of the most challenging tasks that require skills and knowledge on how to manage people.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Interview with the Chief Executive of Dunkin’ Donuts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A good leader must be able to make employees believe in a given course and to work towards achieving a given objective without any serious resistance. The position requires someone with the capacity to inspire followers even in cases when they feel demoralized. A leader should be in a position to come up with ways of addressing issues within an organization in a manner that will be convincing to all the stakeholders. Strategy crafting and implementation are some of the most important roles of a leader as seen in the interview with the chief executive of Dunkin’ Donuts. In this research, the focus is to determine the importance of leadership in crafting and executing of strategies. Importance of Leadership in Crafting and Executing Strategy According to Hough (47), many organizations that are successful largely owe their achievement to effective leadership. Dunkin Donuts is one of the leading brands not only in New England area of the United States, but also in the entire world. The company experienced massive success following the ascent of Nigel Travis to the position of chief executive officer of the firm in 2008. He helped the firm to expand, and currently, Dunkin’ Donuts is one of the largest coffee houses in the world. He was able to come up with strategies that were meant to maximize on the strengths of the firm, and limit its weaknesses as demonstrated in the interview. This is a true reflection of what a leader is expected of when it comes to craftin g and executing strategies. Role of a leader in crafting a strategy The interview with the chief executive of Dunkin’ Donuts gives an insight on the role of a leader in crafting a strategy. It is important to understand the role of a leader in crafting strategies within an organizational setting. Hough (37) says that employees within an organization are always waiting to follow instructions given to them by their leader. It is the role of the leader to craft strategies which will form the basis of instructions to be issued to the employees. Crafting a strategy starts by understanding the environmental forces that may influence the normal operation of a firm.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These environmental factors can broadly be classified as internal and external environmental forces. The internal environmental factors are the strengths and weaknesses o f a firm that have direct or indirect impact on its operations. A leader must have the information about the internal environment of the firm he or she is leading. This information will come from various departments such as finance, marketing, production, procurement, and logistics units. A good leader should always ensure that he or she gathers information from all relevant departments regularly in order to identify the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. When the needed information about the internal environment is collected, the leader will need to have the information about the external environment. In this respect, the leader will need to understand the opportunities and threats in the market. The external environment presents a series of opportunities that a firm will need when developing strategies. Opportunities presented by the emerging technologies, expansion of the middle class, growing economic environment, and the political environment should be tapped appro priately in order to maximize the profitability of the firm. On the other hand, the market has some threats that the management must deal with in order to ensure that its normal operations are not affected as shown in the interview. The market competition, insecurity, economic downturn, and the changing tastes and preferences are some of the threats that the leader should be aware of when managing an organization. While information about the internal environmental factors can be collected by receiving regular reports from the relevant departmental heads, external factors can only be obtained through research. This means that the organization will need to conduct regular research about external environmental forces. It is only after collecting all the relevant data that a leader can initiate the process of crafting a strategy. The strategy will be based on the information gathered about the internal and external business environment. As Hough (69) notes, strategy formulation is a pro cess that involves teamwork. It is not a process where the leader views the information provided to him and makes an individualistic strategy.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Interview with the Chief Executive of Dunkin’ Donuts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All the departments must first be allowed to discuss issues that affect their units, and make their suggestions on how these issues can be addressed. The departmental heads will then meet the chief executive with their suggestions. The role of the leader is to listen to these suggestions, and with the help of other departmental heads, craft strategies which are in line with the suggestions presented before the panel. The leader will need to be aware of the constraints that may make some suggestions be modified to reflect the financial capacity of the firm, and time available for the implementation. A leader must always remain flexible when crafting pol icies. He or she must remain realistic to changes which are taking place within the internal and external environment in order to come up with effective strategies. Role of a leader in executing a strategy From the interview, it is clear that a leader plays a pivotal role in strategy execution. According to Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (75), policy implementation is one of the most important tasks in an organization. The policy crafted in the above stage is just a piece of instructions of what should be done. An organization can only achieve success if it is able to execute its strategies in a superior manner. As a leader, one would need to take a supervisory role in ensuring that the strategy is executed as effectively as possible. However, it is a fact that the leader may not be present in all the departments at all the times. There are administrative tasks that the leader is expected to undertake, and for this reason, it is necessary to delegate some of the duties to other jun ior leaders who will be able to supervise the implementation of the strategies. As the interviewee noted, the departmental heads will be directly responsible to the chief executive officer. The strategies formulated will be handed over to the departmental heads who will be directly involved in their implementation. The strategies will need to be broken down into specific tasks that should be undertaken by specific individuals. It is the responsibility of the departmental heads, with the help of his or her supervisors, to break down the strategies into tasks. The chief executive will need to review the progress made by each department in implementing the strategies. The leader should encourage close coordination between the departments of the organization during the implementation process in order to ensure that there is unison. It is also the responsibility of the leader to set the parameters that will be used to measure success in the execution of strategies by each of the departme nts.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The departmental heads should be aware of these parameters. They should know what the leader is expecting from them, and the timeline that each task should be accomplished. The leader should ensure that he or she conducts regular review of the performance of all the departments in order to confirm the reports given by heads of the departments. This way, all the departmental heads will be aware that they have a responsibility to all the stakeholders. Conclusion From the interview, it is clear that a leader has an important role in crafting and executing strategies within an organization. Although the leader is not directly involved in the collection of data and implementation of the crafted strategies, he or she is always the driving force that ensures that everything is done correctly. A leader is expected to initiate the process of collecting information about the internal and external environment. He or she will then lead a team that will come up with strategies that seek to align the internal environment with the forces in the external environment. In the process of executing the strategies, he or she is expected to offer moral and material support to the team involved in the implementation process. Hough, John. Crafting and executing strategy: Text, readings and cases. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2011. Print. Thompson, Arthur, Alonzo Strickland, and John Gamble. Crafting and Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage : Concepts and Cases. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2005. Print.

The Death Penalty and Offenders with Mental Retardation Research Paper

The Death Penalty and Offenders with Mental Retardation - Research Paper Example It is not surprising that executing of mentally defective people faces public resistance. The interrogations revealed that a great number of United States citizens are against death penalty for people with mental retardation including those who support the execution as such. The law that forbids the execution of mentally sick individuals was already passed in 13 states and 7 states are going to pass it as well. The United States of America is the only democratic country in the world that executes mentally ill or defective people (Gross, 2007). First of all, such laws are at variance with basic Human Rights,  which consider death to be a violation of the main right of humans – right to life, especially if it is applied to individuals who suffer from mental retardation. David Anderson states: †¦we shall now look at the great international documents and some other documents which speaks of human rights and the "right to life" in relation to the death penalty. We shall then observe that the abolitionists have come to a minefield, because the fundamental international documents testify in this matter more to the advantages of the death penalty. It is only some lately additional paragraphs which want to see some other order of things (Anderson, 2001). Many people who support the death penalty and consider it to be necessary in some cases state that it looses its initial meaning and significance and turn into violence if applied to mentally defective people. This punishment is to be used in most serious cases for the crimes committed deliberately and with cruelty. However, the actions of mentally disabled people can’t be considered as deliberate. They can’t live a full-fledged life because of their incurable trouble. Such people have a lot of problems with making decisions, recollection, concentration, and with comprehension of outcomes

Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies Essay

Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies - Essay Example Analogous to Vietnam, the American troops and their allies dug into the urban areas using fortified structures that were seen as impenetrable for organized Taliban and Al-Qaeda troops. This had one major impact – conventional warfare was not possible in Afghanistan anymore as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda could not mount infantry or artillery attacks. Given the limited choices to act, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda turned over to guerilla tactics with special emphasis being placed on suicide bombing runs inside US bases in Afghanistan. Rising causalities inside the US bases as well as on roads throughout Afghanistan forced the US to act once more. In order to deal with the challenges at hand, the military’s top brass and the hawks in Washington decided to escalate troop levels in order to pursue a policy of â€Å"boots on the ground†. The rising troop levels and the enhanced military activity on ground meant that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda needed new places to hide. This was an obvious response from the Taliban and Al-Qaeda as they needed bases to train troops, plan and execute operations, plan for longer term strategies and the like. However, space in Afghanistan was running out for both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda who were on the run given escalated military activity. As a response to this, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda moved over into neighboring Pakistan’s tribal belt. ... The closely knitted extended family structure in the region which sponsored tribalism was also able to help the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in finding shelter. Even though it was obvious where the enemy was stationed, the US troops and their allies could not operate inside Pakistan as they had in Afghanistan. The sanctity of an international border was far too great to be desecrated along with the sensitivities of the Pakistani side. The US was quick to bring in drones to attack targets inside Pakistani territory but this had only limited effect as the results of surgical strikes are incomparable to the results of entire infantry and artillery movements. Consequently the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies were brought in to deal with the situation in the border tribal regions. The US and its allies expected compliance with their goals but the Pakistani intelligence structure had its own objectives lurking under the guise of cooperation. Continuous failure on the part of the Pakist ani military brass led the US and its allies to limit information sharing. As relations became more and more strained, the cooperation between the US and Pakistan came to an all-time low (Kronstadt). The military regime of Musharraf was replaced in time by a democratic government in 2007 that was looking for protection from the US from the very start. As the democratic government leaned towards the US and its objectives, results began to arrive. The Osama bin Laden raid in Abbottabad helped to effectively end the threat for once and for all. However such cooperation by the democratic government put it in direct opposition of the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies. Soon a new controversy in the form of the Memogate

Who am I as a Learner and who am I Becoming a Teacher Essay

Who am I as a Learner and who am I Becoming a Teacher - Essay Example This is followed by the different responsibilities that are a part of being a teacher, as opposed to being a learner. Identifying each of these within my personal life and making the transition into the needed responsibilities and changes is the beginning of perspectives which I have to alter the way in which I look at being both a learner and a teacher. The first change in perspective and in responsibility which I have noticed is with the ideology of being a learner in a diverse classroom as opposed to working as a teacher with the need to associate with the needs of different learners. Multiculturalism, diversity, behaviors and other associations within the classroom are the main concepts now associated with the classroom. The demand is to learn how to work in the classroom with the changes and to find new solutions to the dynamics of the classroom (Greene, 1993). I have noticed that working in a classroom as a learner often creates friction because of the same problem. When I am w orking as a learner, I noticed the diversity and also note that the structure within the classroom doesn’t work. However, as a teacher, there is no solution to the current structure that is a part of the classroom. When looking at the responsibilities of an emerging teacher, there is the understanding that the environment and dynamics has to change for the right change and ability to learn with the diverse classroom. This creates more of an understanding as a learner and the ability to find new solutions as an emerging teacher. The concept of the diverse classroom and meeting the changes and needs that are a part of the teaching and learning further with understanding what is needed to begin teaching. This begins with the images that are in the classroom for the environment as well as how children perceive and respond to this. The image which a learner has toward the classroom and the image which the teacher has of the child is an alternative perspective. There are changes th at alter according to the environment and what is occurring between the changing images of the learner and the teacher (Malaguzzi, Emilia, 1993). I know that as a learner, I look at the environment first, which gives a specific impression of the teacher and what the highlights are for the year. This is followed with how the environment may affect or change my desire to learn. I also know that as a learner, I look at how the teacher looks at me and what is expected of me. This means that as a teacher, I will need to create an environment that builds the right first impression. That also means that I will need to be cautious of the images which I have of learners and what is expected. This makes an impact on the learning and the changes which occur throughout the year in the given environment. The environment and impressions in the classroom are furthered with other concepts and responsibilities between the learner and teacher. Teaching as a pedagogical activity is one which requires more than a basic curriculum and the ability to associate with the classroom. It is one which requires responsibilities for understanding what children are able to offer while building the diverse classroom. The curriculum becomes a foundation that should be expanded on by the teacher so there is an understanding of subject material and a sense of responsibility toward what all children need (Van Manen, 1991). This concept is one of the most difficult for both learners and teachers. My experience as a learner is one which has noted this, specifically because of my place in the classroom. There have been times where the curriculum and assignments didn’t make sense; however, the ability for the teacher to be available is

Political Ideology Essay Example for Free

Political Ideology Essay Abstract: Are these heady days for Nigerian political parties? This is the main question, which this paper addresses with emphasis on political ideology, being the first and most important vehicle of a political party. It is argued that despite all pretences to the contrary through their manifestoes, as much as the superficial classifications as the â€Å"left† and â€Å"right†, â€Å"progressive† and â€Å"conservative†, Nigerian parties seem to be bereft of clear ideological commitments. This conclusion is predicated upon the relegation of politics of issues to the background across the various republics, and in its place the ascendancy of identity and money politics. Other factors include the rising magnitude of political vagrancy on the basis of selfish and parochial interests, the high level of party indiscipline, absence/weakness of party cohesion and internal democracy, and the high mortality and turnover of party leadership. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of this for Nigeria’s democratization and democratic consolidation, before concluding with some recommendations. 1. Introduction. Are these heady days for Nigerian political parties? It does not seem so. Although, the decade of the 1990s witnessed the massive spread of what Huntington (1991) referred to as the â€Å"third wave† of democratization to Africa, including Nigeria, leading to an unprecedented resurgence of multiparty politics, there is no controversy about the fact that the mere adoption of party pluralism will not automatically advance the cause of democracy without the institutionalization of certain institutional parameters to promote and sustain due process in theory and practice (See, Bratton and Van de Walle, 1992; 1997; Sorensen, 612 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria 1993). One of the most complex and critical institutions of democracy is political party. Political parties, as â€Å"makers† of democracy, have been so romanticized that scholars have claimed that neither democracy nor democratic societies are thinkable without them. They not only perform functions that are government related, such as making government accountable and exercising control over government administration; and electorate related functions such as political representation, expression of people’s demand through interest articulation and aggregation as well as structuring of electoral choices; but also linkage related functions, playing an intermediary and mediatory role between the government and the electorate (see, Moore, 2002; Lapalombara and Anderson, 2001; Simon, 1962). Following Omotola (2005a) and Egwu (2005), Saliu and Omotola (2006) have pointed out that political parties can only cope effectively with these responsibilities to the extent of their political institutionalization in terms of structure, internal democracy, cohesion and discipline, as much as their autonomy. The element of party autonomy is very crucial. For, as Alli Mari Tripp has argued, and rightly so, those organizations that have asserted the greatest autonomy have generally been able to â€Å"select their own leaders, push for far-reaching agendas, and involve themselves in politics to a greater extent than organizations that have been tied to the regime/or dominant party, either formally or through informal patronage networks† (Tripp, 2001:101). A note of caution is necessary here to avoid confusion. The relationship between political parties and the state is a complex one. This is because it is the party that forms the government, the latter being the institution of the state. To now talk of a hard-line demarcation between the two may be unrealistic. Yet, the relationship should be well defined such that political parties, especially the one in power, as a critical segment of both the state and society, can enjoy some reasonable degree of â€Å"societal autonomy†, the absence of which poses serious threats to â€Å"political liberalization, democratization and democratic consolidation† (Tripp, 2001:105). In such a situation, multiparty democracy can be adapted for the â€Å"politicization of ethnicity and further 613 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria elite enrichment encouraging a confrontational and divisive system† (cf Dicklitch, 2002:205). The import of the foregoing discussion, to take a cue from Saliu and Omotola (2006:2), is that the level of political institutionalization of political parties and their institutional strengths are directly correlated to their ability to discharge their ascribed responsibilities, and by extension, the strengths of democracy. When well institutionalized, political parties can serve as a set of mediating institutions through which differences in ideas, interests and perception of political problems at a given time can be managed (Olagunju, 2000; Omotola, 2005a). However, when the reverse is the case, the democracy project and the general system stand the risk of perversion and eventual breakdown. Whatever the case, it is important to note that at the very heart of the success or otherwise of political party is the important question of political ideology. The issue of ideology has been so central to the activities of political parties across time and space that Anson D. Morse (1896:76) has argued that ideology, being the durable convictions held in common by party members in respect to the most desirable form, institutions, spirit and course of action of the state, determines the natural attitude of a party towards every public question (cf. Iyare, 2004:81). In an incisive piece on â€Å"political party convention†, Richard Davies and Vincent J. Strickler (1996:1025) similarly argue that â€Å"ideology functions as planks†, that is, single issue statements within the platform, the exact ideological orientation of which is often used as a bargaining chip in seeking party unity. Here, the platform connotes a statement of the official party position on a variety of issues. Okudiba Nnoli (2003:177-82) also concludes that ideology is a very crucial aspect of politics, not only by serving as a cognitive structure for looking at society generally and providing a prescriptive formula, that is, a guide to individual action and judgement, but also as a powerful instrument of conflict management, selfidentification, popular mobilization and legitimization. It may, therefore, be correct to assert that the first and most important vehicle of a political party, under an ideal situation, should be its ideological stance. 614 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria In reality, however, this is seldom the case. Perhaps, due to the shallowness of democratic roots especially in the developing countries, other forces of identity particularly ethnicity and religion would appear to have taken the place of ideology. The rising influence of money politics represents another crucial limiting dimension (see, Nugent, 2001a: 2001b; 2001c; 1999; 1995; Gros, 1998; Omotola, 2004). What is the situation with Nigerian parties? Put differently, do Nigerian parties have ideology? How has its ideological condition shaped and influenced the course of party politics in the country? The main thrust of this chapter is to critically engage these questions with a view to suggesting ways of reviving and raising the consciousness of Nigerian parties with regard to the centrality of ideology to party activities and effectiveness. The paper is organized into a number of sections. Firstly, it will analyze the place of ideology in political theory. The second substantive section situates Nigerian parties in historical perspectives, tracing briefly their origin and growth as a precursor to the analysis of the place of ideology in Nigerian parties across different epochs. The last substantive part of the paper, drawing on its immediate preceding section, engages the central question of whether Nigerian parties have ideology or not. It is argued that despite all pretences to the contrary through their manifestoes, as much as the superficial classifications as the â€Å"left† and â€Å"right†, â€Å"progressive† and â€Å"conservative† parties, Nigerian parties seem to be bereft of clear ideological commitments. This conclusion is predicated upon the relegation of politics of issues to the background across the various republics, and in its place the ascendancy of identity and money politics. Other factors include the rising magnitude of political vagrancy on the basis of selfish and parochial interests, the high level of party indiscipline, absence/weakness of party cohesion and internal democracy, and the high mortality and turnover of party leadership. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of this for Nigeria’s democratization and democratic consolidation, before concluding. 615 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria 2. Ideology and Political Theory. Ideology represents a typically crucial element of political parties and their activities. It is a set of ideas about politics, all of which are related to one another and that modify and support each other. Though relatively enduring, it is yet a dynamic phenomenon, capable of being modified by new issues. It was in this light that Philips W. Shively (1997) defines an ideology as â€Å"a continually developing, organized set of ideas about politics that helps us to make sense of the myriad of political questions that face use†. For Okudiba Nnoli, ideology typifies â€Å"a systematized and interconnected set of ideas about the socio-economic and political organization of society as a whole† (Nnoli, 2003: 178). The concept of ideology, is, historically, deeply rooted in political theory. As a concept, it was coined by the late eighteenth century French philosopher, Destutt de Tracy (1754 – 1836). According to Nnoli (2003:177), Destutt de Tracy used it to describe a new scientific discipline that systematically studies ideas, emotions and sensations – the science of ideas. This conception has since changed and ideology has come to embody the ideas themselves. As a result of the changes, ideology has come to be presented as a subject representing two contradictory realities – the good and the bad, the former depicting ideology as â€Å"a system of thought that animates social or political action†, and the latter as a â€Å"misleading, illusory or one-sided criticism or condemnation† (cf Nnoli, 2003:178-79). This was the kind of debate that dominated political discourse in the midnineteenth century. For instance, in their: The German Ideology, Marx and Engels (1960) took a swipe at Hegel and his-co-travelers, describing them as ideologists of the bourgeois system, not articulate about the material conditions of social and political life. Yet, they went ahead to articulate another conception of ideology based on class analysis as a device for articulating the conflicting interests of different social classes (Nnoli, 2003:178). 616 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria. From whatever perspective one looks as it, the reality of political life across political systems, developed or developing, is the fact of multiple political options from which inevitably, choice(s) must be made. At such critical crossroads, ideology provides a ready guide for appropriate action. Philips W. Shively posits that ideology is useful to people, both for their own personal ease and satisfaction and for their public political activities. At the individual level, ideology helps to make sense reasonably easily and quickly of the varied political questions that come to one’s attention. In terms of its public utilities, it helps people to make persuasive arguments convincingly to enlist popular support for a given public policy (Shively, 1997:46 – 47). On the whole, therefore, ideology is an indispensable element of politics. It does not only serve as a major instrument of state power, playing major role in the acquisition, use and consolidation of power, but also functions as political lifeline for the animation of politics, forcing individuals and groups alike to make political judgment, especially in the face of competing and conflicting divides, as between capitalism and socialism, during the Cold War. On these notes, Nnoli (2003:181-83) summarizes the functions of ideology as that of providing: A cognitive structure for looking at society generally, be serving as an explanatory and justificatory category for societal realities; A prescriptive formula – a guide to individual action and judgment as a basis for the legitimization of public polities when in conformity with popular belief; An instrument of conflict management and the integration of society by limiting the basic values and issues over which societal members and disagree; A means of self-identification for the satisfaction of specific personality needs, a means of self-evaluation and social solidarity; A dynamic force in both individual and collective commitment action for or against the ruling class or decision. That is, it provides a powerful basis for mobilization; 617 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria Enhancement of the political appeals of a political party, by differentiating one party from another; and Negatively, may serve not only as a serious impediment to national integration and suppress the underprivileged, but also to disguise authoritarian rule. This is because, it tends to provide individuals with â€Å"imaginary avenues of escape from the harsh realities of social life† (Nnoli, 2003:183). It is important to note that ideologies do have certain defining attributes. Most notable among these include the fact that they are not simply the creation of those who hold them. Rather, they tend to take on a life of their own and guide the political views of their holders in unanticipated ways (see, Price and Sullivan, 1980; Freeden, 1996). In most cases, ideologies originate from seemingly irreconcilable antagonistic settings, tend to be exclusive, absolute and universal in character; and can be personalized and turned into a sacred belief similar to religious beliefs. While it is not entirely permanent, it is, however, resistant to fundamental changes (see, Sibley, 1970; Nnoli, 2003; Enemuo, 1999). Some illustrations suffice. Across time and space, various forms of ideologies have emerged at different times, Marxism and not in the least, African socialism. For space constraints, we can not examine each of these here. It is however important to note that most of these ideologies do fit correctly to the aforementioned attributes. For instance, almost all such ideologies such as conservatism and socialism emerged in situation of acute social strain, in response to liberalism and capitalism respectively. While liberalism emphasizes individualism (freedom, liberty), conservatism harps on collectivism characteristic of welfarist states. Despite their long history, attacks and counterattacks against each other, both liberalism and conservation still remain prominent ideologies in western democracies particularly the United States of American and Great Britain (see, Rudolph, Jr. , 1996; Kay, 1976). Today, the emphasis in political theory is predominantly on democratic ideology. David Howarth 618 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria defines a democratic ideology as one involving the classification and analysis of different types of democratic ideologies, as they are articulated and function in concrete societies. It includes various democratic forms and institutions as capitalist/liberal democracy and radical democracy. It also reflects on the differences within a given type such as direct and indirect variants of liberal democracy (Howarth, 2001: 191-94). Essentially, democratic ideology centers on the way in which the language and rhetoric of democracy function as a tool of ideological justification and legitimization by political elites and ruling classes. It also focuses on cultural and ethnical conditions for the proper functioning of liberal democratic states and societies, requiring in the least, a belief in or at least an acceptance of democracy (see, Putnam, 1993; 1995; 1996). Above all, democratic ideology typifies the use of democracy by social groups and political forces to constitute their identities and advance their interests. Here, according to Howarth (2001:193), â€Å"democracy is itself a key ideological element in political mobilization and struggle, and is used to create political frontiers between differently located social groups and agencies. Democratic ideology therefore captures the whole essence of our theoretical postulations on the centrality of ideology to the exploits of political parties. What needs to be added is that an umbrella party (Catch-All Party) that seeks to appeal to diverse interests, usually by adopting a general or vague platform, may not necessarily stick to only one ideology and vice versa. This is the case in the United States where in the two dominant parties – Democrats and Republican – there are Liberals, Moderates and Conservatives. The reverse is the case in Great Britain where the Labour and Conservative parties are each highly centralized and less catch-all in nature than American parties (see, Rudolph, Jr. , 1996: 1021). Yet, in either case, the parties are known for their well-defined and distinct ideologies. 619 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria 3. Origin and Growth of Nigerian Parties Philips, W. Shively (1997:200) observed that although political party had turned to be useful for a variety of tasks that require control or communication, it was first invented for more limited and self serving purposes. This observation aptly captures the Nigerian reality. At its inception in 1923, precisely 24 June, 1923, following the introduction of the elective principle by the Clifford constitution, Nigerian parties had very limited and self-serving objectives. The main objective was perhaps, that of buying legitimacy for the colonial government through very limited franchise restricted to Lagos and Calabar. Richard Sklar, in his seminal work – Nigerian Political Parties – demonstrates articulately how the emergence of political associations such as the People’s Union, was only in response to the prevailing realities of colonial administration (Sklar, 1963; Coleman, 1958). Little wonder, when the first political party in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) emerged in 1923, under the leadership of Herbert Macaulay, its activities were restricted to contesting elections into the Lagos city council. For years, the UNDP was hegemonic in its dominance in electoral politics in the country. This was to be challenged by the Lagos Youth Movement latter Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM)- formed in 1934 and defeated the NNDP for the three seats allocated to Lagos that year. By 1944, the increasing tempo of nationalist agitation had resulted in the formation of another political party – the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon (CNCN), under the leadership of Herbert Macaulay and later Nnamdi Azikwe (see, Sklar, 1968: 46-50). This was followed, in quick succession, by the transformation of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa, a Yoruba sociocultural organization, into a political party, the Action Group (AG) in 1950 under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Northern People Congress (NPC) in 1959 with dominance in the northern region. By 1951, a breakaway faction of the NPC consisting mainly of radical youths based in Kano formed the Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU). These parties dominated the political landscape of the country particularly in their respective regions in the 620 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria march towards independence and in the First Republic (see, Dudley, 1973; Sklar, 1963). Although the Second Republic (1979 – 1983) witnessed the emergence of more political parties, there was no much difference with what obtained under the First Republic. Rather, what happened was the reincarnation of parties of the First Republic under different nomenclatures with some additional parties. The parties included the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) replacing the NPC, AG and NCNC, respectively. Others were the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP), and later Nigerian Advance Party (NAP), which was registered in 1982, after failing the first round in 1978 (Osaghae, 1998). These parties constituted major actors in the Second Republic. Under the aborted Third Republic, there was a fundamental change in the mode of party formation in Nigeria. This pertains to the official formation of parties by the state after a series of experiments with different political associations (see, Oyediran and Agbaje, 1991). The parties were the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC), the former being a little to the left and the latter a little to the right (see, Olagunju, et al, 1993:216; Omoruyi, 2002). This development, executed after the dissolution of the thirteen associations that applied for registration has been as part of the grand design to execute a â€Å"hidden agenda† to perpetuate the military regime in power (Osaghae, 1998:220). The eventual annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election by the military regime of general Babangida lends some credence to this claim. The country once again returned to multi-party democracy in 1999 following the transition inaugurated and successfully completed by General Abdulsalm Abubakar. Initially, three political parties – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Peoples Party (APP), later All Nigerian People Party (ANPP), and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) were registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). By December 2002, the number of registered parties rose to thirty (30), while additional three 621 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria political parties were registered in January/February 2006 (see, Simbine, 2005; Onu and Momoh, 2005). This presupposes the opening up of the political space for democratic opportunities and development. But in reality, the opportunities associated with such openings are yet to be positively exploited for the political development of the country. This may not be unconnected with the poverty of ideology that characterizes Nigerian parties, as will be demonstrated in the next section. 4. Nigerian Parties and Ideological Dispositions Let us begin with parties of the First Republic, that is, the NPC, NCNC and AG. Ideologically, the NPC was an essentially conservative and elitist party, while the AG and NCNC appeared to be progressive and welfarist, predicated upon socialist ideology. Even at that, it may be difficult to delineate the very ideological orientation of these parties. They, however, share a common feature of ethno-regional ideology, seeking to capture and consolidate power in their respective spheres of influence/region. They were also driven by a commitment to the nationalist struggle, though in varying degrees, against colonialism. The ambiguity as regards their ideological disposition can further be gleaned from the pattern of alignment between/among the parties. For example, the resolve of the NPC and NCNC, two ideologically incompatible parties, the former to the right and the latter to the left, to enter into the alliance that formed the government during the First republic attests to this. Scholars have pointed out that the alliance was a â€Å"marriage of inconvenience†, and would have been better between the AG and NCNC. Because the alliance was not informed by a commitment to a belief system and principles espoused by party ideology, it crumbled, sooner than expected, like a park of cards (see, Dudley, 1993; Post and Vickers, 1973; Olaniyi, 1997:87). In terms of ideological orientations, parties of the Second Republic would appear, safe for the GNPP, to be the reincarnations of the parties of the moribund First Republic. 622 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria For this and related reasons, there were no fundamental differences in party politics and activities, as the country was â€Å"once again mired in a vituperative and vicious politics† (Yaqub, 2002; 125). This was graphically captured by the unprecedented pace of intra and inter-party factionalization and conflicts. Political vagrancy permeates the political landscape, leaving in its wake major realignments and coalitions among the parties (see, Osaghae, 1998:139 – 44). Notably, the formation of the so-called forum of the â€Å"progressive† governors consisting of PRP, GNPP, NPP and UPN was unable to survive long, as the ruling NPN used its federal might and patronage to attract decampees from other parties. Eventually, it succeeded in wooing the NPP of the East, in a manner reminiscent of the First Republic into an alliance, which like the earlier one, collapsed sooner than expected. The eventual breakdown of the alliance marked the beginning of internal crisis for the NPP, following the refusal of some of its top leaders particularly Mathew Mbu and Professor Ishaya Audu to resign their appointments in government (Osaghae, 1998:140). Logically, it may be argued that if the parties had been guided by a clear commitment to a particular belief system and principles, much of the crisis and contradictions that characterized party politics under the Second Republic could have been averted. But, since the parties were motivated largely by ethnic competition for power through their respective ethnic champions, nothing more could have been expected. As Osaghae has argued, while the instrumentalist†, to the attainment of this feat (1998:144). The degeneration of party politics through political vagrancy, elite factionalization and weak institutionalization led to the military coup of December 31, 1983 that brought the Second Republic into an abrupt end. Yet, the NPP and GNPP appeared to be liberal in ideology with a strong belief in mixed economy; the NPN conservative with emphasis on free market system and respect for traditional institutions. The PRP, a leftist and most radical party had a populist, antineocolonial agenda and advocates social revolution and income redistribution; and the UPN; the most disciplined, socialist/welfarist in orientation was based on the 623 J Shola Omotola, MS., Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria philosophy of free education and heath care delivery (see, Ujo, 2000:91-102; Osaghae, 1998:118-122). The aborted Third Republic witnessed a new experiment in party formation, when for the first time in the history of party politics in Nigeria; the government created and imposed two political parties on the system. Ordinarily, the existence of two political parties should represent two different ideological camps, as has been the case between the Labour and Conservative parties in Britain and Democrats and Republican parties in the USA. This was not the case with respect to the SDP and NRC in Nigeria. Although, while one was a little to the left and other a little to the right, nothing much differentiates the parties, at least not in ideological dispositions (see, Jinadu, 1995; Lewis, 1994; Oyediran and Agbaje, 1991; Adejumobi, 1997). Yaqub (2002:128) had written about party politics under the Third Republic that: The way incompatibility had been manifested in the two parties †¦ was not fundamentally due to serious ideological divisions (in any case, the manifestoes of the parties, despite phrase – mongering of â€Å"a little to the left†, and â€Å"a little to the right†, did not articulate much programme differences), but to assert, that even if we are to borrow Babangida’s words, the â€Å"old lines of cleavages and primordial loyalties† once again simply asserted themselves. If parties of previous republics were found wanting on ideological stance and commitment, those of the Fourth Republic are obviously worse. Omoruyi (2002:8) has noted that the manner of origin of the parties does not fit into what we know from literature, their composition fluid and unstable, and can be viewed as mere instruments of transition from military to civil rule. And for the future and with the prospect for more parties, â€Å"they raise more questions than answers to the lingering political problems for Nigeria†. According to him, the PDP, for example, draws its founders from â€Å"all and sundry political persuasions: conservatives, radicals and progressives† (Ghali – Na’bba, 624 J Shola Omotola, MS., Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria 2001: cf Omoruyi, 2002:8), most of whom supported the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and flirted with the military during the annulment and in the post-annulment period; including some serving as ministers or members of the ING or as member of the Abacha undemocratic constitutional conference or as leaders of some of the five political parties set up and managed by General Abacha’s aides that finally endorsed him as the sole presidential candidate in April 1998 (Omoruyi, 2002:8-9). The APP did not differ in any respect as its founders also served as ministers or as aides in different parts of the country under Abacha. The AD that looks different was, however, affected by its inability to meet the federal character clause in the constitution and up till today remains essentially a Yoruba party. It was perhaps the foregoing faulty origin and precarious foundations of these parties that have been largely responsible for their seeming ideological barrenness. Although, the PDP and APP (ANPP) were status quo parties, given their capitalist and conservative dispositions; and the AD progressive and radical in appearance, none of them seems to have clear policy positions as a basis of popular mobilization and legitimacy of their actions. Judging by their activities, it has been observed that â€Å"there’s almost nothing to chose, between PDP and other parties in terms of ideological learning† (Iyare, 2004:92). Simbine (2002:2005:23) has also observed that the manifestoes of the first three political parties were â€Å"essentially the same in content†, as they were not crafted differently, and the strategies for achieving objectives did not differentiate parties from each other. In a seeming self-indictment passage, Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information and PDP stalwart observes: In terms of cohesion and firm ideological learning, there is a problem but PDP will be transformed, PDP will be strong, PDP will be strengthened ideological, PDP will be more organized, PDP will be in power for 30 years (quoted in Iyare, 2004:94). 625 J Shola Omotola, MS. , Redeemer’s University, Move, Ogun State, Nigeria Given the obvious poverty of ideology that characterizes the first three political parties of the Fourth Republic, PDP, APP and AD, it should not be surprising that almost all the other parties that sprang up or broke away from them did no do so because of ideological disagreements. Neither was it that they have articulated alternative views of governance for sustainable democracy and development as a viable basis of popular mobilization to wrestle power from the incumbent party. Rather, they were products of adversarial elite behaviour taken to the points of irreconcilability. Little wonder, these parties also have no ideological stance on major national questions other than the transformation and manipulation of forces of identity particularly ethnicity and religion (see, Simbine, 2005). The implication is that the â€Å"so-called political parties are not in competition with one another. They are in factions; these factions are more in competition within themselves than with another party† (Omoruyi, 2002:17). An informed observer and consistent scholar of Nigerian politics captures the scenario thus: Unfortunately, the succeeding generations of party leaders, despite having their forbearers’ legacies to draw from and better educational background into the bargain, have not demonstrated this perspicacity.