Psychological Benefits of Fashion Essay

Fashion has been identified as one of the prevailing entities that can be observed all throughout history. It is an indication of styles and customs that are widely practiced at a particular time. Nonetheless, the usage of such term is always associated with clothing. However, in a greater sense, the concept of fashion encompasses more than clothing— it is something that pertains to a much bigger picture. The interest if humans in fashion are not just of recent origin. To prove such point, since the pre-historic many people have adorned their skins with colored clays and even tattoos, while clothing has been considered as one of the most absorbing yet was also treated as an important issue in life as it represents many things about life as a whole. However, while fashion from the past was regarded as an aspect only reserved for the wealthy populace, the influence of such entity can now be felt everywhere, anytime at this moment. Today, from the poorest to the richest, from the inhabitants of the most metropolitan areas to the inhabitants of the most rural places, many individuals indulge in extravagant fashion. From here, one can simply ask what is it with fashion that motivates people to recognize it as a powerful entity? While physically fashion posit lots of benefits for individuals following the latest trend, limited studies were centered in understanding the benefits that fashion can offer for those who follow it. In this respect, this paper sought to answer the question: What are the psychological benefits of fashion for individuals following the trend? What is fashion? In order to give depth to the subject being taken, it is therefore an imperative to discuss what fashion is. One researcher pointed out that fashion is â€Å"a series of recurring changes in the choices of a group of people, which though they may be accompanied by utility, are not determined by it†¦ Fashion is marked by rhythmic and innovation, by alternate uniformity and change, but neither of these phases obeys the principle of utility† (Ross, n. p. qtd. in Hurlock, 4). From the given perspective, it can then be assumed that fashion is a response to the ongoing cycle of change. Although it can not be widely utilized, fashion for many is a solution for the conventionality of life. Therefore, there is a greater element of luxury and lesser element of usability. Because of this, fashion has become an integral part of the social environment. Today, fashion affects almost all aspects in life. Fashion can now be seen in architecture, manner, automobiles, home furnishings, personal adornments, music, games and the likes. As the society tends to become an organized group that perceives fashion as something more, it is therefore possible that the chances of fashion to hold on for long is high, because fashions are transferable from one individual to another within the groups they belong because of the sense of imitation (Hurlock). So what is it that motivates individuals to follow such trend? The answer is simple; it benefits their psychological well- being other than the physical usefulness of such entity. Psychological benefits of fashion Sense of acceptance and belongingness Both ridicule and scorn are the sanctions that force people to embrace fashion, and in such case the dissenter is said to be powerless in such manner. When one refuses fashion that has been widely accepted by many, the dissenter is more likely to hurt himself, but rarely hurts fashion itself. Public opinion is a powerful entity which can persuade a person to accept fashion (Hurlock). Today, however, fashion is now more of a pavement that leads an individual to gain entry to a particular group. For instance, a group wears a certain memorabilia so as to indicate their allegiances to education. People follow fashion, most especially in the context of wearing clothes, in accordance to their age cohorts, ethnic backgrounds, social class and professional affiliations. It is noteworthy that every individual has the innate desire to belong to a system or an established group, thus recognizing fashion is one way of signaling membership within a relevant in-group (Baumeister and Leary, 1995 qtd. in Saad, 2007). There are numerous practices that are done in order to solidify the behavior of an in-group, one of which is their consumption choices that re-affirm the membership of individuals. The fashion industry is often seen as a group exercise of conformity and identification. In short, the innate need to belong is sufficed by the fashion industry. As an industry that is followed by millions of individuals; consumers are therefore repeatedly engaging in behaviors that ensure that they indeed belong to the â€Å"fashionable group. † Thus, fashion in itself has usurped the innate needs of humans to belong. Specifically, the overt signals of belongingness are labile in nature such as in order to become fashionable and to gain entry to a fashionable group an individual must continuously buy the continuously changing fashion, accessories and adornments. While some claim that fashion trends are mere representations of the pretentious life of wealth and are only made available to the privileged classes (Locke and De Chamfort qtd. in Saad), the popular fashion trends of today are now made available to the masses, thereby allowing consumers that originate from any social classes can now feel the cues of belongingness, most especially within the reference group through the fashion trends that they have come to adopt (Saad). The innovations provided by fashion, such as new clothing and the sole benefit of the adopter to such particular innovation, specifically that of belongingness and acceptance is just one of the many instantiated psychological benefits of fashion. Establishment of Identity Psychologically, identity is said to have two important dimensions, the personal and the social. However, both dimensions of identity are related in the psychological concept of â€Å"self,† â€Å"self-identity,† and â€Å"self concept. † Yet each of the said terms more often than not given complex and at time inconsistent meanings which makes it hard for identity to be defined. Therefore, the safest way to define identity is that it is the subjective concept or representation that an individual holds of who she or he really is (Vignoles, Regalia, Manzi, Golledge and Scabini, 2006 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). The said definition highlights two important aspects. First is that identity is in the position of a person’s subjective psychological experience instead of referring to it as an objective essence. Second is that, identity is inclusive, which often involves individual, relational and group level representation of the self (Sedikides and Brewer, 2001 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). This also implies that identity is multi-faceted in nature, and that it is made up of various self- representations that vary from each other which instead of making a unitary structure integrates varying aspects of the self (Donahue, Robins, Roberts and John, 1993, 834 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). Generally, the given definition means that every individual has multiple identities. Such perspective has been consistent from research findings, as people who are often asked â€Å"who are you ? † listed differing qualities and material objects that satisfy their needs (Gordon, 1968 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). From William James’s â€Å"Principle of psychology,† he identified that one of the many representations of the identity is the â€Å"material self. † He noted that an individual’s identity, aside from the body’s physical boundaries also includes material goods (James, 1890 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). In addition to personal identity, another domain that is manifested within its context is that of body image, which connote one’s thoughts and feelings about his or her physical body (Dittmar, 2005c qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). Traditionally, body image is not considered as a domain of identity. However, as body image constitutes a subjective concept, wherein a person sees this as the self-representation of their bodies to other, therefore it makes a lot of sense to hold such concept as a part of identity (Dittmar,Phillips and Halliwell, 2007; Halliwell and Dittmar, 2006 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). So, how are these this related to fashion? For the most of its followers, fashion may it be in the aspect of music, arts and the likes, is the gateway for them to develop and maintain their identities. Fashion, in most part, plays a significant role in the lives of many because it makes them view themselves in a different light; helping them define who they really are and how they really feel. By simply purchasing the things that they want and are in style, their specific needs are already met and they already feel secure about themselves, because they know that they look good in the eyes of others (Zborowski). In short, fashion is in touch with the identity domain of the â€Å"material self† and â€Å"body image,† as it satisfies the needs of material goods and the attention that one gives in his or her body as a whole. Fashion does not only create identity, but also changes it. One person can go from â€Å"hip-hop† to â€Å"goth. † Not at all times fashion have the same effect on everyone. For some, they are satisfied with their clothing’s comfort and versatility. They may not feel the pull that they have to follow the latest trends, but the fact still remains that they already established a social identity by allowing themselves to recognize that fashion is an on-going cycle. Take for example in clothing, whether an individual follows a trend or not, the effect of stating one’s own fashion through such medium can already serve as a code for people to believe that an individual is who he or she is by the clothes that he or she wears; the person may inculcate a political statement or just become one of the crowd. The multi-functionality of fashion as well as the contradiction it presents can be used as a means of impressing, rebellion or either to fit or stand-out of the crowd. As fashion is a personal choice, it gives its followers the liberty to decide on the how they can present themselves to the world (Zborowski). According to author Evelyn Brannon â€Å"fashion is both public—the impression we make on others—and private the way we explore our own personality and tastes† (Brannon, n. p. qtd. in Zborowski, 30). People are apt to think that as fashion meets the desire of an individual to differentiate oneself from the group, and at the same time to conform to the social norms, buying new styles are efficient means of establishing individuality. Soon enough, the styles they opt to use will be recognized by everyone else that, the same clothes and accessories they wear will eventually be paraded by other people. As such, in order to deviate people to like just like everyone else, most fashion designers recognizes the minute a trend is already plunging into the conventional level. So, they would release new styles because they understand that every individual’s need to express themselves. The cycle would then eventually flow once again: people will purchase unique and fashionable items in order to re-establish their identities (Zborowski). Sense of Positive Well-Being Historically, psychology has been pretty much concerned with the indicators of a person’s ill-health and unhappiness. Recently, the focus of psychology is on the explicit factor that promotes a person’s well-being, which is known as â€Å"positive psychology† (Csikzentmihayali and Csikzentmihayali, 2006 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). It has been noted that one of the most important aspects of a person’s well-being is his or her experience of happiness, which is truly subjective in nature. Apparently, the good and bad events in one’s life affect an individual’s happiness temporarily. However, it should also be understood that people can and do adjust with this happiness. For example, one study found out that lottery winners and victims of accidents that both ended in wheelchairs after their initial reaction to their good and bad experiences, have returned to their levels of happiness prior to experiencing such events (Brickman, Coates and Hanoof-Bulman, 1978 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwelll). However, happiness is something that cannot be easily measured; as such recent studies have focused more on the construct of a person’s subjective well-being (Diener, Suh, Lucas and Smith, 1999 qtd. in Dittmar and Halliwell). Such construct may include over-all cognitive evaluation of one’s life, sense of satisfaction, the â€Å"frequent experience of positive emotion and the absence of negative emotions. † From the said perspective, it can be said that self-evaluation, like dissatisfaction about life or body, the measure of positive experiences, such as high self-esteem and body-esteem, and the measure of negative experiences like depression and anxiety, can be clear indicators of positive and negative well-being. Additionally, in relation to an individual’s material and bodily well being, behaviors such as disorder eating patterns and compulsive buying of goods are also detrimental for the psychological and physical health of a person in order to identify whether their well-being is healthy or not (Dittmar and Halliwell). How does fashion fit in the big picture? As stated from the given perspective, some of the indicators of a person’s positive well-being are high self-esteem and satisfaction. Partaking in a shopping spree in order to buy and select the latest fashion is an exhilarating experience that promotes self transformation may it be in the physical and mental sense. Although, fashion is temporary at times, in the long-run it boosts an individual’s self-esteem, and provides them the confidence that perhaps they may have lost in some events in their life, allowing them to feel that they are special and unique (Zborowski). To prove such point, a shirt is just a shirt—until a designer logo is placed on it, and knowing the caliber of such things, its price is far higher compared to other goods. So, why do people pay for such large amounts just for the privilege of wearing it? For many the reason is within two perspectives. First, designer labels allow individuals to have a sense of self-worth by just the association of it. Personally, once individuals purchase fashionable stuffs with designer labels, the wearer’s self-esteem is temporarily boost because they somehow made a connection with well-known and expensive names that not all can experience. Although mass-produced, that fact that the purchase is not the same as others makes the buyers feel that they are special and unique. Likewise, designer labels also serve as the symbolical representation of who the person is and who he or she hopes to be. Parallel to this, the self-worth of an individual is further elevated by the society or maybe their peers that are brand conscious, making them happy temporarily as they feel that they already fit in the circle and they are already at ease in the situation wherein in a regular basis they often feel out of place (Zborowski). In addition to this, fashion followers tends to make connection with other individuals who have common outlook in life thereby reinforcing bonds that in a regular setting does not usually takes place. For instance, a mere inquiry about a certain design of a current home decor can catapult an individual to share what he or she knows about the said product. For the person who shared the idea there is a sense of fulfillment because within himself or herself, he or she knew that he or she already shared something significant to the individual, and this is something that is priceless. On the other hand, the person who inquired about the product can approve of such outlook, as he or she may perceived the same thing and it is quite a confirmation of what she or he feels. Meanwhile, fashion can also be a form of relaxation and an escape from the monotony of life. For one, shopping for fashion is not an easy task, but for many it is something that lifts their spirit as it is an indication that the person is in control of his or her personal environment. As stated, there are no laws that make an individual accept fashion. â€Å"No fashion is imposed upon an individual by force† (Hurlock, 8). Both the acceptance and rejection of fashion is in accordance to individual discretion. As such, person is free to make decision as to what actions he or she will take. Fashion is an invaluable tool that allows a person to move to through the world, may it be in the social or business setting. It serves as a communication where in an individual can freely move on top of things; persuading an individual to accept such freedom. More than anything else, freedom is something that allows an individual to gave a positive outlook about himself or herself, because there is no one to condemn his or her actions, and such perspective can be seen in fashion. As stated earlier, a high-self esteem and satisfaction are some of the key factors of attaining positive well-being, and this is provided by fashion through freedom of choice and the affirmation of an individual’s character and spirit. In other words, following fashion have become an imperative means of acquiring, attempting and establishing one’s well-being as it signifies the liberty to choose and symbolizes the ideals of happiness and a break away from the conventional. The association of individuals with the products that they feel are fashionable connotes that they are utterly re-evaluating themselves in order to know what type of particular trend or style they feel happy about. Moreover, a person’s inclination with fashion is one vehicle for them to escape depression, stress and anxiety because they know within themselves that on their life there is one thing that truly decreases their ill feelings, which is fashion. Conclusion From the given perspectives, it is safe to say that fashion is truly something that is inescapable. Since time immemorial people have been engaged in such aspect and over time it has developed into something that is far more reaching. It is a sign of change, as it is an on going cycle that allows a person the opportunity of following the trends or not. While many people claim that fashion is an indication of higher standards of living, current conditions today makes fashion available to everyone else most especially to the masses, making it more recognizable and diverse. For the followers of fashion, such word encompasses not only being fashionable; it is also a host of myriads of psychological benefits that makes it worth engaging to. Fashion is perceived as an avenue for individuals to feel a sense of belongingness and acceptance. It serves as the rights of passage for people to become comfortable and inclined with groups that share their same interests. Fashion is able to provide the innate needs of humans to be accepted and to belong through its continuous change of concept and availability to the public. It allows an individual to make allegiances with people they knew would understand them. One of the greatest benefits posted by fashion is its capability to establish and change and individual’s identity. Because it satisfies both the domains of material self and body image, a person is able to freely express himself through the fashion trend that he wears and practice. It creates a sense of individuality and promotes proper self-representation because in many ways fashion expresses the inner self of an individual. Establishment of a positive well-being is also another benefit that can be derived from following fashion. With the freedom it gives individuals in order to choose what they believe is fit for their personality, fashion promotes high-self esteem and satisfaction which spells an individual’s positive outlook in life and happiness. Although it is limited at one point or another, the happiness provided by fashion is just enough for individuals to see themselves in the light of who they wanted to become. Likewise, the ability to take control of themselves and their environment through fashion is something that inimitable as it provides them ground to realize the many good things that life has to offer. Generally, fashion is a clear manifestation of how trends, styles and changes, and in a greater sense the power of individuals to develop the sense of belongingness and acceptance, establishment of identity, and a sense of positive well being that greatly benefit their psychological well-being. Works cited Dittmar, Helga and Halliwell, Emma. Consumer culture, identity and well-being: The search for the â€Å"good life† and body perfect. New York, NY: Routledge, 2008. Hulock, Elizabeth. The psychology of dress: An analysis of fashion and its motive. Manchester, NH: Ayer Publishing: 1976 Saad, Gad. The evolutionary bases of consumption. New York, NY: Routledge: 2007 Zborowski, Megan. â€Å"The fashionable brain: Dissecting why fashion gas such a grip on the minds of the masses. † Colored Stone Magazine, vol. 17, No. 6 November/ December 2004

Fate vs. Freewill – Romeo and Juliet

Till one of their choices they make brings an end to the both of them. Ultimately, Shakespeare Is showing us In the play that we are humans all act on our own freewill. When Romeo goes to the Caplet party, it was pretty obvious that he made the choice to go himself. Romeo knew it wasn't right to go to his enemy's party and he knew that if he got caught then things won't end well. Romeo was imagining all the bad things that happen If he went in and to back It up he told Mercuric about the dream he had. The dream was about something bad happening. Like for example: his death.Nobody forced Romeo to in to the Caplet party. He made the decisions himself. Fate kind of played a part warning him that it, might not be safe going to the party. But Romeo has a mind of his own and his mind made the choice to go and Just ignore the warning. After the party and when Romeo and Juliet meet, they fell In love and decided to get married. It wasn't an arranged marriage, It was pretty straight-forward t hat they both wanted to be with each other. Their plan was to be married at Friar Laurence ell without anyone knowing, the only exception was the Nurse and Friar Laurence. If thy bent of love be honorable. Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, By one that I'll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform rite. † (Shakespeare, 95) Romeo and Juliet decided themselves that they were going to get married to each other, knowing that their parents would not approve. Fate did not bring them to this decision. It was the act of freewill that bought them to come to this decision. After the marriage Romeo gets banished and Juliet decides to â€Å"take† her life so she an be with Romeo.She finds out she is to marry Paris (after she already married Romeo) and she doesn't want to. She then seeks help from Friar Laurence at his cell and then threatens to really kill herself If he does not help. He then gives her fake poison so she may appear dead and then he will send for Romeo to come and be there for when Juliet wakes up. She was very skeptical about taking the fake poison because she wondered if it was real poison and she had so many thoughts about the plan and how it might not work. She was right, the plan went awry and didn't very well. Tell me not, Friar, that thou hearts of this, unless thou tell me how I may prevent It. If In thy wisdom thou cants give no help, Do thou but call my resolution wise, And with this knife I'll help It presently. † (Shakespeare) It was pretty clear that Gullet 010 not want to marry earls, so seen desperately made ten console nearest to Take her death. There were other options that she could've have chose from. Like for example: marry Paris instead and forget about Romeo because no one else knew bout her marrying Romeo.But she decided to take it to an extreme because she loves Romeo that much. Through all the conflict that happened within Romeo and Juliet shows us that fate does not set a road fo r us to take and that freewill gives us choices that we have to make ourselves. We as humans all act on our own freewill, we make choices; some are good and some are bad. This is probably why the play: Romeo and Juliet is relevant to today's lifestyle. We as humans live our lives learning from the choices and decisions that we make.

Heritage Assessment Assignment Essay

Growing up, it never was as apparent that the families and friends that you associated with shared different beliefs, were from different cultures, and were just different from you and from your family. Children do not tend to recognize such differences, but as growing adults it becomes ever apparent that being â€Å"different† and accepting these differences is just a part of life. Perhaps kids just do it without thinking about it? Heritage assessments promote understanding of another’s beliefs, traditions, health practices, as well as helping to better understand one’s own heritage. This paper will address and identify the common health traditions based on cultural heritage of three culturally different families by using the heritage assessment tool. Nice intro! Heritage assessments are very important tools in regards to evaluation of a person as a whole and targeting aspects of a person that may not be as evident or understood if not properly assessed. Attempting to assess and learn about one’s heritage is useful in determining one’s core beliefs and understanding the significance of how their heritage and culture plays a part of whom they are and what they believe. Identifying one’s heritage can assist in understanding their current cultural practices and why they may practice certain beliefs. The culture in which we are raised or in which we work greatly influences our beliefs, values, and behaviors. Assessing our individual cultural heritage is the first and most important step to identifying what may cultivate or block our communication with and care of a person from another culture (Wintz, 2009). The heritage assessment was an important tool in providing a deeper understanding of the families that were interviewed. These families appeared to be from different cultures while also having different backgrounds and beliefs. While it was apparent that these families might have some similarities, it was expected that more differences would be discovered. Comparisons of common health practices such  as health maintenance, health protection and health restoration would be assessed. These health practices assessed would be evaluated in a more complete technique, as these health practices would be assessed in the physical, mental and spiritual sense. The three families that were interviewed were the Smith family, the Scott family and the Martinez family. Health maintenance is basically the traditional beliefs and practices, such as daily health-related activities, diet, exercise, rest used to maintain health (CULTURALCARE Guide, n.d.). The three families that were assessed provided different insight to their views of health maintenance. The Smith and the Scott family viewed health maintenance in a more similar manner due to their religious beliefs being similar, as they both identified themselves as being a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). However, even though the Smith and Scott family shared similar religious beliefs, there were apparent differences in their health maintenance routines. The Smith family comes from a mixed background of Hispanic and German heritage. They are very conscientious of their physical health in regards to diet and nutrition, as they make intense efforts to exercise multipl e times a week and cook highly nutritious meals. They closely follow their church’s counsel on choosing healthy foods, avoiding alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances to the body and going to bed and arising early. On the other hand, the Scott family whose heritage is dominantly English/Caucasian does not fully observe the importance of exercise, proper nutrition and proper sleeping habits in their daily routines. They do not show a strong emphasis on exercising and often eat fast food and make unhealthy nutritional choices and tend to stay up late and sleep more than is needful, which slightly goes contrary to their church’s beliefs. However, the Scott family does choose to avoid tobacco, alcohol and other harmful substances to the body like the Smith family. The Smith and the Scott family closely identified their religious practices in the LDS church as an important staple of health maintenance, in the spiritual aspect, as both families are active in their church and attend their meetings at least once a week. While the Martinez family considers themselves somewhat religious with their Catholic beliefs, they didn’t correlate their religious beliefs with their health maintenance practices. The Martinez family does not often promote exercise in their family or  healthy nutritional habits. However, in opposition of the Scott family, the Martinez family rarely eats fast food and often prepares homemade meals. But, the Martinez family has Mexican heritage and cooking with lard and fats are a big staple in Mexican food cooking and did not consider their cooking as healthy. They considered themselves to be social drinkers and habitual tobacco users, as they were raised with these substances in their households. The aspect of health protection was more important in the Smith and Scott’s family’s health practices but was not as duly noted in the health practices observed in the Martinez family. Health protection is defined as important activities of public health that eliminate possible risk of adverse consequences to health attributable to environmental hazards (Public Health, n.d.). The Smith and Scott family closely related that by avoiding the usage of tobacco and alcohol as well as other harmful substances (drugs, etc.) this would aid in protecting their health. However, the Smith family also attributed frequent prayer and church attendance as means of protecting their health, while the Scott family did not show such correlation during the interview. The Scott’s mainly focused on the physical side of health protection, rather than the spiritual side. The Martinez Family viewed health protection in slightly different ways than the other families. They often wore crosses around their necks because they believed this offered protection to them, as the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ’s dying for mankind on the cross. They believe that Jesus Christ will protect them in their health if they have faith. They do not believe in the nutritional aspects of health protection as much as the spiritual aspects. They do believe that by observing the practice of à ¢â‚¬Å"Lent† once a year that this will aid in health protection. Therefore, the Smith and Martinez closely related health protection with their religious practices. Health restoration is defined as traditional beliefs and practices concerning the activities, such as folk remedies, modern medicine and healers, that must be used to restore health (CULTURALCARE Guide, n.d.). In regards to health restoration, the Smith family was the only family that preferred to use a trained medical doctor in the healing of their ailments, as they have great health insurance and believe strongly in the healthcare system. The Scott family focused mainly on natural remedies for healing in regards to health restoration, as these practices have been passed down from generation to  generation. The Scott family does not have health insurance. The Martinez also does not have health insurance. The Martinez family primarily focuses on the body’s own strength in healing itself and does not readil y accept modern medicines used in today’s healthcare system. The Martinez family was the only family open to the use of an exorcist when healing is not achieved, as they believed that demons could consume the body to make one sick or afflicted. The three families views of health restoration showed more differences than similarities. The traditions observed were closely related to the Martinez Family’s Mexican heritage, as they identified themselves closely with the Mexican culture and traditions. The Martinez family supports many of their culture’s traditions as it relates to their Mexican heritage. They viewed the holiday of â€Å"Dia de los Muertos† as one of their most cherished holidays, as the holiday focuses on the assembly of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The Martinez family had great respect and appreciation for their ancestors and for their Mexican heritage. However, the Smith and Scott family’s cultural beliefs were more so influenced by their religious beliefs, rather than by their diverse heritage backgrounds. The Smith and Scott Family chose Christmas and Easter as more cherished observed traditions, as the LDS church focuses on the importance of these holidays. It was apparent that the Smith family showed more inter est in their religious backgrounds and history of their religion, rather than their actual heritage. The Smith family was also a relatively â€Å"new† addition to the LDS church as their ancestors were not of the LDS faith; rather they were of the Catholic faith. However, the Scott family had ancestors that were a part of the LDS church ever since the church was first organized in 1830. However, despite the history of membership that the Scott family had, the Smith family proved to be more devout to the LDS church in every aspect of the church’s beliefs. The identification of the health traditions and practices that were observed by these families aided in my own personal cultural heritage understanding, as I could relate to each family in at least a few ways. My respect for various cultures grew and I was also more inclined to accept and have deeper respect for my own heritage and culture. I enjoyed reading your analysis of the three families you  interviewed. References: CULTURALCARE Guide. (n.d.). CULTURALCARE Guide. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_spector_cultural_7/94/24265/6211875.cw/index.html Catholic Online. (n.d.). FAQs About Lent. Easter / Lent. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/faq.php Cultural Diversity in Nursing Practice. (n.d.). Cultural Diversity in Nursing Practice. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-Advocacy/Positions-and-Resolutions/ANAPositionStatements/Position-Statements-Alphabetically/prtetcldv14444.html Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Glossary of Terms. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/php-psp/ccph-cesp/glos-eng.php#h Wintz, S. (2009, July 1). Cultural & Spiritual Sensitivity . A Learning Module for Health A Learning Module for Health Care Professionals Care Professionals . Retrieved March 8, 2014, from http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/userimages/Cultural_Spiritual_Sensitivity_Learning_ %20Module%207-10-09.pdf

Short Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Short - Essay Example Their original rationale does not fit any more and their activities too have been altered as the world economy has grown (Krueger, 1998). Nevertheless, Bretton Woods institution did play a leading role in the restructuring of international relations in the post -war period. Exchange rates in the pre-war period were used to secure competitive advantage in the mercantilist world (Crockett, 1999). Current account payments were subject to severe restrictions. The International Capital Mobility evolved because the Great Depression discredited gold standard orthodoxy and the financial markets became unpopular. The attachment to gold was identified as the causes of economic calamity. Financial products and markets became closely regulated. Maintaining high employment was considered more important than preserving the value of currency (Obstfeld, 1998). The current account payments were to be progressively liberalized. These changed attitudes led to the establishment of the Bretton Woods Institutions. The basic idea with which this institution was promoted was to promote cooperation and humanitarian goals. The two architects had different goals and objectives right from the beginning. While White intended to favor incentives designed to create price stability within the worlds economies, Keynes wanted a system that encouraged economic growth (O’Hara). Hence, even before the plan was launched, there were compromises made from both sides although the final plan was largely American in nature. It was obligatory for each of the member country to adopt a monetary policy that maintained the exchange rate of its currency within a fixed value in terms of gold. IMF would bridge temporary imbalances of payments. The planners at Bretton Woods favored a liberal system relying primarily on the market with the minimum barriers to the flow of private trade and capital. It was believed that the fundamental cause of the two world wars lay in economic

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ethics - Essay Example Obligations as a Nurse Obligations to my profession and work as a nurse pertaining to this case include doing what is required to follow the government’s decision. As a nurse, it is no less than an ethical dilemma for me, where if I don’t follow the government’s decision, my status as a nurse is challenged and my job is at risk. On the other hand, if I follow the government’s decision and starve Terri to death, I have to fight against my own conscience as a human being, and I know this is a fight I am going to lose, and this may jeopardize my peace of life forever. Laws regarding Euthanasia Laws related to euthanasia vary from one country to another. Some countries consider euthanasia an illegitimate practice which is thus condemned, whereas other countries are more flexible and have specified certain conditions in which euthanasia can be given to a patient. There are also certain countries like Australia that had legalized euthanasia once but later change d the rule. â€Å"On 25 May 1995, the Northern Territory of Australia became the first place in the world to pass right to die legislation.  The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act  lasted 9 months before being overturned by the Australian Federal Parliament† (Exit International, 2012). Today, all territories and states of Australia deem euthanasia illegal. In the USA, there is a particular federal law related to assisted suicide or euthanasia. It is prohibited under general homicide laws in all the 50 states of the USA including the District of Columbia. Laws related to euthanasia are dealt with at the state level instead of the federal level in the USA. 36 states in the USA prohibit all kinds of assisted suicides, seven states in the USA prohibit them under common law, four states in the USA do not have specific laws related to euthanasia, whereas three states including Montana, Washington, and Oregon have rendered euthanasia legal (ProCon.org, n.d.). Stakeholders in the C ase The stakeholders in this scenario include the government, the people of America in general, Terri’s family in particular, and most importantly, Terri herself. Terri was starved to death upon the government’s decision without her or her family’s consent being involved in it. This did not only take Terri’s life, but also had traumatic effect on her family as well as all citizens of America who felt concerned for Terri and were disappointed by this decision of the government. The government is surely one of the stakeholders in this case since the decision making power is fundamentally assumed by the government and the decisions made by the government affect the lives of common people like Terri and her family. Summary of the Impacts Being a nurse is a big responsibility by all means. A nurse is essentially someone who assists people with activities meant to improve their health. The conventional image of a nurse is of a helping, caring, and loving indivi dual. Giving someone euthanasia is one of the extremely challenging tasks for a nurse since it fundamentally challenges the status of nurse as a caring individual and is also emotionally demanding. Our social and religious values guide us to take care of the well-being of all human beings, not some human beings. Euthanasia is against these social and religious values. How long a person lives is to be decided by God Almighty, not human beings. When humans take this decision in their own

Social Policy and Personal Lives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social Policy and Personal Lives - Essay Example We will also explore different ways in which this affects the way both qualitative research is conducted and the ways it has affect personal lives and social policy In order to attempt to make social sciences a 'pure science', sociologists previously gathered data only in the form of quantitative methods. This was primarily to avoid empirical problems involving the lack of 'hard' evidence, but it removed one vital aspect of social studies that essentially set it apart from other sciences: the personal element. Indeed, deductive methods are less refutable but they do not involve the individual and certainly do not entertain the idea of the spiritual or mental differences between two people. Over time, both qualitative and quantitative research have been melded into an interdisciplinary approach to social research but this depends on the type of research, the problem/issue to be dealt with and the question one wishes to answer. How research is conducted depends on the nature of the reality one wishes to study, the knowledge we have about that reality and then the way that knowledge is organized. In other words the ontology, epistemology and metho dology of social research refers to the various sectors of sociological information we have. With regards to social policy and personal lives, quantitative research will tell us very little about the way we perceive our surroundings, but qualitative research is focused on the individual for whom that very society is constructed. Social policies such as welfare systems and educational institutions are built around the specific social group and while it is well known that generalizations about society are often made, qualitative research seeks to verify certain realities. The research essentially grants the scientist the viewpoint 'from the horse's mouth'. For example, what people think about legal systems can be postulated around ones own opinion, but it is only when others are asked that this hypothesis can be true or not. One can always assume that people work for instance in the Care-giving industry because they enjoy it or because they feel a moral obligation to do so, but by asking the recipient themselves a clearer picture is given. That Care work is relegated to those with more compassion than other, may necessarily be assumption, but the relationship between personal lives and this form of social policy cannot be removed. This is because Care work is based on the individual and not the collectivity. Therefore care-workers are often spit into formal and informal (Fink, 2004: 5). This basically splits the category into those that volunteer and those that are paid. Over time there has unfortunately been a great deal of dissention regarding abuse of these positions in cases of potential sexual molestation and physical abuse (Fink, 2004: 11). This meant that prejudices were in place regarding the use of male 'carers' in female homes. Again this problem arose due in part to misconceptions surrounding what men are supposed to be. The biological approaches to sociology often put men across as being the breadwinner who has to go out and kill the beast for meals and then come home and procreate in order to maintain the population and the spread of their seed. This Darwinian hypothesis was proved only

The Tragedy that Shook America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Tragedy that Shook America - Essay Example The terrorist attack involved nineteen hijackers of Arab descent, who concurrently took control of four US domestic commercial airliners. According to intelligence report, these men enrolled in US aviation schools to undergo training as pilots months before the hijacking incident (Solomon). These terrorists facilitated the crash of an airliner carrying about 10,000 gallons of jet fuel into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York. Shortly after this, a second airliner plowed into the South Tower of the same establishment. These buildings, dubbed as the "Twin Towers," collapsed in less than 90 minutes after the crash. ("The 9/11 Commission Report") That same morning, a third airliner, Flight 77 smashed into the western wing of the Pentagon. After half an hour, a fourth airliner slammed into a field of Southern Pennsylvania, after being diverted from its main target, The White House, by heroic passengers who fought the hijackers. ("Wikipedia") The devastation brought about by the terrorists is considered worse that the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 (Hirsh, Kett & Trefil). All in all, the total death toll reached about 3,000 for these separate incidents. Apart from this, properties worth billions of dollars were also destroyed during the attack ("The 9/11 Commission Report"). According to investigations and t... Flight 77 and the Pentagon One of the airliners hijacked is the American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757-223 that flew routinely in the morning from Washington Dulles International Airport in Fairfax, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport. Based on reports, the five hijackers, who were aboard the flight, failed the metal detector test before boarding. However, they were still allowed to enter the plan ("Wikipedia"). Findings of the investigation show that the hijackers were able to gain entry to the cockpit armed with knives and box-cutters. During the hijacking, some passengers were said to have made phone calls to their loved ones to alert them regarding incident. At 9:37 A.M. EDT, Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon. All of the 58 passengers along with the crewmembers died. Meanwhile, 125 people in the Pentagon perished as the jet fuel exploded upon impact ("The 9/11 Commission Report"). The thick limestone walls and durability of the building materials being utilized in the renovations at the time were cited as the primary reasons why the ill-fated Flight 77 only penetrated the outer three rings out of the five concentric rings of the Pentagon ("Wikipedia"). Conspiracy Theories There are some people who question the truth behind the crashing of Flight 77 into the Pentagon. They believe that the attack was orchestrated by a select group of top-ranked people to serve their personal interest. Based on evidences collected, these people assert that the Pentagon was not hit by a Boeing 757. In line with this, others claim that a missile rather than an aircraft hit the Pentagon. Given

Evaluate aspects of inclusive learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evaluate aspects of inclusive learning - Essay Example Nevertheless, when bearing in mind inclusive learning and the need for belonging, there are extra measures a teacher can take (Simpson, 2014: 1). In planning of lessons, it is significant to not only consider what is being taught and where but also how (Melbourne, 2012: 1). In order to aid the feeling of an inclusive group, a teacher can take into consideration the learning physicality of the environment and if possible change it to support inclusivity. Where suitable this could be as modest as moving desks from a theatre style to a horseshoe style or cabaret to boost group communication as well as ascertain that all students can access or perceive their teacher equally. This action is supported by Bandura’s social learning theory. This theory says that learning happens in a social context just as much as what is learned is via observation of others (Bandura, 2014:Â  1). By having seating arrangement in a way that creates clear lines of sight and simple social communication, the teacher will permit students to develop a social bond to aid learning. In conclusion, inclusive teaching is all about accommodating, recognizing, as well as meeting learning needs of all students. In addition, it acknowledges that students have a range of personal learning needs. Melbourne, L. 2012. PTLLS PGCE CTLLS Post 16 Education Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector [online] Available at: [Accessed 2 April

Business Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Culture - Essay Example We suggest that those that involve a combination of cultures are even more at risk. The poor success rate due to concentrating only on financial aspects will be even more detrimental in cultures where priorities lie elsewhere. We also believe that corporations actually sacrifice performance by neglecting to profitably leverage differences in culture and that culture mix is potentially advantageous. Western companies working internationally and planning joint ventures in China, Japan or India are unlikely to have put in place a working global strategy for themselves. To do this, they will need to identify what can be standardised between cultures and what must be localised (Yip). Some corporations know how to do this, McDonald's being a good example. Others do not: Burger King failed in at least one European country for this reason. Part of the cultural differences is the business management differences. We have seen companies from both the East and the West unsuccessfully try to impose their own style of management in completely different cultural contexts. In our opinion, there is no one management theory that is generally applicable, just as there is no "one-size-fits-all" culture. Compounded by fundamental differences in values, religions and languages, the business culture between East and West has developed in different ways. Some of these differences are immediate. The difference in language, both spoken and written, characters for some, ideograms for others. From our experience, a westerner's first glimpse of eastern cultural differences comes from the initial business communications, particularly in face-to-face meetings. Where the westerner expects to describe everything in great detail, the eastern cultures are more oriented to a context rich in non-verbal information, where less sometimes means more (Hall). China in particular has occasioned much discussion and revamping of business models. Hofstede in his model of cultural dimensions first defined four dimensions and then added the fifth, "Long-term vs. Short-term", to take account of China (Hofstede). We see this criterion, dealing with the attitude of persevering to overcome problems in time, as be ing typically weighted towards the long term for Asian countries in general. Going further than some of the other models defined, we can start to characterise China, Japan and India for joint ventures in different ways. Thus China is an example of a "diffuse" culture, where responsibility is shared or diffused (Trompenaars), compared with the "specific" culture of a country like the UK, where responsibility is specifically assigned. Japan can be described as having a synchronic culture (doing several things at once) compared to a typical western sequential culture. India with its caste system is a prime example of a culture functioning by ascription (status is given according to social standing) rather than the western ideal of achievement and meritocracy. China - cultural difficulties for a joint venture Of the three nations considered (China, Japan and India), China is perhaps the one that has undergone the most profound changes in the last century. The change from empire to republic and the transfer of power from self-elected dynasty to revolutionary leaders backed by the population were fundamental alterations. However, the

Janpanese director Yasujiro Ozu's tatami shotsenabled Ozu's films to Essay

Janpanese director Yasujiro Ozu's tatami shotsenabled Ozu's films to take the perspective of the audience, which draws the v - Essay Example In these films, Ozu engaged tatami shots style of cinematography in which he shoot his movies from the position below the eye level of the characters (Wood 122). This technique sensationalized his films and drew the audience to the closest engagement with the characters’ sensibilities by bringing the viewer to the nearest vicinity of the character’s emotions. In this essay, the use of the tatami shots technique will be evaluated by drawing examples from three Ozu films namely: Late Spring (1949), Early Summer (1951), and Tokyo Story (1953). Late Spring (1949) Late Spring (1949) is a drama film directed by Yasujiro Ozu and is based on the short story novella Father and Daughter by Kazuo Hirotsu (Bordwell & Kristin 394). The film is starring Chishu Ryu, an actress who features in almost all Ozu’s films, and Setsuko Hara, another frequent character in Ozu’s films (Wood 119). The most frequently notable aspect of the Late Spring film is the use of tatami shots ; a camera technique where the director shoots his actors from an extremely low position. The adoption of tatami shots in the Late Spring film enables the audience to engage with the emotions of the characters throughout the film. For example, the scene in which Noriko visits her friend Aya in her home. In this scene, Noriko is seen in a sitting position and the camera shoots Aya at a slightly elevated position, from which the audience can see Aya looking down towards her friend. The scene is shot in a way that the camera in both pictures is low, but the degrees are different. The shot controls the way the audience should follow and analyze the events in the narrative. Moreover, when Noriko is sitting, she does so looking up at Aya who is standing, but the camera shoots in the reverse order and concentrates on Noriko and, this way, the audience is forced to reject Aya’s point of view. Consequently, the tatami shots in this particular scene deny the viewer a chance of identify ing with Aya but with Noriko’s inhuman perspective. These shots, which are all over the film, are a reflection of a view from an individual sitting on a tatami mat (Wood 120). Interestingly, he shoots the same even when the scenes shots are taken from outside. The positioning of the camera, therefore, carries a sense of balance and order and enables the viewers to establish an emotional engagement with the characters. Early summer (1951), Another film in which Ozu used the tatami shots is Early Summer (1951); a post war film that recounts the problems of communication between generations and the emerging women role in post war Japan (Bordwell & Kristin 397). In this film, Noriko lives happily in an extended family, but this balance is threatened by her uncle’s visits and insistence that she should get married. Ozu uses the tatami shots in this film frequently. For example, there is a scene where Koichi and two older women are having a conversation concerning Norikoâ₠¬â„¢s marriage. The long shots in this scene show the three characters staring at diverse points as they talked to each other. The camera would then, at low angles, focus on one of the characters straight on the eyes different from the direction at the long shot. These tatami shots enable the viewer to read into the thoughts and emotions of the character. In yet another scene, where the mother, her daughter and her son are at the table, the characters are shot facing different

Consumer behavior Essay Example for Free

Consumer behavior Essay MANILA, Philippines – To understand a Filipino consumer, businesses should focus on 4 factors: beauty, hygiene, health and convenience. These are the key trends that would explain [Filipinos] buying behavior,† stressed Luz Barra, commercial director of consumer knowledge and insights firm, Kantar Worldpanel. READ: Factors influencing Filipinos decision to buy, according to Nielsen In a media briefing on Thursday, September 4, Barra detailed why these matter to the local consumer: Filipinos like to look good Filipino women care about their looks, Barra said, and 72% of them specifically like to improve their hair and change their complexion. This is supported by the purchase growth of 12.6% in hair conditioners and 6.3% in hand and body lotion from June 2009 to June 2013. Being fair is a Filipino consumer’s definition of beauty. Proof is the 10% purchase increase in whitening products versus just 1% in non-whitening products from 2011 to 2013. The purchase of whitening body lotion grew 8% compared to non-whitening lotions 5%. Notable growths were observed from Visayas and Mindanao across socio-economic classes C and E. The beauty trend is also being driven by young households (those with children 12 years old and below) and adult homes (those whose members are 19 and up). They buy mostly from supermarkets and direct sales channels. Germ protection need rises Filipinos also purchased 19% more hand sanitizers and 9% more baby wipes/wet tissues from June 2009 to June 2013. In addition to germ-protection, Filipinos care more about their hygiene with a 54% increase in razor purchase, 11% in panty liners and 10% in sanitary pads. Similar to the trend on beauty, hygiene was driven by Visayas and Mindanao consumers from socio-economic classes D and E who are members of young and mixed households (those with children 12 and below, and teens). We buy healthy Fun runs, exercise and other physical activities have been promoted and practiced more by Filipinos in recent years. In addition, Filipinos are now choosing the healthier lifestyle as shown in their food product choices. On food purchase over the past 5 years, there has been an increase in cereals (17%), yoghurt/cultured milk (9%), canned vegetables (6%) and biscuits (6%). For beverages, purchase increases have been seen in soy milk (20%), bottled water (12%), energy/sports drink (10%), fruit/vegetable juices (7%) and powdered milk (6%). These patterns in purchase behavior have been observed more in North Luzon and Mindanao across socio-economic classes AB, C and E and in mixed and adult homes. Lifestyle on the go Filipinos want food, beverage and cooking choices to be fast, easy and convenient. Over the 5 past years, growth of purchase in ready-to-drink choco drinks (21%), ready-to-drink coffee (17%) and ready-to-drink energy/sports drinks (11%) have increased. Quick and easy meal purchases have also increased including those of instant noodles (9%), instant pasta (7%) and canned meat (7%). There has also been purchase growth among products that make cooking easy, including meal flavorings (17%), liquid seasoning (11%), breading (7%) and bouillon (5%). These patterns have been seen more in South Luzon and Mindanao, among consumers from the socio-economic class C who are mostly from young and adult homes. Businesses may focus on these 4 major categories in order for them to better respond to Filipinos’ preferences, Kantars Barra stressed. – Rappler.com source: http://www.rappler.com/business/38219-4-factors-explain-filipino-buying-behavior

Quantitative and Qualitative methods Essay Example for Free

Quantitative and Qualitative methods Essay On being Sane in insane places Rosenhan, (1973). Rosenhan orchestrated one of the most famous studies criticising basic psychiatric concepts and practices; his intention was to test the hypothesis that psychiatrists cannot reliably tell the difference between people who are genuinely mentally ill and those who are not. (Coordination Group Publications 2009; Richard Gross 2010).  Eight psychiatrically normal people presented themselves at the admissions offices of twelve different psychiatric institutions in the United States complaining of hearing voices or auditory hallucinations, all eight were admitted, eleven with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and one with manic depression; after which they stopped claiming to hear voices and assumed their normal selves. They were eventually discharged with schizophrenia and depression in remission; however it took an average of nineteen days to convince staff that they were well enough to be discharged. (Coordination Group Publications 2009; Richard Gross 2010). Rosenhal has claimed that psychiatrists cannot reliably tell the difference from those that are sane and insane, Rosenhal argues that psychiatric labels stick in a way that medical labels do not therefore everything a patient does is interpreted in accordance with the diagnostic label once it has been applied; he suggested that instead of labelling a person as insane we should instead focus on the individuals specific problems and behaviours. (Rosenhal D. L. 1973). The study demonstrated the limits of classification and also the appalling conditions in many psychiatric institutions; this has stimulated considerably greater research and has led to many institutions improving their philosophy of care. Rosenhal, like other anti-psychiatrists is arguing that mental illness is a social phenomenon and merely a consequence of labelling although those who suffer from severe mental illness might disagree. (Rosenhal D. L. 1973) Validity is much more difficult to assess than reliability as for most mental disorders there is no absolute standard against which diagnosis can be compared, the primary purpose of making a diagnosis is to enable a suitable programme of treatment to be chosen thus aiding in an individuals potential recovery. Bannister et al (1964) found that there was simply no clear-cut connection between diagnosis and treatment in one thousand cases, one reason for this seems to be that factors other than diagnosis may be equally important in deciding on a particular treatment. (Coordination Group Publications 2009; Richard Gross 2010). Construct validity is the most relevant form of validity in relation to diagnosis, according to Davison et al (2004), the categories are constructs because theyre inferred, not proven entities; a diagnosis of schizophrenia doesnt possess the potential status of a physical disease, but even in the more extreme psychotic states its not possible to separate or divorce such a debilitating illness from the individual. (Coordination Group Publications 2009; Richard Gross 2010).  Davison et al believe that the DSM diagnostic categories possess some construct validity, some more than others; however, according to Mackay (1975): The notion of illness implies a relatively discrete disease entity with associated signs and symptoms, which has a specific cause, a certain probability of recovery and its own treatments. The various states of unhappiness, anxiety and confusion which we term mental illness fell far short of these criteria in most cases. (Richard Gross 2010).  Pilgrim (2000) argued that that calling madness schizophrenia, or misery, depression, merely technicalises ordinary social judgements. What is gained by calling someone who communicates unintelligibly schizophrenic? Similarly Winter (1999), argues that: Diagnostic systems are only aids to understanding, not necessarily descriptions of real disease entities. (Winter, 1999).  Classifications are needed in psychiatry, as in medicine, primarily to aid communication regarding the nature of patients problems, prognosis and treatment. It is invaluable when exchanging and/or communicating information about individual cases if there is some agreed universal terminology available and if a label can be assigned that distinguishes one patients disorder from anothers. (Claridge and Davies, 2003; Gelder et al., 1989; Richard Gross, 2010). The fact that there are different classification schemes demonstrates that theres a certain degree of arbitrariness about how people are diagnosed, DSM-IV and ICD-10 merely represent the current beliefs of experts in the field regarding how such psychological disorders should be classified. (Richard Gross, 2010).  The fact that they, (DSM and ICD) are not identical indicates that the diagnostic categories they suggest are somewhat arbitrary and often represent compromise. This is bound to be the case, since the contents of both merely result from decisions made in committee by groups of professionals, experienced in their own fields, but often of differing theoretical persuasion or clinical expertise. (Claridge and Davis 2003; Richard Gross, 2010).

Customer perceived benefits of Barclays bank

Customer perceived benefits of Barclays bank Customer perceived value, can be regarded as the opinion that a customer has or has formed of a particular product and how it is of value to him. Now value can have many different meanings to it, for example the price of the product in the market, its quality etc. The value also depends on the ability of the product to satisfy the needs of the customer. Simply put, the customer perceived value of any product is the consumers overall assessment of the utility or use of a product based on perceptions of what the customer receives and what he is giving to get the desired service or product. This concept can also be explained with the help of the following diagram: Customer perceived value= Perceived Benefits _______________ Perceived Sacrifice Where, Perceived benefits are the attributes of the service being received and the customer perceived quality and price of the product. Perceived sacrifice are the customer costs involved in purchasing, such as time, travel etc. Introduction to the organisation: For the purpose of this assignment, the company that has been selected is BARCLAYS PLC; the following text would give a brief company profile followed by the identification of the customer perceived value for the organisation by the use of the Customer Value Hierarchy Model. Company profile: Barclays is one of the worlds leading financial institutions headquartered at 1 Churchill Place, London. It is a 300 year old corporation that became a major financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, wealth management, credit cards, investment banking and management services provider for big global equity firms. It has an extensive international presence in Europe, Africa, Asia and off lately has started to expand in the United States market as well. It operates in more than 50 countries and employs more than 145,000 people worldwide. It moves, lends, protects and invests money for than 38 million customers and clients worldwide. Barclays has two business clusters: Global Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth Management- both compromising world-class business and brands. There are two other major areas where Barclays operates its business; one being the Group Centre and Absa, the Group Centre being their head office and support functions operation. The Absa Group is one of South Africas largest financial services businesses. Before we take a look at the customer perceived value of the Barclays brand, the project would like to discuss the Customer Value Hierarchy Model, and then try to apply them to the customers of Barclays. Customer Value Hierarchy Model: OBJECTIVE LAYER Customers goal and purpose CONSEQUENCE LAYER Desired consequences in use situation ATTRIBUTE LAYER Desired products/services attribute and performances The Customer Value Model consists of three layers, namely the Attribute layer, the Consequence Layer and the Objectives layer. The objective layer includes the ultimate motivations of customers, the consequence layer represents the customer experience desired by the person and finally the attribute layer specifies what actually are the needs of the customer. From the bottom of the customer value hierarchy, customers would always firstly consider the attributes and availability of products. At the second layer, customers begin to make expectations according to the attributes. At the top layer, customers form expectations about the realization of their aim. How do Barclays customers perceive their bank? Thats the question that this assignment would like to answer by giving the objectives, consequences and attributes desired by the customers, followed by a customer review. OBJECTIVES Easy personal banking Safety of the account at all times Saving account options Availability of loans at a good interest rate Online banking to keep a record of their account details at all time Ability to invest Good mortgage options Insurance options Credit card facilities Assistance while travelling CONSEQUENCES Easy accessibility to the account Peace of mind as the customer is aware that the account details are secure and safe More control over their own finances The customer does not require to keep much cash with them at all times because of the debit cards Saving for the rainy day A secure and safe environment Future is taken care off Can start a business with the help of financial banking More purchasing power ATTRIBUTES Pin- sentry device Debit card Online banking facilities which enable the customers to check account balances, make transfers, setup standing orders and direct debits. Chequebooks Barclaycard ISAs Bonds Home insurance Different types of savings accounts Different types of current accounts Overdraft facility E-savings Car insurance Travel services Looking at the above attributes, consequences and objectives list one can identify the value of the brand as perceived by the customer. The brand Barclays is a very widely recognized name and almost every person in the UK is a big fan, of course with some exceptions which are bound to be there, the customers on a general note feel very happy with the huge array of services and products made available by the bank for its customers and are satisfied with the huge network of customer service centres spread all across the world providing 24/7 customer service, also the safe and secure online banking facility provided by Barclays is very user friendly and easy to use, letting the customers always keep a track of their money. So its safe to say that Barclays as a bank not only just for people but also for small businesses and big equity firms is a financial institution of repute and is trusted and respected by the people. Just to give a basic idea about how really people feel about the pro ducts and services offered by Barclays this project would like to include a customer review, which is as follow: Barclay has never let me down. I subsequently withdraw and deposit money with ease and have it connected to PayPal.  It is extremely easy to use, I have had no login issues and their customer service cleared everything up to me.  My favourite part is that unlike most banking companies; you dont have to pay monthly fees. This really pleased me. PART 2 Critically evaluate the existing value proposition of the product/division/ company you have chosen. Compare and contrast the value proposition with that of the leading competitor in your sector. This part of the project would evaluate the value proposition or the customer value proposition of Barclays and contrast it with the customer value proposition of HSBC. But before we proceed to comparing and contrasting the value propositions of both the brands we first need to understand, what a customer value proposition really is? This is the question this project would answer first and then proceed on to discuss the variations in the value propositions of both the brands. Customer Value Proposition: In the subject of marketing, the customer value proposition consists of the sum total of benefits which a provider offers or promises a potential consumer which he will receive in return for the customers associated payment (or any other value transfer). A customer value proposition is a business or marketing statement that would describe why a customer should make use of the services and products being offered by the organisation. It is targeted towards potential consumers, rather than at other constituent groups such as suppliers, employees or partners. It can also be looked from a viewpoint of a clearly defined statement, which is designed to convince the customers that this one particular product or service will add more value or better solve a problem than the other competitors in the same industry. Why are customer value propositions so important? This question is of utmost importance to any business, because it is only these statements that give the customer an expectation of a desired service, it provides the consumers with a convincing reason to buy the desired good and also helps differentiate the product from the other services provided by the other competitors in the same industry. They help in gaining customers attention and if the customer value proposition is strong, and is able to gain the approval of the customer then it helps in building faster and more profitable sales and in increasing the market share of the organisation. Understanding of the customer needs is very vital as this would ensure the promotion and creation of a successful brand. The word brand, is the perception of a service or product that is designed to stay in the minds of the targeted consumers. It is a very important and a cumbersome task to build a strong and positive brand in the minds of your customers, but the firms which are able to accomplish this task are the ones which rise to the top. Types of Customer Value Propositions: All benefits: This is a list compilation of all the benefits of the products and services offered to the customers by the organisation. This approach requires the least market knowledge about customers and competitors and thus does not provide a good base when seen from a marketing perspective. Favourable Points of Difference: This type of value proposition explicitly recognizes the fact that the customer has different alternatives and it then focuses on how to differentiate one product or service from another. A product or service may have several points of difference, confusing the customer and thus complicating the customers understanding of the product which would offer him more value. Without a comprehensive understanding of the customers requirements and preferences, the suppliers might stress points of difference that relatively deliver little value to the targeted consumers. Resonating Focus: This approach is used by managers who directly deal with a supplier who fully grasps the critical issue in the product- consumer cycle and who can deliver a customer value proposition thats simple yet powerfully captivating. The value proposition offered is superior in the few attributes that are of the most importance to the customers which convey a message to the targeted audience, that here is an organisation which is communicating a sophisticated understanding of the customers business priorities. When talking about the value proposition of a financial institution we have to take into account the current market conditions and then arrive at the capital and funding strategy of the bank which in itself is a sort of value proposition available for the customers to have a look at and, then these consumers can decide for themselves whether they do need to associate themselves with the financial institution. Analysis of value proposition of Barclays: Capital Strategy: Barclays capital management activities will attempt to maximise shareholders value by optimising the level and mix of its capital resources. Barclays ability to operate as a bank is directly dependent upon the maintenance of adequate capital resources. Barclays works according to a centralised capital management model considering regulatory and economic capital. The Groups capital management objectives are to: Maintaining the sufficient capital required to meet minimum regulatory capital requirements set by the UK FSA. Maintaining sufficient capital resources which can support the Barclays risk appetite and fulfil the economic capital requirements. Support the banks credit rating Ensure that the locally regulated subsidiaries can meet their minimum capital requirements without having to borrow from other financial firms. Allocation of capital to support the strategic objectives set by Barclays, including optimum returns on economic and regulatory capital. Funding strategy: Barclays will manage the funding position to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed by the UK FSA .Barclays operates on a centralised governance and control process that covers all of its liquidity risk and management activities. Funding Structure Global Retail and Commercial Banking, Barclays Wealth and Head Office Functions are to be self-funded through customer deposits and Barclays equity and other long-term capital. The Barclays Capital and Absa businesses will be funded through the wholesale secured and unsecured funding markets. Major currency payment flows and payment system collateral are going to be monitored and managed, so it can be ensure that at all times there is sufficient collateral to make payments. Day to day funding Day to day funding will be managed through limits on wholesale and secured borrowings. This will ensure that on any day and over any period there is only a limited amount of refinancing requirement. In addition to cash flow management, Barclays would also monitor the term mismatches between assets and liabilities, as well as the level and type of undrawn lending commitments, the usage of overdraft facilities and the impact of contingent liabilities such as standby letters of credit and guarantees. Additional value propositions specific to a persona customer and not the global market: Personal banking made easy by the debit card that is an internationally valid card which has many advantages like international assistance anytime anywhere, guaranteed transactions etc. Wide range of current accounts available to suit different customer needs.(mobile phone insurance, car breakdown cover etc.) Availability of loans at competitive rates Online facilities giving easy accessibility to customer funds. 24/7 customer service Wide array of savings and investment options Credit card facilities Insurance facilities(home, motor and life insurance) Mortgage facilities(buying, building and renovating of property) To understand the customer value proposition of Barclays and then to contrast it with the value proposition of HSBC, this project is going to use the SWOT analysis which is preceded by the mission statements and the vision statements of both Barclays and HSBC, thus giving us a better idea of what the customer expects from the brand and what are the promises being made by these institutions to potential and existing consumers. Mission Statement: This is a short, formal, written statement of the purpose of the company. It guides the actions of the company, benchmarks its goals, provides a sense of direction and guides in decision making. It provides a framework within which the strategies of the company are formulated. Vision Statement: This can be defined as statement that captures the long term picture of what the organisation wants to become. It gives a broad and an aspirational image of the future that an organisation wants to achieve. It is often inspirational and memorable. Mission Statement of Barclays: To develop deliver the most innovative products, manage customer experience, deliver quality services that contributes to brand strength, establishes a competitive advantage and enhances profitability, thus providing value to the stakeholders of the bank. Vision Statement of Barclays: We have a clear view of where growth will come from over the coming years. While there will be significant growth opportunities in the UK, we see many more internationally. Barclays will become a leading global universal bank. Mission Statement of HSBC: We aspire to be one of the worlds great specialist banking groups, driven by commitment to our core philosophies and values. Vision Statement of HSBC: We envision enabling HSBC to achieve its strategic objectives, driving excellence in our delivery through partnership with our customers and associates. SWOT Analysis of Barclays: Strengths: Extensive network in Europe providing business sustenance. Focus on cost efficiencies which ensure relatively higher profitability. Ability to lend amidst reduced size of the balance sheet. Associated with innovation, brought out the first credit card in 1966, most recently the OnePulse card combining Oyster, credit cashless functions for its customers. Opening of several new branches, along with a massive refurbishment programme. Weaknesses: Strained trading income impacting the revenue diversity. Barclays Capital credit market exposures are impacting the financial position and performance. Large bonuses for the Directors have attracted unwanted attention. Expansion plans in the Asian market thwarted, when Barclays were outbid for ABN Amro in 2006. Opportunities: Barclays  was keen to acquire some of Lehmans assets prior to its collapse but however, after the collapse, they have been able to negotiate a better deal with liquidators which also allowed them to be very selective in which parts of the business they actually wanted to acquire. The banks strategy to offer a full portfolio of services worldwide, provides a wide range of cross-selling opportunities. Asia continues to be an opportunity for expansion, and operations are being set up in a number of locations. Welfare provision has decreased in many countries because of the cost to governments, and  Barclays  sees self-provision as an increasing trend that it can utilise. The court recently found that  Barclays  banking charges, which had been challenged legally, were enforceable, thus repayment is not necessary and charges can continue to be enforced. Positive outlook for buy to let market may bring business volumes. Buoyant secured personal loans market in the UK could help the business. Threats: Bleak outlook for the UK economy. Regulatory fines can compress margins and financial position. Increase in online fraud. Barclays  has been accused of loss-making investments associated with the sub-prime market from its accounts to those of other investors, and there is a risk it may be sued. While offering a wide range of services provides opportunities, there is also the threat that customers may prefer to go to suppliers who present a more specialised approach. Barclays  acquired a reputation for closing branches because of a high incidence of this in 2000, and competitors have been able to position themselves as more consumer-friendly through a strategy of keeping branches open. The Asia expansion is seen as risky given that  Barclays  are in a less strong position than banking industry leaders regarding capitalisation, and this may detract investors. SWOT Analysis of HSBC: Strengths: The bank is well capitalised thus enabling it to perform relatively well against other banks in the recent economic conditions. Going forward, the bank is unlikely to borrow from the UK government because of the huge market capitalization; this enables it to retain more autonomy. HSBC has a strong presence in emerging markets, placing it in a good position to take advantage of future growth in those economies. HSBCs global presence in Europe, Asia and South America spreads the risk and offers significant economies of scale. Rebranding relatively recently (1999), the HSBC bank has become well-established and is considered of great value within the industry circles. Weaknesses: HSBC strongly believes in investing in the small business sector, but the current economic situation has led to increased risks, which could potentially compromise the activity levels in the area of its operation. HSBCs involvement with sub-prime markets in the US has forced it to write off large figures lent to high-risk borrowers. Despite cuts in the UK interest rate, HSBC has been increasing its mortgage rates. This can be perceived negatively by the borrowers and potential borrowers, which may add pressure to an already depressed housing market and can ultimately lead to more defaulting as borrowers would struggle with higher repayments. A redundancy programme which was announced recently can affect morale among staff, leading to decreased productivity and loyalty. HSBCs branding emphasises its global presence, and this can be seen as negatively by some consumers in its implication of homogenisation and lack of personalisation. Opportunities: HSBCs high levels of market capitalisation place the bank, in a strong position which helps it to acquire assets. Banks which find the trading conditions particularly difficult at present could be available at low costs. HSBC has adequate capital which it can use to purchase stronger banks such as Bank Ekonomi in Indonesia, in which it has purchased a stake to continue its Asian expansion despite challenging economic times. HSBCs strong position presents the opportunity to outperform other banking competitors during the economic downturn which allows it to build a reputation of being one of the safer banks for depositors which in turn helps to increase resources for lending. Negative press coverage of competitors such as HBOS can encourage customers to choose HSBC instead. Threats: Decreased trust in the financial system overall, including HSBC due to financial losses suffered by investors may be a reason for them to invest elsewhere. Financial losses which has affected the banking industry and investors on a global scale has resulted in less credit being available for customers. In the UK this coupled with increases in living cost has resulted in less money being saved. The slump property market has led to a rise in numbers of homeowners with negative equity. If a property is worth less than what it was borrowed to finance its purchase, there is less likelihood that the bank will recoup all its losses if owners default. Claims have been made against HSBC, about the bank understating losses resulting from US sub-prime markets, and this has led to undermining confidence in the bank by the customers. CONCLUSION: Barclays is currently taking a  conservative approach due to the recession. However, the downturn has provided the bank with many opportunities for consolidation. Also, with the BRIC and East Asian markets rebounding fast this region looks to be a source of potential revenues and provides opportunities for increasing operations. With the United Kingdom and the Americas looking at a slow and prolonged phase of recovery, Barclays will need to adopt a policy of looking east when it comes to operations. The threats and problems that Barclays may face in the future will be the sustained economic situation being experienced in the United Kingdom, Europe and America which will lead to uncertainty within the retail consumer market and could result in shortage of availability of credit. This in turn makes it even more important for the Barclays to drive its overall corporate profitability and margin by seeking to offset the shortfalls in the UK domestic market with advances in emerging markets. All companies, like Barclays, are being forced to re-examine in particular the retail aspects of their operations seeking to remain competitive on the high street and also making cuts wherever necessary. In this current financial climate, banks are unwilling to finance each other and with the UK market on the verge of a projected severe recession, all of the retailing factors will influence Barclays competitiveness and it would depend largely on how the Bank of England and the Treasury seek to reg enerate and reinforce the flagging confidence of the stock markets. HSBC will concentrate on the strategic and prioritized areas of its worldwide operation with the further emphasis on HR management strategies and technologically-advanced applications within the group to keep a firm lead in the financial markets. HSBCs conservative approach to banking, staying focused on keeping its capital base strong and liquid balance sheet have prevented its failure. Executing the HSBCs strategy entails improving intra-group linkages by joining up the businesses and functions to more effectively create additional value. The HSBC brand and global networks are going to be leveraged to reach new customers and offer more services to the existing ones. Efficiency will be enhanced by taking the full advantage of local, regional and global economies. Appropriate objectives and incentives will be adopted to encourage the employees to be fully engaged in delivering the strategy. PART 3 In light of your analysis of your existing value proposition and what you have learnt in this module produce, a new value proposition that will match the value criteria of your customers, and a plan to implement the value proposition externally and internally http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/pix/spacer.gif To create a new value proposition that would be acceptable to the customers of Barclays, all the weaknesses that the current business structure has would have to be removed and a new and better business plan would have to be drafted by identifying the opportunities and removing the weaknesses. A New Value Proposition: The trading income should be relaxed so that it does not impact the revenue diversity. Capital bonuses should be distributed in accordance with the FSA and the bad practice of the directors receiving huge bonuses should be curtailed. Barclays should provide the consumers with a full portfolio of services worldwide, rather than just concentrating in the UK, this move could enable cross-selling opportunities. Barclays should look towards expanding in the worlds booming economies like India, China, Indonesia etc. so that these economies could provide Barclays with the market opportunities it is looking for, thus increasing the market capitalization. This project would propose that Barclays should have an aggressive expansion policy in the Asian market. Barclays needs to invest in buy to let market, which would in turn bring business volumes. Due to the economic crisis in the markets, Barclays needs to cut down its interest rates and mortgage rates, so as to become a peoples bank and thus raising the brand image. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: To implement the new value proposition described above the project, will identify the key relationship-marketing issue, followed by refocusing of marketing effort: moving activities away from a marketing mix that creates a series of one-off transactions, to manage a complex network of relationships involved with the production of the whole consumer offering. T Marketing audit will be carried out so as to map out a plan that will be of most advantage to the customers and will be conducted in stages, namely at the beginning, the middle and at the end. Marketing analysis in terms of the strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities. A review must be undertaken to understand the new value propositions outlined above in the light of internal marketing. A new strategy development process concentrating on differentiation, cost leadership and adequate response systems would have to be created. Action programmes would have to be designed by managers so as to determine the most appropriate course to take in tackling the weakness of the organisation, with a determination of the like;ly costs which would be incurred. The implementation plan would have to be monitored and controlled by keeping a track of staff performance, evaluation and appraisal schemes. To ensure effective, appropriate and accurate results, basis for market segmentation would have to be identified, based on extensive market research. Marketing orientation is going to be very important, the new value propositions must be made clear to all the employees and clearly defined individual goals should be set down to enable the employees to see their own contribution in achieving the organisations objectives. Externally implementing the plan is going to be very important, and can be done by the use of media, electronic, print and sponsorships. The new value propositions can be made available in the form of television advertisements, available for all the people to see. The Barclays website can act as a powerful medium on which the new value propositions can be put up and made available. It should be designed in an effective and detailed manner so that the customers are aware about all the new services available to them. Print media is another powerful form by which the new policies can be made available for the masses. Barclays is a big sponsor for many big international events and meets and can use that as an active platform to educate the consumers about the new change in the policy structure.

Movement :: essays research papers

Movement Seven thirty in the morning and it already is 120 degrees in the shade. Mail call brings me no news from home. The word around Camp New Jersey is that we move into Iraq at 0400 hours tomorrow morning. This means that all mail will stop for the next two weeks. My mood is destroyed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Four in the morning, I am checking my vehicles temperature as a drive out of Camp New Jersey and towards the Iraqi border. There is a news correspondent that told me he would get in touch with my family and relay any news from home, so I feel a little bit better. As the sun kisses the horizon, I see why there is such thing as religion in this world. The pink and orange stained clouds construct the most breathtaking ceiling in the horizon. For a few minutes I forget that I'm driving into a fire zone and feel as if I'm driving into the welcoming arms of some ancient God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eight twenty two in the morning, we are seventeen clicks into Iraq. The desert is a breathtaking sight. I can't help but think that I'm driving through the ancient kingdom of Babylon. These are the same sense that Moses crossed with millions of Jews. Molestina 2 The unforgiving landscape somehow seems defiled by this concrete and asphalt road.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nine forty two in the morning; and I see for the first time the image that would hunt my dreams for the rest of my life. There he is, a child that has not seen eight winters yet. He's begging for food on the side of the road. To him we are not the saviors of his country, or the monsters that are sure to kill his people; it's much simpler than that, to him all we are is possible meal, a chance that tonight he won't go to bed hungry. His parents are sitting in front of a small nearby hut, for them we're also a chance to eat, so they let their child continue. My thermometer reads 147 °; God only knows how hot the asphalt is under the child's bare feet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ten thirty three and the child is far behind. We have taken several casualties in the last thirty minutes. The ambush came from nowhere. But as I lay in the ground firing at the enemy so the medics can evacuate the wounded, all I can think of is how lucky I am.

To Ill :: essays research papers

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." Lee says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they only make music for people to enjoy, and they do no damage to anything such as other birds do. Lee is right the mockingbird dose nothing wrong, such as the mockingbirds in the book. They never do anything wrong, but they sometimes are misunderstood and considered bad by other people. Boo is one of the mockingbirds in the book. He only gives to the children. He gives them many different things through the knothole in the tree. Boo also gives the children a game to play during the day, "Boo Radley." Later Boo gives them the most important thing of all, their lives. He is also a mockingbird in another way, when Scout falls out of the tire he gives them his music, laughter. At the end of the book Boo ends up going back into his house never to be seen again by Scout. He did this because he was a mockingbird caged up for a long time and was not ready to be free. The solution for him was to go back to his cage that he knew and was safe. The other mockingbird is Tom Robinson because he does not do anything wrong. He was a very nice man, he would do things for people if they needed something done that they could not do themselves. An example of this is when he helps Mayella and refused to accept the money that she offered him. The difference between him and Boo is that even though he did not do anything wrong he was still found guilty of a crime that he probably did not commit. The reason that Tom was convicted is mainly because he was a back man accused of a crime by a white woman. The common thing that both of these characters share is that they are both somehow connected to Bob Ewell. Boo is connected to him because Boo killed him when he attacked the children. Tom is connected to Bob because Bob is the main reason that Tom was tried and found guilty in the first place. This common connection to Bob connects Boo and Tom because the reason that Bob attacked the children was because he wanted to get back at the rest of the world for what it did to him.

The Evolution Of Professional Essay -- essays research papers

WRESTLING Wrestling is defined as a sport in which the opponents wrestle, or struggle hand to hand. This has been done for thousands of years. Wrestling is probably one of the oldest sports in the world. Along with the discovery of mummies, gold, and priceless artifacts that had not been seen by human eyes in thousands of years. There are pictures of wrestlers within the walls in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. The ancient Greeks are said to have loved the sport. Wrestling was one of the first sports in the Olympics. Along with the Greeks, the Romans also loved the sport; they would have bouts (matches) that would be held at an arena where thousands would watch. The winner would claim victory and be carried out as the victorious one that he was and the loser would suffer the faith of paying with his life. Many might not know this, but in the Virginia colony, George Washington was a wrestling champion. Abraham Lincoln was also considered to be a great, skillful wrestler. There is a story that s ays that at the time when Abraham Lincoln received news of his nomination to presidency in 1860 he was wrestling. Carnivals and county fairs of the post Civil War era are the roots of what we know now as professional wrestling. Wrestlers with bizarre costumes, names, and false biographies would wrestle. They would have exhibition matches and would take any challenge from any townsmen who wanted to prove how big and bad he could be. Carneys detested to lose, so if the local man seemed as if he was going to beat the champion, he was tricked and lead towards a curtain backdrop at one side of the ring where another carney would be hiding with a really big baseball bat. As you can see many of these so called 'champions'; rarely lost a match. By the end of the nineteenth century professional wrestling was already well organized. Wrestling extended out from carnivals to big city arenas and stadiums. In the beginning a wrestling match consisted of three falls. The winner had to pin his oppo nent twice in order to be considered the winner. The bad thin though was that the matches had no time limits. Matches lasted from three minutes to some seven hours. In the 1920's, time limits were imposed on wrestling matches and some people were much happier. The first recognized American Champion was Ed Gotch. He was a great wrestler but he hated to lose. He would do anything to win. Onc... ...hing like this can be called fake. It may be premeditated but it is not fake. Wrestling from the past in no way can compare to the wrestling of today. Today's entrances make the one's of Gorgeous George seem like child's play. They are so extravagant that they have their own theme music and explosion which pumps up a crowd in a way that cannot even be expressed in words. Each person has a persona and a historical background which may be false or may be authentic but it is used to stereotype them. Back in the day wrestling matches could take hours but now a wrestling match may last anywhere from three to ten minutes. Before weapons were sneaked into the ring used and discounted. Now a day anything can and will and probably be used as a weapon such as chairs, bells, bats, and even the ring announcer's tables are sometimes used against opponents. Matches as well as the wrestlers have revolutionized and evolved into greater things. There are many types of matches which include infern o, first blood, buried alive, cage matches, and many others. Wrestling has changed in many ways since it was done at carnivals and under the great big tents, but you will never hear any complaints from me.