North American Civilization Free Essays

North American Civilization Elizabeth Smith HIS 115 North American civilization began about 35,000 years ago in the time of the last ice age. A large land mass connecting Eurasia and Alaska brought the first Native American ancestors into North America. As the Ice Age ended, the sea levels rose, submerging the land bridge into the Ocean, thus leaving the ancestors of the Native Americans deserted on a remote continent. We will write a custom essay sample on North American Civilization or any similar topic only for you Order Now After crossing the land bridge, the Native Americans increased and shaped a mixture of cultures and several civilizations. Early North American Cultures The route from Siberia to Alaska led the first descendants as well as animals to this new land. Over many years, settlement broadened throughout America, Central, and South America of the first inhabitants (Axia College, 2010). These early American’s were nomadic. Hunting and gathering as the main source of surviving is how the first American civilizations grew and adapted to the land. The cultures of early Americans grew vastly, learning economic, social, and political skills. Early Americans adapted to the land by hunting the terrain and the water. Animals became a major source of food as well as fish and other aquatic organisms. Native Americans had to adapt to the environment to strengthen their civilization. Many families organized male members to hunt and gather food to share with the neighboring settlements. Women also contributed to society. Agriculture dominated the role of the women. Planting, harvesting, and other domestic roles helped settlements to grow and flourish in their environments. Advancements in agriculture of Mesoamerica strengthened civilizations of many early Americans such as the Mayas and the Aztecs (Axia College, 2010). Cities developed, small villages, many languages, and cultures evolved through economic, religious, and political advancements. Essentially, an empire formed through the efforts of early civilizations; however, new exploration from Europe would soon expand North American civilization. Changes in European society fueled the need to discover new and vast lands. This great conquest began with the Portuguese in the forefront of discovery. The Portuguese created much advancement in shipbuilding, which helped with successful voyages into the Atlantic Ocean (Axia College, 2010). The voyages led to the discovery of Newfoundland as well as a new trade route along the African and Asian coasts. During this time, Europeans were eager to explore new routes for trade, as well as the possibility to expand land opportunities (Axia College, 2010). With the advancement of technology, economics, and political evolution, Europeans were eager to discover new lands for expansion. Factors such as overpopulation, religion, and government politics were creating situations for Europeans to explore the possibilities of transatlantic expansionism (Axia College, 2010). Spain dominated the first efforts of exploration and colonization. Explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortez, and the Pizarro brothers, were the first to discover the new land of the America’s. As the Spanish continued to explore the civilizations of the Mayas and the Aztecs became dominated and conquered. Spanish colonization was easily established due to the diseases brought to the land, the Native Americans could not adapt to such sicknesses and therefore, the Spanish conquered Central and South America (Axia College, 2010). An Empire created, the Spanish soon convinced other Europeans to expand to settlement of the Americas. English expansionism became top priority of Queen Elizabeth I. English merchants, politicians, and reformation encouraged expansion and colonization of America. Many efforts took place; however, English colonization did not occur until the later in the fifteenth century. Over a span of many of thousands of years, settlers of America migrated, adapted, and flourished with great societies. Early Americans traveled to the continent through the land bridge, forming an environment that flourished with great economic, political, and religious advancements. With new, land discoveries, the Spanish, Portuguese, and English colonized and explored the America’s with the ambition to produce new wealth, land, and religious freedoms from their own lands, thus expanding and colonizing across the Atlantic. Gutierrez Map How and where are Native Americans presented on this map? Native Americans are presented on this map along the coasts of the Americas. Some were given descriptions of being cannibals, other societies were reflected as wealthy with temples and other riches, and others reflected the types of animals that inhabited the land. How might have the map’s indication of where Native Americans lived strengthen European claims of sovereignty? The map’s indication of Native American societies strengthened the European claims of sovereignty through its imperial claims. What do the Spanish and French coats of arms in the upper left hand corner of the map represent? The Spanish and French coat of arms in the upper left hand corner of the map represents the treaties of Cateau Cambresis signed between Spain, France, France, and England in 1559, which brought peace to Europe. What does the Portuguese coat of arms in the lower right corner of the map represent? The Portuguese coat of arms in the lower right corner of the map represents Portugal’s fleet off the Coast of Africa, which is dominating the southern Atlantic. Reference Axia College. (2010). Week One Overview. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from Axia College, Week One, rEsource. HIS115—U. S. History to 1865 Course Website. 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BABY FACE NELSON DEADLIFE IN REVIEW Essay Example For Students

BABY FACE NELSON DEAD:LIFE IN REVIEW Essay BABY FACE NELSON DEAD: LIFE IN REVIEWBaby Face Nelsons shredded body was discovered today, lying naked in a ditch near Niles, Illinois, after a deadly encounter with 2 FBI agents yesterday, November 27,1934. The FBI agents, Sam Cowley and Herman Hollis, were also tragically killed in the crossfire. Baby Face Nelson, real name was Lester M. Gillis. He went by many other aliases such as George Nelson, Alex Gillis, and Big George. He grew up with the Chicago street gangs, which is where his gang members named him Baby Face Nelson, despite the fact that he hated it. By the age of 14 he was stealing cars. In his teens he took part in stealing tires, running stills, bootlegging, and armed robbery. In 1922, he was committed to a boys home for auto theft. Two years later he was released on parole, but returned in 5 months for a similar charge. He meet Helen Wawzynak in 1928, and later married her. In January of 1931 he robbed a bank in Chicago, Illinois, and was sent to prison for one year t o life. He escaped and came to Sausalito, California. There he met John Paul Chase. Nelson worked with Chase as an armed guard for the truck used to transport illegal liquor. Together, they moved to Reno, Nevada, where Nelson had killed a person for being a witness to the United States mail fraud case. In 1933 Nelson, and his new friends, Tommy Carrol and Eddie Green robbed banks in Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Most of the blame for these went to Dillanger and his gang. A year later Dillanger joined gangs with Nelson. On March 4,1934, Nelson got in a car accident which was his fault. The other driver got out of his car and started to yell at Nelson, who pulled out his gun and shot the driver three times in the head, and then sped off. Two days later the Dillenger- Gillis gang robbed a bank in Sioux City, South Dakota. The very next day, he robbed another bank in Mason City, Iowa, killing one employee and leaving with $52,000. On April 22,dozens of FBI agents surrounded the Little Bohemia lodge in Northern Wisconsin, where Nelson and his gang were staying. Each of the gang members escaped except for Baby Face Nelson, who stayed to shoot it out with the agents. The FBI, in trying to shoot Nelson, accidentally killed 1 innocent bystander and injured 2 others. Nelson, escaped through the back of the hotel. As he was escaping, he came across two state troopers and an FBI agent. He stuck his gun through the window and said, I need your car. I understand you guys wear bullet proof vests, so Im going to shoot low. He then killed the FBI agent, and injured the other two. After escaping, he hid out in an Indian Reservation. Nelson then became Public enemy number one. Then on November 27,1934, two FBI agents, Cowley and Hollis spotted Nelsons car, along a country road near Fox River Grove, Illinois. In the car was his wife, Helen Gillis, and John Paul Chase, his best friend and a fellow gangster. They began a wild chase with bullets flying in both directions. Nelson then stopped the car just outside of Barrington, and Helen ran to a nearby field to hide. Nelson was carrying a machine gun and his partner Chase with a BAR. Hollis crouched behind the car with a shotgun and Cowly threw himself into a ditch carrying a machine gun. Nearby construction workers dropped to the floor, as the agents and Nelson began to fire. After several minutes of shooting, Nelson dropped his gun to his side and started to walk towards the two agents, while being shot at. I never seen nothing like it, explained one of the witnesses. That fellow (Nelson) just came right a-coming at them two lawmen and they must a hit im plenty a times, but nothin was gonna stop that fellow . Actually it was 17 times that Nelson was struck, but he continued to steal the FBI car and back it up to his wife and Chase. He then said to Chase, Youll have to drive. Ive been hit. They dumped his body 20 miles away, and stripped it so that it could not be easily identified. .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .postImageUrl , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:hover , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:visited , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:active { border:0!important; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:active , .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267 .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63391254f302a29a47f3fa6200d0a267:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Sound Of Ghostface Killah Shattering Preconceived Notions Of Art And The Modern Aesthetic EssayJohn Paul Chase will serve time in the state penitentiary, and Helen Gillis will spend a year in the Madison, Wisconsin, womens prison. As for Lester M. Gillis, also know as Baby Face Nelson, he received the greatest punishment of all: Death.

The Breakdown of Indigenous Culture in Australia

Culture is the entireness of socially imparted behavioral practices from one generation to the other. Culturally transferred patterns, from one generation to the other, play a vital role in the society, and determine the future prospects of that society (Angelo, 1994, p.10). The Indigenous culture in Australia has been systematically broken down since white settlement.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Breakdown of Indigenous Culture in Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the Aboriginal culture and beliefs, Aboriginal Australia has taken a position of a living legacy of spiritual knowledge and culture. In addition, there has been sharing of different affairs through rituals, art, dance and many more into what they referred as dreamtime (Black, 1983, p.28). The Aborigines believed that their spiritual ancestors descended from the sky. Ceremonial songs functioned to honor legends of the dreamtime creati on era. Before the settlement of the Europeans in Australia in the 17th century, there was an estimate of over 600 groups of Aborigines. These groups had different dialects and cultures that gave them identity (Angelo, 1994, p.23). The settlement of the Europeans in Australia had superficial effects on the Aboriginal groups in the continent. Most of the dwellers believe that if they retained their culture as before, the groups’ status could be the same as those of individual countries with different languages like the ones that make up Europe. However, the British attempt to incorporate Australia into their empire, brought their success into an end. The 17th century marks the start of the modern Australian history to most of the individuals. This perception is in contrast with the view of the Aborigines since to them; it marks the beginning of the European invasion. The Europeans expected the Australian natives to integrate into their (European) ways promptly and without any question. The aborigines came across many social attitudes beyond their understanding. In addition, introduction of firearms, alcohol, and other devices took place leading to premature deaths of many Aborigines. The sudden introduction of the social evils from the western world resulted into considerable destruction to the Aborigines who had a cultural aim of living in harmony with each other. The Aborigines became foreigners in their own land since the Europeans had assumed supreme authority over everything on the land (Baldaulf, 1995, p.53). In addition, the Europeans treated the Aborigines in a harsh manner resulting to their inability to access the sacred sites and their hunting ventures ended.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Aborigines went through intense discrimination leading to condemnation and ridiculing of their lifestyle. During the colonial time, regarding of t he Aborigines as inferior led to lying down of missioners to keep them away from the society by closely supervising them all the time (Black, 1983, p.32). The colonialists claimed that the main aim of the close supervision was to protect the Aborigines from the Europeans. The missioners had a resemblance of concentration camps and the rules were that, unauthorized individuals could not leave or enter the designated areas. The missioners also barred natives from accessing some hospitals, which was a sign of total discrimination. In this essence, the Europeans portrayed no cultural diversity in the society. The missions forced the Aborigines to speak and dress like them with an intention of destroying the original society, and this made the Aborigines forget their traditional culture. This act killed cultural diversification since the Aborigines had no right to exercise their culture (Basso, 1998, p.20). In addition, the missions intended to bring to extinction the Aboriginal’s blood. Later, the white Australians adopted the Aborigines babies with an intention that they could forget their past and adapt with the white world. Moreover, the white Australians went to the extent of having powers to control the possessions of the Aborigines. The white Australians could not allow the Aborigines into the public facilities and occasions. Discrimination was not because the Aborigines could not afford for the services; no, they were considered primitive and uncivilized. In addition, the whites placed curfews in some areas, which meant that the Aborigines could not remain in town after certain hours. Moreover, discrimination took place even in education and health sectors. This also extended into the land ownership and employment opportunities, even though, the discriminatory practices were unlawful. Since the 18th century until late 19th century, there occurred controversy on the removal of children from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The federal and t he state government had the responsibility of doing this. This was in collaboration with the church agencies as an official government policy (Black, 1983, p.40).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Breakdown of Indigenous Culture in Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There was no clear reason of doing this and it remained uncontested by the people. The only known explanation indicated that the government feared the Aboriginal population would become extinct due to disease outbreaks. However, others held that the move was meant to protect children. In the 20th century, many changes in various sectors have taken place to avoid discrimination among the people. It is only a few years down the line since the Aborigines gained recognition as Australian citizens. It is during this time where most people agreed that the Aborigine should also have equal treatment as the ordinary Australians (Basso, 1998, p.23). Even after the passing of these laws, the Aborigines have continued to experience discrimination though they have greater control over their lives. In addition, only after a few decades, the Aborigines started experiencing an improved sense of equality. This was through better residential schemes, employment opportunities, education and many more. Moreover, the Aborigines regained of their land and still hoped that, with time, there would be an improvement on the attitude between different cultural groups. Currently, most of the Australians have pushed for reconciliation that will unite the indigenous and the non-indigenous Australians. In the modern Australia, most of the customs and activities have taken a new direction following the European contact. With this regard, new ways were passed from one generation to the other, considering them as traditional (Black, 1983, p.42). Changes in the Aboriginal culture have taken place over the last many years. Archeological studies reveal t his aspect, indicating that, there is no specific Aboriginal traditional culture since it varies with time and place. In the entire continent of Australia, Aboriginal language and culture is not uniform. The difference varies with demographic regions. The curved returning boomerang and the didgeridoo are examples of the Aboriginal culture. These two examples did spread well along the different regions of Australia. The returning boomerang took place in the southeastern part (Fasold, 1984, p.21). On the other hand, the didgeridoo, used during ceremonies, took place in the northern part. The continent had over 350 tribes each having its own language and traditions. In Australia, certain facets of culture exist in some parts but are lacking in the others because the continent is made of groups of states. This means that some practices took place in some areas, by particular tribes.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rise in sea level separated the Aborigines from the south from the mainland before the arrival of the Europeans. The aborigines in the south were the most isolated individuals in the world. They missed the humankind innovations in the stone technology (Dixon, 1980, p.50). People in the far north do not consider themselves as Aborigines; they consider themselves as a distinct group, and their culture is a blend of the Aborigines from the mainland and that of individuals from Papua New Guinea. In the modern Australia, the Aboriginals have almost adopted the living styles of the European culture; only a few groups can show or define their native culture. In other areas, families in the remote regions are working hard to maintain the traditions and live in ceremonial life (Janke, 1998, p.10). In addition, there are people living in the Aboriginal communities buying most of the basic needs and at times following the traditional methods of survival. Moreover, at the far end are the urban Aborigines who have adopted the European living styles. Inevitable changes such as the modern transport and living style had to take place in the Australian continent. Contemporary Australia is rooted in liberal democratic traditions. In Australia, three key societal values that include tolerance, informality, and egalitarianism, are well known. Anglo-Celtic origins have highly influenced the Australian’s culture (Janke, 1998, p.12). In addition, multi-ethnic migrations have also influenced the Australian life. Australia does not have an official language though English is the prevalent language. According to the recent census, a population of approximately 80% mostly uses English in homes because of influence by the colonialists where the indigenous language had no meaning. A good number of migrants in Australia are bilingual. During the time of the first European contact, more than 200 Aboriginal languages were in existence; however, approximately 70 languages are in existe nce currently (Fasold, 1984, p.23). Different developments that took place in the Australian continent threatened the indigenous languages. In some states, few indigenous languages survived. In countries where Europeans settled, indigenous languages underwent embattlement since the start of the colonial power. Colonialists in Australia based division of labor in gender, where women were associated with the private sphere. In addition, they were also associated with the unpaid work and the home (Dixon, 1980, p.56). On the other hand, men were associated with the public sphere. Moreover, men got associated with the paid work and the larger society. Division of labor was dominant during the early years of settlement. It is during this era when women took the role of homemakers whose role was to bring civility to men. In the traditional Australia, grouping of occupations was sex-segregated. Since 1970s, passing of policies to promote gender equality in all areas took place (Campbell, 19 97, p.78). This gave more room for women to participate in the secondary and higher education. In addition, there was an increase in the general workforce and availability of childcare. Cultural diversity has taken place in this essence bringing changes in areas like these where women have equal roles as men. In the formation of the government, Australia uses the British system. Elections take place after every four years for the federal, state, and territorial seats (Black, 1983, p.45). In the past, during the colonial rule, the Australian continent had different regions as they are nowadays. The system of the political parties in Australia bears features of the arrangements made by the federation of state. Three levels of government leaderships exist where democratic voting of the officials takes place. This gives the people freedom of choice compared to the colonial empire where dictation took place. Social stratification in Australia falls under three categories. These classes i nclude the working, the middle, and the upper class. The differences between the three groups raise alarm seriously. Individuals considered as the wealthiest fall in the upper class category. These individuals get their wealth from land ownership and capital generation. The middle class has individuals with non-manual occupations. As aforementioned, materials owned underscore the class of an individual; therefore, expensive clothes, cars, and homes characterize individuals in the upper class. The economic value of these properties varies across the regions (Basso, 1998, p.34). In other cases, the property owned cannot always characterize the class of different individuals. Patterns of speech and the mode of lifestyles may be strong indicators of a given class. Social welfare in Australia takes the notion of egalitarianism. In the wake of the 19th century, lawmaking has furthered impartiality in the society. This was meant to improve the chances to individuals with different disabili ties. During the colonial era, the Aborigines received massive discrimination from the whites in terms of accessing public facilities. The most common welfare issues are the rising unemployment and the aged people (Baldaulf, 1995, p.67). In addition, childcare, poverty, and helping individuals from the remote areas fall in the list. It is the culture of the Australians to offer equal treatment to the needy individuals without discrimination. Australians have the freedom to religion. The constitution supports this by guaranteeing religious freedom. In Australia, there is no official national religion, and this aspect puts Christianity in the forefront as the dominant religion in the country. The colonialists introduced the Anglican belief in the 17th century and most of the population identify with Christianity. Australia has gained its fame in religious diversity due to the extensive immigration. All faiths have gained a representation in the country since most of the indigenous peo ple have embraced Christianity. This has resulted from the close relationship between the citizens and the missionaries (Angelo, 1994, p.46). Religious alternatives had a small presence since the 1850s. The New Age movement represents a set of growing beliefs. The movement arrived in the 1960s and was able to spread greatly by the 1990s giving some way for paganism. In addition, it has given way for other aspects of the occult among a small fraction of the citizens. In conclusion, the settling of the Europeans in Australia played a prominent role in changing the culture of the Aborigines. The Europeans changed the lifestyle of the Aborigines tremendously by making them leave their indigenous culture. They have also brought to extinction the different tribes that were the original people of the country making them abandon their indigenous languages (Janke, 1998, p.89). The 20th century brought many changes in different areas though the Australians did not abandon some of the things t hey acquired during the colonial empire. In the current Australia, the government formation has taken after the British systems who were their colonizers. Bearing all the above in mind, it suffices to conclude that the indigenous culture in Australia has been broken down since the white settlement. Reference List Angelo, D. (1994). Australian phrasebook. Victoria: Lonely planet. Baldaulf, R. (1995). Backing Australian languages: Review of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages initiatives program. Canberra: National languages and literacy institute of Australia. Basso, K. (1998). Wisdom sits in places: Language and landscape among the western Apache. Albuquerque: University of Mexico press. Black, P. (1983). Aboriginal languages of the northern territory. Batchelor: SAL. Campbell, L. (1997). American Indian languages. London: Oxford university press. Dixon, R. (1980). The languages of Australia. Australia: Cambridge university press. Fasold, R. (1984). The sociolinguist ics of society. Oxford: Blackwell. Janke, T. (1998). Our culture, our future: Report on Australian indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights. Canberra: Viberg press. This essay on The Breakdown of Indigenous Culture in Australia was written and submitted by user Aviana Gonzalez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

IKEA assignment Essays

IKEA assignment Essays IKEA assignment Essay IKEA assignment Essay Essay Topic: IKEA In this writing we will try to analyse IKEA, the furniture retailer in relation to the assortment of its products and the position it holds in the market. Another question we would analyse is what causes the consumer to decide on where to buy their products enabling the companys position in the market To complete this report we would use a SWOT analysis and a map positioning IKEA along with its competitors with reference to the variety of designs and the value for money. Mintel will be used to obtain statistical information and further research will be carried out from journal, books and news paper articles to support the evidence. As a result of the research we would also develop a list of factors that effect IKEA completing it with a summery. Facts and figures Ingvar Kamprad the founder of IKEA was 24 when he started selling furniture in 1943 opened his first store in his home town Sweden in 1958. As to date IKEA has 180 outlets operating in 22 countries to which 60% of the products are developed in Sweden and consists of approximately 10,000 home ware products in various assortments as listed below. * Bathroom, Beds, Mattresses, chairs and Childrens IKEA * Bookcases, storage systems, Kitchen Cook wares * Floors, Rugs, Lighting, Mirrors * Sofas, Sofa beds and Armchairs * Tables, Textiles, Wardrobes cloths storage * Workspace Furniture accessories During the year 2004 over 365 million customers have visited IKEA stores. The company purchases products from approximately 1,500 suppliers in 55 countries with 27 distributions centres in 16 countries. IKEA is 40% dependent in sourcing from other countries and also transporting from swedwood (own industrial groups)1 to other outlets, therefore it is important for these transport to supply their end of the purchasing to the customers. However the approach IKEA follows is mainly based on being environmentally friendly and they expect their suppliers wherever they are in the world to follow their code of conduct the Ikea Way (IWAY) which is explained in further details in Appendix A Ikea requires the routes from the suppliers to customers to be direct, cost effective environmentally friendly as possible which is also why flat packs are important to them and the customers Ikeas ethos is to provide affordable furnishing for working families, the flat pack nature of the products developed specifically in that format to enable prices to be kept low2. 12 months prior to February 2003 the mintel report has stated that Argos was the favourite source of decorated house ware products but less in functional house ware at 18% whereas IKEA attracted 12% of consumers holding its position in the 2nd place. However it would be necessary to mention that Argos also attracts shoppers interest in other products such as clothing, electrical and entertainment. Below is a table with further details from Mintel. On the other hand as seen on the table below in 2004 the retailer used for purchasing furniture is IKEA with 16% followed by Argos with 10% and department stores being 3rd with 5%. Source Mintel report3 Although IKEA may have counteracted with difficult situations in the past such as the the deadly poisoned bookshelves4 where formaldehyde was found after a tests were conducted by an investigative team from Germany. They have taken immediate action with stopping production world wide showing how the values of the customers were important to them. There may also be difficulties for the shoppers with no transports, with IKEA stores located in retails parks out of the city; however they do ensure transport via train and buses along with the offer to deliver. Position mapping After completing a research travelling the stores, browsing the catalogue and websites, it has helped to analysing the variety of products IKEA produces in comparison to its revelries. This has enabled us to compare prices and position them on the map as seen below. The map is designed to show where the companies stand in relation with its competitors with one line marked as the design/style of assortment the company has and the second line is to measure the value/pricing with both indicating the low and high levels. With approximately 10,000 assortments of furniture the consumer would know that there are varieties to choose from at reasonable prices with quality. This also helps the positioning of IKEA to be the 1st in the market place. `The UK is Ikeas third biggest market, generating 12% of group sales, or pounds 800m last year. Germany is biggest, with 21% of sales. In addition, Brent Park is the busiest Ikea store in the world.5 We can see that IKEA has the highest assortment of all 5 companies with 10,000 products at reasonable pricing. Whereas Habitat was placed on the map for the lowest design yet high with pricing. On the other hand although Argos was the cheapest company the assortment was also much less than IKEA with 3,500 furniture products. John Lewis was positioned on the map to be the third least expensive with the third in line for the variety of assortments in its product range, whereas MFI was placed to be 4th in line of varieties but 3rd with higher prices compared with IKEA. This is a tool used to measure the strength, weakness, threats and opportunity of a company in the market upon competitors as shown in Appendix B One of the major strengths of IKEA is that it a wide variety of products therefore giving them a competitive edge in comparison to their competitors. IKEA strengths come from storing their products under one roof and producing catalogues in various languages and delivers to homes. Last year, a total of 145 million copies were printed in 48 editions and 25 languages 6 The idea was to produce and sell simple, practical items of furniture that were easy to install The flat pack packaging is another one of IKEA strength with easy to install instruction. Another weakness of IKEA is the number of outlets with in UK and in order to strengthen that weakness it would be advisable to open further outlets which would be to their advantage. Although MFI has more outlets, unfortunately most of their furnitures are made as units which are one off to order that requires few weeks of delivery time where the likes of MFI or Courts may make money selling to the customer on a one-off basis7. An opportunity for IKEA is that it does not do e commerce as it is missing out on a great opportunity with large market segmentation, which is one of Argos strengths On the companys website it states that trade through the Internet is small but growing. However, in the UK IKEA does not offer home shopping either through its websites or the catalogue. Customers must make a trip to one of the stores to actually make a purchase8 One other weakness of IKEA is as stated by Mail on Sunday is the queuing system It is reckoned that customers often spend an hour queuing to pay at the checkouts of a busy store. And that helps explain why it wants to build 20 more9. Factors effecting IKEA There are a few factors which affect Ikea in a positive and negative perspective such as the change in fashion If you bought a new coat or boots this winter, the chances are it was not because your old ones had worn out but because you wanted the latest style, label or colour.10 Below listed are few other factors that effect IKEA and the consumer before buying the product. * Change in fashion and taste * Busy life schedule * E commerce * Retailing mistakes/Delivery issues * Marital status Factors in selecting a retailer * Flexibility Buying furniture is an emotional process. Customers require time, flexibility and support from their retail outlets when making such important decisions. We have to respect their needs11. * Quality and Price We are the ones who make the selection of the products by the quality, variety, and also by the price. It doesnt work if we pay a high price12 * Assortment of Product range * Location/ packaging * Media Pressure * Fashion change * Customer loyalty and perception.

The Lightning Thief and References to Greek Mythology

'The Lightning Thief' and References to Greek Mythology Rick Riordans The Lightning Thief (the first volume of Riordans Percy Jackson and the Olympians series) mentions many names familiar from Greek mythology. Here youll find further information on the explicit mythological references and some more subtle mythological allusions. The order of the list below attempts to follow the sequence of mentions in the book as well as Riordans other references to Greek mythology. The Book Series The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series consist of five books by author Rick Riordan. The first book, The Lightning Thief, focuses on Percy Jackson, who is about to get kicked out of boarding school for the second time. Mythological monsters and gods are after him and he only has ten days to rectify what they want from him.  In the second book, The Sea of Monsters, Percy finds trouble at Camp Half-Blood where mythological monsters are back. In order to save the camp and keep it from being destroyed, Percy needs to gather his friends.   The third book,  The Titans Curse, has Percy and his friends looking to see what happened to the goddess Artemis, who went missing and is believed to have been kidnapped.  They need to solve the mystery and save Artemis before the winter solstice. In the fourth book, The Battle of the Labyrinth, the war between the Olympians and Titan lord Kronos grows stronger as Camp Half-Blood becomes more vulnerable. Percy and his friends have to go on a quest in this adventure. In the fifth and final installment of the series, The Last Olympian  focuses on the half-bloods preparing for the war against the Titans. Knowing it is an uphill battle, the thrill is strong to see who will reign more powerful. About the Author Rick Riordan is most known for the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series but has also written the Kane Chronicles and the Heroes of Olympus. He is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has won multiple awards for the mystery series for adults known as Tres Navarre. Mythological References KronosTitansZeus/JupiterTitanomachyFatesHadesMinotaurHerculesChironPegasusHeraApolloNymphsDionysusAphrodite/VenusPrometheusCentaurUnderworldHermesAresOracleNaiadsAthenaDemeterPoseidonLaurelHephaestusArtemisCerberusNemesisCyclopsTrojan WarCirceHydraPythonMaiaJasonMt. EtnaIliadGolden AgeGorgonsPanShower of GoldNemean LionZephyrChimeraIrisCupidArachneArachneAresArtemisAphrodite/VenusApolloAsphodel FieldsAthenaCentaurCerberusCharonChimeraChironCirceCupidCyclopsDemeterDionysusElysian FieldsEtnaFatesGolden AgeGorgonsHeraHadesHarpiesHeraHephaestusHerculesHermesHydraIliadIrisJasonJupiter/ZeusKronosLaurelLotusOracleMaiaMinotaur9 MusesMt. EtnaNaiadsNemean LionNemesisNereidNymphsPanPegasusPersephonePoseidonPrometheusPythonShower of GoldSisyphusTitanomachyTitansTrojan WarUnderworldUnderworld Judges - MinosVenus/AphroditeZephyrZeus/JupiterLotusNereidCharonAsphodel FieldsElysian FieldsDemeter9 MusesHarpiesAndromedaAntaeusBulls of ColchisCadmusCalypsoDryadsEurytionGanymedeGeryonGraeaeJanusLaistrygo nians Mt. OthrysPeleusPolyphemus

English is seen by some as 'the global language'. Discuss with Essay - 1

English is seen by some as 'the global language'. Discuss with reference to some of the domains in which English is gaining most - Essay Example It is interesting to discuss why English, and why not any other language. According to Crystal David (2003 ) a language achieves a global status only when it develops a ‘special role’ and fulfils certain functions. The ‘power function’ of language expects that it should enable us to gain goods and services in order to live well and lead a good life. The ‘community function’ of language helps us to represent a personal and social identity. The former is a centrifugal force and the latter is a centripetal force. Let us examine how far the English language is successful in playing the ‘special role’ which implies numerous facets, so that it can rightly be called an international language. One hypothesis can be that a language that is the Mother Tongue of people in maximum number of countries can be an international language. But geographically speaking, English is a mother tongue in a handful of nations like USA, Canada, Britain, Irela nd, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa several Caribbean countries and a few others. Yet, we observe that its influence has reached all parts of the world. Hence, being a mother tongue of many nations cannot be a criterion for being qualified as an international language. ... The language adhered to the religion and was retained. English was the language of administration during the British rule and even after Independence, English continued to be used as an official language in more than 70 countries like Ghana, Nigeria, India and Singapore, to mention a few. In the 19th century, England was politically a powerful nation. In the 20th century, its power began to wane and USA became economically dominant. The mother tongue in USA is also English. Political power establishes a language, as it happened in the 19th century. But it is economic power that helps to maintain and expand it. This happened in the 20th century when America became an economic power. It is indeed true that ‘English was at the right place at the right time’. ( Crystal David, 2003 ) The Industrial Revolution and the Electronic Revolution were two important historical events that changed the face of the world. These revolutions were led by British and American scientists. The y brought vast changes in the lifestyle of people all over the world and were two major steps towards globalization. Following these events, English language captured areas like media, advertising, popular music, broadcasting, cinema, computers and internet. In order to stay ‘with the world’, people realized that they had to know the English language. It promoted international relations. English is taught as a foreign language in more than 100 countries today, the chief among them being China, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Brazil, India and an ever increasing number of countries for that matter. A lot of time and money is spent by many countries in teaching English as a foreign language. It is realized by one and all

Language Acquisition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Language Acquisition - Essay Example The myth that â€Å"Languages are learned mainly through imitation† is such a shallow concept of language learning and undermines the great researchers that have been dedicated to its study. No doubt, language may be learned through imitation, but the language learner does not stop at imitating a language model. He goes beyond that. There have been many theories conceptualized as to how language is acquired by human beings. Lindfors (1987) claims, â€Å"Virtually every child, without special training, exposed to surface structures of language in many interaction contexts, builds for himself – in a short period of time and at an early stage in his cognitive development – a deep-level, abstract, and highly complex system of linguistic structure and use. â€Å"( p. 90) This implies that every child is capable of learning the language. Skinner’s Behaviorist Model of language acquisition is consistent with the rules of operant conditioning, based upon a stimulus-response model. Simply put, infants are presented with language which they imitate. They are rewarded for their imitations so they continue to repeat what they have heard. Their imitation does not have to be exact or immediate in order for them to make use of it in learning the language (Brewer, 2001). However, as the child grows, imita tion should approximate the accurate pronunciation of words. According to the behaviorist view, an individual is reinforced (positively or negatively) for responses to various stimuli, hence, the external environment plays a great part in the formation of behaviors. By administering positive reinforcement such as praising or smiling when the desired behavior occurs and administering negative reinforcement such as scolding or correcting when an undesired behavior occurs, one is assumed to encourage the desired behavior and make it more likely that that behavior will recur (Lindfors, 1987).